Photo By Sgt. Cody Ewing | 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment “Chosin”, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th...... read more read more
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December 19th 2019, Fort Drum N.Y. 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment “Chosin”, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, unveiled a display in remembrance to their part in a historic operation, December 19th at Fort Drum, N.Y.
During the unveiling Capt. Justin Lowe, 1-32 IN historian told the story of an operation to cut down a tree, called Operation Paul Bunyan. On August 18th, 1976, a group of U.S. Soldiers were removing a tree that was obstructing a lookout post in the Joint Security Area of the demilitarized zone. As they worked, a North Korean officer named Lt. Pak, approached them claiming the tree had been planted by Kim Il-sung himself and demanded they stop. The U.S. officer in charge, Capt. Arthur Bonifas, ignored him and ordered his Soldiers to continue working. Soon after, a North Korean truck brought additional men raising the total of North Korean Soldiers to more than 30.
According to Lowe, eye witness accounts from the event state that Lt. Pak took his watch, wrapped it in a handkerchief, placed it in his pocket and ordered his men to "kill the bastards." In the struggle Capt. Bonifas and 1Lt. Barret were killed by bludgeoning and axe wounds.
In response to this event Operation Paul Bunyan was initiated on August 21, 1976, by order of President Gerald Ford. Twenty three U.S. and South Korean vehicles brought Soldiers into the Joint Security Area with U.S. Army Cobra attack helicopters, B-52 bombers, F-4 phantoms, thousands of troops, and the U.S.S. carrier Midway on standby.
Within 40 minutes the tree was cut down as 200 North Korean Soldiers watched.
The Chosin Battalion, at the time under the 2nd Infantry Division, took part in this operation.
Part of the display is a piece of wood from the tree that was cut down. Also displayed are personal items donated from Capt. Alan Fojt a former member of 1-32 IN during the time of the operation, to include his certificates, Imjin Scout pin, DMZ MP shoulder sleeve and Korean Military Advisory Group Patch.
Lowe said, "the period between the Korean War and us joining the 10th Mountain Division in the 90s is less well known. It's not known as a time of conflict but it was certainly tumultuous. We had an important job to do, maintaining the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea."
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2019 12:14 |
| Story ID: | 357015 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 411 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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