Photo By Sgt. Cedric Haller | U.S. Marines sit and view a statue of Koreans trying to unite their country during a...... read more read more
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DEMILITARIZED ZONE, Republic of Korea—Absolute silence filled the air as U.S. Marines stood at the very line that divides two nations that have been at war for more than 60 years.
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land stretching from coast to coast across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a neutral buffer between North and South Korea.
The Marines tour of the DMZ began with visiting one of four tunnels dug by North Korean forces to infiltrate the Republic of Korea. The first of these tunnels was discovered in November of 1974 and since then three more were discovered to have all crossed the DMZ in a North to South direction.
“Going through one of the tunnels was the most interesting part of the tour to me,” said U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon M. Fea, an assault amphibious vehicle crewmember with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. “Actually walking through the tunnel, experiencing a part of history and knowing that at the other end of that tunnel was North Korea, was such a strange feeling.”
Next the Marines were escorted into Camp Bonifas, a United Nations Command military post located 400 meters south of the southern boundary of the DMZ and 2,400 meters south of the military demarcation line. Camp Bonifas is named after U.S. Army Capt. Arthur Bonifas, who along with U.S. Army 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, died from injuries they received during the Axe Murder Incident in August of 1976.
The axe murder incident was the killing of two United States Army officers by North Korean soldiers in the Joint Security Area located in the DMZ. The U.S. Army officers had been part of a work party cutting down a poplar tree that blocked the view between two guardhouses in the JSA.
After arriving to Camp Bonifas and receiving a ROK and U.S. Army security escort, the Marines were bussed to the Joint Security Area. Prior to the Axe Murder Incident, both North and South Korea had access to the entire JSA but since the incident, the JSA was separated by the military demarcation line in order to prevent further incidents.
“The troops on Camp Bonifas are definitely a force in readiness,” said U.S. Marine Capt. Jordan M. Gwiazdon, a judge advocate with III Marine Expeditionary Force Staff Judge Advocate Office. “‘In front of them all’ is the slogan that the troops at the JSA are known for and I felt that they really live up to that.”
Once inside the JSA the Marines were escorted to the Freedom House which is just a few meters from the MDL. This infamous house is where peace talks between North and South Korea initially took place. Sitting perfectly dissected by the MDL is conference row where all meetings between the North and South take place.
“Standing a few feet from the border between North and South Korea was a little daunting,” said U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Michael H. Casey, an assault amphibious vehicle crewmember with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. “It’s very quiet and surreal inside of the DMZ but just a couple miles away is bustling metropolis. It’s an eye-opener into a different world.”
After visiting conference row the Marines were then escorted to multiple focal points of different skirmishes and incidents that took place inside of the DMZ, such the Axe Murder Incident, Operation Paul Bunyan, the Soviet Defector firefight of 1984 and were able to see other important landmarks such as the three-point defense system, the Bridge of No Return and the village Daeseong-dong which is home to one of the tallest flagpoles in the world.
“Just the experience of touring the DMZ, appreciating the history and culture of all of Korea is the biggest thing I took away from this tour. This is their equivalent to our civil war and it’s still going on to this day,” said Gwaizdon. “This tour was absolutely great. I’m grateful I got to go on. It was a once in a lifetime experience.”
| Date Taken: | 04.09.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2014 10:04 |
| Story ID: | 127213 |
| Location: | DEMILITARIZED ZONE, BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Web Views: | 1,284 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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