Veterans reflect on meaning of Memorial Day

The Korean War is commonly called the forgotten war, but not for the men who served in the three-year conflict.

Local veterans George Martin, Dale Davis, and David Ash share their experiences.

Dale Davis

Davis, 77, retired as a lieutenant colonel after 22 years in the Marine Corps in 1968. He left high school in 1944 to join the merchant marines. He got hurt in 1945 and returned home.

He finished high school in 1948 and said he learned that if he enlisted he would be eligible for a World War II G.I. Bill, he said.

Davis said years later he was assigned to Dog Company, Second Battalion, First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division.

“When I got over there the division was on the west side of North Korea up in the mountains,” Davis said. “It was cold. In late March the whole division moves east to what they called the invasion plains.”

Davis said they relieved the First Republic of Korea Division. By then everything had settled into a World War I style of fighting with trench battles.

“We were no longer facing the North Koreans like we did up in the mountains,” Davis said. “We were facing the Chinese, who we were across the line from. All the action was along the mainline.”

Davis remembers the nighttime being long and drawn out.

It wasn’t a popular war nor an unpopular war,” Davis said. “It was just out there somewhere.

“In my opinion (Gen. Douglas) MacArthur made a big mistake,” Davis said. “Instead of driving the Koreans up to the 38th parallel and stopping, he was going to show the world he (continued north) and the Chinese came down like stuff through a tin horn and wiped out unit after unit.”

David Ash

Ash, 85, served with the Marines in World War II and Korea before joining the Air Force during the Vietnam War.

He was in the

security command and they had equipment he used that could pick up conversations.

Ash said that when he was in Korea he worked on aircraft electronics in the

electronic shops.

“I was one of the ground troops there,” Ash said. “We used to get up and fix equipment to everybody’s satisfaction, I guess.”

Ash said he is grateful to be alive to be able to celebrate Memorial Day.

“I don’t think people know the

significance of Memorial Day,” Ash said about how some have forgotten about its meaning. “I ride around in an electric scooter because my legs have given out from under me and a few other things. Some people want to help get my scooter out of the van, some people could care less about what you have been through.”

Ash said some people still think about what people have sacrificed their lives for. Ash retired from the Air Force in 1975 as a chief master sergeant after serving 20 plus years.

George Martin

Martin, 77, served as a rifleman. After his short tour of duty he went to college at Eastern New Mexico University and majored in political science.

Martin served in Korea after the peace treaty was signed.

“I was a rifleman and made Sergeant Dog Company the Second Battalion,” Martin said. “It was boring. There were a few incursions, but they were minor things just to keep us on our toes.”

Martin feels some people have not only forgotten about the Korean War but also the meaning of Memorial Day.