Hand-to-Hand Combat in the Mountains of Korea | James Sharp

Sergeant James Sharp joined the U.S. Army on April 7, 1950. After basic training Sharp was sent to NCO school, but this training was cut short with the news that North Korea has crossed the 38th Parallel and ignited the Korean War.

Sharp found himself quickly shipped to the Korean Peninsula with the 1st Cavalry Division and was embedded into South Korea to help stop the advance of the KPA. He quickly became a seasoned combat veteran experiencing everything from chaotic firefights to intense hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.

On April 7, 1951 Sharp would be wounded by an artillery round and receive the Purple Heart. He would serve the rest of his time in Korea recovering from his wounds behind the lines.

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Video Credits:
Interviewer - Greg Corombos
Director of Photography - Jon Hambacker
Editor - Daniel Taksas

[americanveteranscenter]

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[philkwon]

to any veteran who served in the Korean war, I sincerely thank you. i am the son of Korean immigrants and have enjoyed being born in the United States, but I'm sure you have noticed how much progress South Korean has made in the last 70 years. none of that progress would be possible without your help. i hope that surviving veterans can make a trip to South Korea (if they haven't already) to see what their efforts have helped to build: a thriving, free country. and if you are able to visit, i hope you look upon my mother country with great pride because you are a part of the fabric of our great nation. you are deeply appreciated.

[HwangSimok]

I am a Korean. You came to a country that no one knows about, participated in the war, and protected the Republic of Korea. Thank you very much and respect you very much.

[bobbyscott]

Something my Dad saw one time reminded him of being back in Korea. He said they shelled back and forth all night with the enemy and the hill they were on was about 2 1/2 miles apart. The next morning as it was breaking day he said he could have walked from one hill to the next without touching the ground because of all the bodies! I don't think he ever left there in his never talked about it that much! I think he was trying to forget it after all those years. He did on occasion speak about the guys he served with and always had good things to say! His name was Corpl. Herbert Gurney Scott from Robbins N.C. I miss him alot!

[jacobrhoten]

Just lost my dad August 3rd. He was a Korean war veteran. 2nd infantry division. Thank you for bringing us their stories. They're going fast.

[adamf]

The forgotten war, my late grandfather was in Korea for 2 years, I miss his stories. Brutal combat and unbearable cold. He used to tell me about how the enemy would just keep coming no matter how many were shot & that some gunfights lasted less than a minute to over 15 hours. I remember he told me about his brother Pete and after his brother was wounded that he didn’t think he would make it out without being killed because he saw his brother as the strongest of all his siblings. Hand to hand combat was a real thing, very personal. I always wondered if my grandfather came back changed, but he was a good man treated us all kindly and with love.

[kylermoland]

My grandpa told me stories about mowing down wave after wave with a bar or an m2, and beating men to death with an e tool. He also brought up the hill 303 massacre (the ditch full of executed POWs near Taegu) and said it changed the way they thought about the war. He said there was no such thing as a surrendering enemy. I spent time in the sand box, but I didn’t do anything compared to that. Pops turned more bodies cold in each fire fight than my entire unit did in a deployment. He wouldn’t talk about it until I got back from Afghanistan, but I went to see him on leave and we swapped war stories soldier to soldier. It’s still my favorite memory of the grumpy hard ass.

[richardhurtz]

My father was 17 years old for almost his whole tour. He wouldn’t turn 18 until 14 June 53. (He shared his birthday with the Army. He was proud of that fact, he also served 33 years.) He never talked about Korea but he would wake up screaming a lot. He never slept with his feet covered when I was a kid. I would say, “Dad your feet will get cold.” (And cover them) He would kick off the blanket every time. At his funeral his Army buddies told me. “No matter how cold it was your father never slept in a sleeping bag.” I told them the story about his feet uncovered. They said, “you know why?” “Your father’s platoon was bivouacking somewhere in Korea. The Chinese (who didn’t ever get points to rotate home and were all hardcore Veterans.) snuck in among the sleeping men and murdered them in their sleeping bags. Your father woke up and nobody else was alive. They missed him and his sleeping bag.” 17 years old and you wake up to everyone else dead in your platoon/squad whatever it was. My father never told me the story himself. He was wounded 3 x (I read his records once and saw the wounds documented) he never got awarded a Purple Heart do to record screw ups. My mother asked him once why he didn’t try to get his Purple Hearts. He said, “I just did my job.” His job was a heavy .30 cal water cooled Browning. He showed me one at West Point once and noticed a part missing form 30’ away. He told me how he kept it from freezing with his body heat. He had frostbitten feet that also bothered him his whole life. He was on Pork Chop hill that’s were he got his grenade scars in his face and neck.

[ryanainlay]

I hope more vets from Korea are able to tell their stories on this platform!

[yjkwon]

I am a Korean(South) immigrant, just became US citizen recently. If it weren't for the sacrifices made by American soldiers, like this gentlemen, the Korean peninsula would have been a communist state and I wouldn't be here. I always try to show my appreciation when I come across a Korean War veteran!

[tadamoriyagi]

My Korean American grand uncle fought in Korea in the US Army. My mom said she once overheard him talking about fighting in trenches and how the enemy bodies were piling up so high, they were using them as shields. He ended up dying in Vietnam while working as a civilian contractor.

[cajunpipesmoker]

My father was very good friends with a fella who served in Korea with the Marines. He fought in several hand to hand combat situations. He said the average US marine seemed huge compared to the Chinese and Koreans. I believe he said the Chinese were easier to fight in hand to hand, but the North Koreans were fierce (it may be the other way around). He described one encounter where the enemy stabbed him with the bayonet and he (the marine) grabbed the bayonet with both hands to keep from being stabbed again. The enemy started beating him in the head with his free hand. Eventually the Marine’s legs buckled and he fell. As the enemy lifted the rifle to kill him, another Marine came up behind the guy and cut his throat. Saved my dads friend. That fella became a Christian and served as a missionary in Africa until his death just a few years ago. God Bless America and ALL our servicemen!!

[ROBIN_SAGE]

A debt of gratitude that can never be properly repaid…… thank you my brother 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[philwaller]

Reminds me of my Uncle. He told me on his VA death bed, about being in the trenches on the border when the Chinese surprised the Americans. He said the first waves were armed with sticks. Wave after wave. Uncle mentioned that it was hand to hand for 2 days. He did have some issues for a few years afterward...regarding night terrors. Finally in the late 1970's...he found help for what was now described as PTSD. He was one of the most gentle, Christian men I've ever known. I cant even imagine the terror. God Bless and keep.

[waynelovejr.]

My dad was there in '51/'52. He served with the 5th RCT of the 24th Infantry Division. He told me that they found 24th division GI's with their hands tied with wire, and executed. After that, they began shooting most Chinese that tried to surrender. At the end of his time there, they put his 210 man (over strength, ) rifle Company on a hill, and told them to hold it. On the 4th day, they were overran, and when relieved on the 5th day, there were only 20 men still able to fight, and most of those were walking wounded. My mom and grandmother told me that for 2 years after he came home, he would wake up, in the middle of the night, screaming, then jump on the floor before realizing he was home. Dad passed at age 72, and the last few weeks of his life, he would see friends that died in Korea, and at times thought he was back in Korea. He would get this terrified look on his face, and reach around frantically looking for his M1. Our nation owes all.these guys a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. The US flag represents freedom, and the sacrifices made by millions of American service members to protect that freedom. That is something these kneelers, and lefties, cannot seem to grasp God Bless all who served, and are serving now.

[johnhaeberle]

This is a typical hero... soft-spoken, no bravado, no self-aggrandizement. I've been lucky to meet many like him. These are real heroes. Thank you, sir, for your service!

[bobbyscott]

My Dad served in Korea '51 & '52 in the Infantry. I still have photos he brought back. One in particular has my father with three of his buddies in winter boots, pants, caps and helmets with their belts (canteen, ammo pouches and bayonets on the side) posing with their M-1 Carbines with 30 rnd mags ready for action! On the back it states everyones' name and says North Korea '52. He was honorably discharged after the war and went in the Navy and served 9 1/2 yrs. on the Destroyer USS Shadwell. I was born in 1963 and from an early age until I was about 15, my Dad would wake up any given night screaming and my Mom said he was dreaming about being in Korea! He told me that he dreaded going out on patrol at night the most. He said you had to be able to break a mans' neck without making a sound! Thank y'all for your service! Remember it was called a ''Conflict''.

[secondsfromdisaster]

He said "& i changed my mind." Thats the most bad ass thing i ever heard. My Grandfather Frank Polletta was a marine that served in the Korean War who also made it back home. I appreciate you on a personal level sir. Salute

[jday]

My dad was there.
25th Infantry Regiment
3rd Infantry Division
1950-1952
Bronze star w/ Valor
After I got outta the Army in the 80’s my dad actually talked about it with me.
He told me about the night a million screaming Chinese came wave after wave. Bodies were everywhere.
11 men in his company were captured.
He was only a private at the time. How a Lt. asked for volunteers to go rescue them.
He mentioned how dark it was while on that mission. Hearing the Chinese whispering as they walked past him.
Well, the mission was successful and they made it back to the company.
Lt. got the Silver Star
Dad got a Bronze w/ valor.
I asked him why he volunteered? He said, because they would have done it for him.
RIP Dad…
Staff sergeant John Day
WW2/Korea

[tonyb]

Thank you for your service sir, in Honor of SSG Nicholas P Bellard my son KIA in Iraq, he was scout with 1st Cav Ft Hood, my dad had a man who work for him at his gas station, he served in Korea and shared many stories with me. You have my respect