The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-12-10

a
Oscar, who il the son Of Ignaeio
Avis, So Elizabeth St., was in the
18th Ordnance Ammunition Com
pany o. the Z. S. Eighth Army.
He landed in Korea at Inchon
where his troop ship dropped anch-
or under the cover Of darkness 10
unload troops, supplies and am
munition.
The battle-weary men and woun-
ded they we're replacing we're at
the port for the trip back to the
States. Troop ships didn't linger
In one spot any longer than neces-
sary at that time when they were
under constant threat Of aerial at
tack and enemy artillery.
Oscars outfit went forward a.
enee to the Army Supply Points.
These ASP we're the smmvnl-
iIen dumps that kept the front
line fighters supplied with shells,
bullets and bombs.
II there was one thing the North
Koreans liked to do better than
having outright iront-line assaults,
Il was hunting out the ammo
dumps with their aircraft, Oscar
discovered, as night after night
passed without sleep while his unit
worked on round the clock shifts
10 keep the ammunition moving to
the front.
They worked on twelve hour re-
lays. and would no more than hit
the sack when the air raid alarm
would sound and there would be
no hope Of sleep.
Oscar was riding on a truck
loaded with high explosives one
evening when flames on the hori.
ron turned into day, He and
the driver were divided between
fear of being seen by enemy air
craft and curiosity as to what was
causing the flames.
They learned when they returned
10 their Base. Five hostile air
raids had ripped into Inchon and
fired the pure oil and gasoline
storage supplies. The skies glowed
fifty miles away from the flames
and explosions. American Sabreiets
gave chase and shot down most
of the NORTH Korean planes.
Greatest menace to what pre-
carious personal safety there was
behind the lines In Korea was activ-
ity Of snipers and guerrillas whose
sneak attacks and fifth column
activities we're a constant threat
They were numerous around the
ammo dump where almost nightly
attempts we're made to set fire to
the explosives.
Especially helpful in putting down
the guerrillas, Oscar said, were the
civilian South Koreans who could
identity their northern countrymen,
and report them at once. II was
difficult for Americans to distin-
gulsh the looks Of the North Kore.
ans, from other far-easterners who
were loyal to the United Nations.
The twentY-ssven year old Key
WasseT also gave q soldiers
praise TO the excellent fighting Of
ell v. N. units engaged in com.
Bat In fhe Korean theatre. He
slnnlad cut the French, Belslans,
Greeks and Turks. The French,
he remarked were semewhai dis
heartsnsd when, upon the truce
and withdrawal Of troops from
keFss. they were shipped 81 once
10 French lndo.chins for more
fighting.
Asked II he had seen any Soviet
military personnel, Oscar replied
''No, but l have talked with many
Of our wounded sent back from
the lines to 121 General Hospital
at Yong Dong Pc, and many Of
them had seen Russians; also ex-
change prisoners reported seeing
high.ranking Soviet army officers
In North Korea"
The work of the U. S. Navy was
described by Oscar as being most
important. "They helped us out of
the tight spots and knocked out
communications. and gave import
ant supporting fire he said.
Oscar. who Is a private first
class, wears the Presidential eta