Veteran Spotlight
Bert Todd November 26, 1933 Korean War: Light Weapons Infantryman - Corporal U.S. Army 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division
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Bert Todd was working in California when the Korean War started. Deciding he wanted a different job, he gave his boss a week’s notice. The boss said, “You can’t quit. I’ll turn you in for the draft.” Bert decided he might as well quit on the spot and headed home to Big Timber, Montana. He got off the bus on May 29, 1953. After a few days, the sheriff saw him at a service station and gave him his “greetings from the President” letter. He was drafted. At that point Bert thought he might as well get it over with, so the sheriff took him to the registration office. That night he was on a bus to Butte and was sworn in.
After just one night in Butte, the train took Bert to Missoula and from there he was flown to Camp Lewis, Washington. He spent 16 days at the dispersal center doing KP (kitchen patrol) in his cowboy boots with no heels. For basic training and where he would finally get his first uniform, he went to Camp Roberts, California. It was 110 degrees F when he arrived and he got heat stroke. This was not a good beginning for a military career.
When it was time to ship out for overseas, Bert went by bus to San Francisco and boarded the troop ship carrying 4,000 guys. Bert got seasick going under the Golden Gate Bridge and stayed sick for 3 days, along with most of the other guys. Bert says, “I could ride a bucking horse, but I couldn’t ride those waves!” There were 250 men in each compartment. Their berths were stacked 7 tiers high and they had to take their turn for time on deck in the fresh air. It took the 2-stacker (a ship with 2 smoke stacks) 16 days to reach Yokohama, Japan. From there Bert went by boat to Sasebo, Japan where there was a U.S. joint Army, Air Force and Navy base. During the 18-day stay, Bert got a little R&R (rest and recuperation) and 4-hour passes were available to go into town and shop. A landing barge took the men from Japan to Puson, Korea which was the United Nations checkpoint.
According to the truce agreement, there could only be one U.S. division left in Korea, and that was Bert’s. They were assigned roving guard duty against infiltrators from North Korea. They served throughout South Korea at all installations under United Nations control, including ships, supply depots and docks. Bert first spent time as a Korean prisoner of war guard. Once the armistice was signed in 1953, time was spent in clean up activities: some helped build schools, Bert delivered mail.
Winter in Korea was brutal. Bert says he’s never been so cold in his life. “Montana doesn’t have winter compared to Korea!” He said one time he got a candy bar and could feel heat go through his body as he ate it.
Once Bert butted heads with his general, General Clark. He and his ammo (ammunition) bearer were coming out of their dugout just as the General was coming in for an inspection. Their helmets banged together and as Bert looked up and saw those two stars, he nearly died. “I was all bent over and couldn’t salute,” he says, “but General Clark just said, ‘You never know when you’re going to run into a GI!’”
On the return to San Francisco, Bert was on a 3-stacker and that trip only took 13 days. As the ship pulled into the docks, someone shouted, “There’s a white woman!” and the ship tilted as thousands of guys ran to the rails. Orders were given over the loud speaker to return to their positions. Bert was discharged from Camp Stillman, California on May 10, 1955. He was awarded the National Defense Service medal, the United Nations Korea Service Medal and the Korean Service medal.
It’s important to note here that this was the first conflict with a number of nations acting under UN coordination. The UN was successful in maintaining separate countries, North Korea and South Korea, divided along the 38th parallel that was established as the border after WWII. But success came at a high cost. Regardless of what it might be called, Bert says it was a war. U.S. casualties include 37,000 dead and 100,000 wounded with more than 7,800 American soldiers still unaccounted for (MIA).
Bert doesn’t think a draft is needed. The response of volunteers joining the military after 9-11 showed we do have patriotism. If he had it to do again, he would either stay out of the service or join under his own terms. He would advise young people to consider the military for education, especially if they need financial help.
Bert feels a camaraderie within the military found in any VFW post anywhere. “The VFW in Ronan is a heartbeat of veterans,” he said. He worked very hard to help get vans, now housed at the Ronan VFW, from disabled veterans organizations for transportation for veterans to medical and other appointments.
Bert will always have sad memories of the homeless little kids in South Korea. He is thankful for and feels that it’s an honor to be American. He has since donated his many souvenirs to the Korean display at the Montana Military Museum in Helena. In his picture here, to honor all Korean veterans, Bert is displaying the Korean Ambassador of Peace medal.
Thank you for your service, Bert.
