Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
6:53 | On his first day at the front in Korea, Jack Robinson was sent on patrol and had to hit the deck in a rice paddy. That's when he discovered what they were using for fertilizer. At least he had a great company commander who knew how to use air support. And when there were wounded to be rescued, he learned about a neat trick the tankers could use.
His platoon was sent to probe a hill, but soon they were scrambling for cover and Jack Robinson was carrying a wounded sergeant, John Cima, back to the medics. When he returned, he spotted a gas stove left by some tankers with a hot cup of coffee just waiting.
Jack Robinson joined the Marine Reserves while at college. Three months later, the Korean War broke out and he found himself at Camp Pendleton getting combat training and loading equipment into a troop ship. After a rough crossing, he was looking at the roof of a creaky Korean train car wondering why it was all shot up.
The Marines had spent months on line and had just settled into hot showers and new clothes when the order came, "Saddle Up!" The Chinese Spring Offensive had begun and a hole in the line had to be plugged. Jack Robinson's unit did just that, holding their own with rifles, machine guns and grenades.
They held the hill all night under assault. At daylight, the order came to leave. Jack Robinson's platoon had to hold the crest while the others withdrew and that left them facing an entire Chinese regiment. He says he never ran so fast in his life when it came his turn to scramble down to safety. Unfortunately, his friend Gotfried Paulson didn't make it.
When the Korean peace talks started, the lines became static positions and the Marines dug in, fortifying the bunkers and trenches. Jack Robinson picked up a shrapnel wound there and a very unusual Christmas card left by the enemy. He returned stateside for Officer Candidate School but decided to return to college.
