| WHY THIS PROJECT? This project is an outgrowth of a course requirement at the University of North Florida. That course, Computers in Education, is obviously aimed at educators. Since I am no educator I decided that I would “do” something of interest to me. My trip to the Korean War Memorial dedication in July 1995 strongly reinforced two previously held notions: First, few people know or care anything about the late lamented “police action”; and Second, even fewer have the slightest interest in the experiences of my peers, i.e., those of us who were involved in the 1952/1953 period. To illustrate my point, if one were to pick up any authoritative dissertation on the Korean War one would find that all events of consequence occurred between June 1950 and late 1951, ending with the major “Meat Grinder” and positional operations. These tomes then duly note that there ensued a “stalemate” that lasted until the cease fire agreements of July 1953. Leatherneck Magazine’s fine series on that period of the war is a welcome and refreshing exception. Even the Marine Corps Museum at Quantico dedicates a mere 10 to 20 feet of wall space to the Marines of that period. I say this in no way to detract from the magnificent deeds of our predecessors--and those deeds are legion! I suppose that one might say that my hypothesis, if indeed I have one, is that “Yes, Virginia, there really was still a war in 1952 and 1953”. (For a revealing experience check "EVENTS" below.) Casualties sustained by Marines in that period were, after all, greater than in the first half of the war. Years ago Martin Russ, in his fine book “The Last Parallel”, did an excellent job of exposing life as it existed to the dirt eaters. The purpose of this project, then, is to let participants of the period paint a picture of the times--from their point of view. I make no attempt to be exhaustive or definitive. I leave judgments and conclusions to those with spare time, inquisitiveness and fortitude to plod through my “work”. EXIT............................................EVENTS
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