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A man should have to make only one war in a life-time...


tarbridge
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This grouping is from a Nashville,TN Marine who served in both WWII and Korean War. There is a considerable amount of letters, scrapbooks, documents, ribbons for Sgt. Roy Darden, Jr. included with his Posthumous Purple Heart. Sgt. Darden's father.. Roy Sr. was a 30th Div soldier in WWI and also served in WWII. Sgt Roy Darden Sr and Sgt Roy Darden Jr both came to the defense of our country twice in their lifetime with Roy Jr paying the ultimate price for our Freedom...RIP...Sgt Roy Darden Jr.

 

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PFC Roy Darden Jr

Birth 28 November 1925

E co 1st Marines

1st MarDiv

Participated in the Battles of Cape Gloucester and Peleliu

WIA 17 September 1944 Peleliu

 

Sgt Roy Darden

Military Police Co, Headquarters Battalion 1st Marine Division

POW at the Chosin Revoir with Task Force Drysdale

 

Roy was captured at the Chosin and developed a injury to his hip thus slowing him down.He was removed from his traveling group...Never to be seen again. He is listed as Died in Action on 10 December 1950.

 

 

Death of Task Force Drysdale

 

 

The Royal Marines and George Company delivered a spirited attack with the aid of the tanks and close air support. The tanks seemed to account for several Chinese strongpoints. In time, however, Sanders lost radio contact with Drysdale and had to stop firing. When Sanders looked back to see how the convoy was faring, he was surprised to see that it had fallen far behind. Ahead, he could not even spot Baker/31, which had advanced out of range, beyond the tanks. Sanders queried headquarters and was ordered to proceed slowly up the MSR with the remainder of his company: an attached tank platoon would follow in this tracks. As soon as the major PLA strongpoint on the ridge overlooking the MSR just north of Koto-ri had been cleared, the Marines moved down the roadway and climbed aboard trucks, while 41 Commando deployed between the roadway and the skyline to screen the first elements of the long column of vehicles. It was a misty day and snow flurries whipped into the faces of the troops each time they dismounted from their vehicles to return fire. Marine Vought F4U-4 Corsairs were on station overhead, but the shifting mists and the closeness of the jumbled terrain forced many of the fighter-bombers to pull up before they could get close enough to their targets. Progress on the roadway was agonizingly slow. In the vanguard, Peckham maneuvered Baker/31 with great care. Behind, Captain Carl Sitter’s George Company maneuvered against numerous Chinese infantrymen who had been driven briefly to ground by Peckham’s company. As Baker/31’s vanguard inched forward in the column lead, Drysdale’s native aggressiveness, according to many survivors, got the better of his judgment. Peckham may have been concluding an exemplary advance against serious odds, but he was too methodical for Drysdale. It was well past noon and Peckham was directing the loading of the lead platoon’s trucks following the reduction of yet another roadside strongpoint when a tank surged past him. The next vehicle was a jeep bearing Drysdale, who yelled above the din, “Let’s move forward!” Peckham demurred—he had wounded men on his hands and would not advance until they had been seen safely away. Drysdale responded with a smiling “Tally Ho!” and took off, drawing 41 Commando, all the tanks and Captain Sitter’s George Company in his wake. It wasn’t long before the extensive column was slowed by a massive traffic jam, and many “soft” vehicles were easy pickings for PLA mortars on the heights. The convoy was soon fragmented by stalled vehicles and the smoking remains of burning trucks and jeeps. Many men were killed or wounded.

 

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Sgt Darden wrote this letter home to his Mother and Father on 21 September 1950...He states" Have made up my mind that after this I will become a Monk,or go to work on a farm way out in the country..."A man should only have to make one war in a life-time" He then goes on to tell how he felt sorry about a 13 year old POW who had been shot in the arm.Darden reflects saying he wonders how much he knows about being a good communist.

 

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The following post contains Sgt Dardens last letter...

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Great group Robert. Was his first GCM unnamed?

 

 

Regards,

 

W

 

 

The one is named and dated and the other is un-named. I thought I read some papers regarding his GCM.Robert

 

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It reminded me of the Willie and Joe cartoon where one remarks that he feels like a fugitive from the law of averages, but realizing the poor guy met his end in the hands of the people's army as a prisoner makes me sick. I'd like to use his picture when I teach the Korean War this year.

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It reminded me of the Willie and Joe cartoon where one remarks that he feels like a fugitive from the law of averages, but realizing the poor guy met his end in the hands of the people's army as a prisoner makes me sick. I'd like to use his picture when I teach the Korean War this year.

Feel free to use his picture.If you need better shots( I have a scrapbook with more photos).Robert

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This is what I hate about reading about the Korean War, so many of our captured troops just "Disappear."

 

I Hope one day we can return the remains of our troops, I hope we never lose sight of that goal.

 

Semper Fi to a great Marine who have it his all! Amen!

 

Leonardo

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Wow unbelievable! Truly a measure of how forelorn those days were in Nov. Dec. 1950 especially to those Marines who survived the hell of the Pacific only to feel the terror, fear and numbing sickness of combat again in Korea. Thanks Robert for sharing this one. God bless this Marine.

Semper Fi

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Very outstanding and unique grouping.The book East of Chosin by Roy Appleman details the death of the 31st Regimental Combat Team of which Task Force Drysdale was sent to reinforce. Overwhelmed by a few Chinese divisions in sub zero weather with no reinforcements and little supplies. A frigging disaster. The one bright spot is that they blunted the attack on the 1st Marine Division which gave them time to fight their way out. Probably on of the best military books I have read.

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Thanks for the great post. Our nation and the USMC we lucky that so many of the Old Breed returned to active duty. My 19 year old uncle were led by these seasoned warriors on the march too and back from the Chosen. I believe from my heart that if the 1st Marine Divison didn't have this seasoned body of warriors then the end result might have been very different.

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