WAR: Here comes history - again

When I read the headlines on The Press of Oct. 22 I didn't know if I should laugh or cry.

"Home for Christmas" it said. A day or two after Thanksgiving, 61 years ago, there were headlines like that in the newspapers and in communications from MacArthur's HQ in Tokyo. Our commanding officer stopped the distribution of such information to the Marines of the 1st Division because he knew there was a lot more fighting to do to get to the Yalu River; and end the Korean War in 1950. Our Thanksgiving dinner that time was served up in a schoolhouse with small tables and chairs. It was a rare hot meal in the high mountains of North Korea, at a place called the Chosin Reservoir. We sat in our foxholes and smoked the cigar that topped off the meal.

But, on Nov. 27 the Chinese came into the war with all they could muster and the battle of the Chosin Reservoir was in full swing. For 14 days and 40 miles we fought our way out of the mountains back to the port where there were ships on the sea.

Now, today our military presence is still seen in South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and how many more places around the world? Only some of our sons and grandsons will be home for Christmas. Those headlines are history repeating itself.

R. R. SEWARD

MGySgt USMC Ret.

Coeur d'Alene