I was drafted on March 13, 1951, sworn in at 7 p.m. in Knoxville, Tenn., and boarded a train for Fort Jackson, S.C. I was assigned to service company for special service training of only eight weeks. However, on the seventh week, our commanding officer called us to attention and told us many were getting killed in Korea—a place I had never heard of. He then told us eight more weeks of extensive training. A real downer!

So, on Sept. 19, I boarded the USS Gen. M. M. Patrick and set sail for The Land of the Morning Calm. On Oct. 8, I landed in Inchon, South Korea, and was assigned to the 7th U.S. Cavalry Infantry Regiment. I stayed until my ETS brought me home on March 4, 1953.

PFC Melbourne "Leroy" Rogers
Maryville, TN