HomeMy WebLinkAboutArby T. Wager, Korea The Forgotten War 11 /84
, ,5 '
i ,
i X
S < .. ''
Arb T. Wa i er
By Bill Youngkin a direct line of fire weapon. The Chinese were on top of the
Special to The Eagle hills and that made it easy to shoot over or under them.
Artillery and mortars were a lot more effective at taking out
Arby T. Wager of Wixon Valley is a traveling man. He is their hill top positions.
now into owning and driving his third RV. He has been to "The most 'exciting time' for me — if you want to call it
every state and to Alaska three times. In 1951 his travels took that — was a tank raid we conducted through and behind the
him much further, to Korea as a member of the U.S. Army. Chinese lines. I was the lead tank and shortly after we went
As recalled byWager, "I was born on a farm near Kurten through their lines, I hit a tank mine that knocked the right
on September 14, 1929, and only weighed three and one- track off my tank.
half pounds. I think now at two hundred plus pounds, I've "Billy Worly and I got out and worked for four hours to
gotten over my premature birth. I attended Wixon School g et that track back on. The artillery boys kept smoke rounds
and then Wixon Prospect School, which was just east of coming in all around us so the Chinese couldn't see us and
Coulter Field on Highway 21 East. see what had happened. Our other tanks were also covering
"I worked on the farm with my Dad until November me but I will tell you, that was the longest four hours of my
2, 1950, when 14 to 15 boys from Bryan left on a bus to lifetime.
Houston to be sworn in and then to Fort Sam Houston by "On the raid we had another tank hit a mine and lose
train where we received our uniforms. After that we went its track. We were dragging it wh drove over a frozen
different directions. There are only two of us left alive from
when we
that group. rice paddy when the trackless tank sank in the mud. As
the officers and non -coms were gathered in a circle trying
"I was sent to Camp Cook, California — what is now to figure out what to do, a mortar hit right in the middle of
Vanderburg Air Force Base. It had been abandoned since them. Because the ice was broken, the mortar sank deep
World War II and was ankle deep in sand. We did all our into the mud before exploding. Only one man was hit by
training there, and I ended up being assigned to the Tank shrapnel. But those officers made am immediate decision to
Company, 224th Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. When abandon that tank. I guess that mortar helped them make
the training ended, I was tank driver. In January 1951, we up their minds.
loaded onto trucks and headed to San Francisco. Wager would remain in Korea until October 1952 when
"In San Francisco, we were loaded aboard the USS he was sent to Japan and then home to Seattle. From there
General Breckenridge. As we walked up the gang plank, one it was to Temple and Fort Hood to be discharged. After
of my buddies said he wished he was in the Navy and got discharge he entered the construction business, building
to ride in a nice boat all the time. As we sailed under the bridges until 1968, when he bought and operated B -5
Golden Gate Bridge, he was hanging over the side of the ship Grocery on OSR. He operated the store until 1986. After
being sick. selling the store he entered the ranching business until
"We landed in Japan and were sent to Camp McNair at 1997. As he stated, "I don't do nothing now and I don't start
the foot of Mount Fiji, where we did considerable training that until about 1:30 each afternoon.
in mountain terrain. We left Japan on LSDs and landed at He is to leave for another RV trip soon but as he said,
Inchon, Korea in January 1952. We had to wait for the tide to "Everywhere I go now is a repeat, but we don't drive very
go in to unload. There we were, reloaded aboard a train and far at any one time because I have plenty of time and I
taken north of Seoul, Korea. I thought Korea was the coldest don't have to." When asked about his experience in the
place I had ever been. Army, Wager replied, "I wouldn't take a million dollars for
"From there, we traveled by road into the mountains the experience, but I wouldn't give a penny to do it again.
with me driving the lead tank. As I came over a mountain I made lots of friends in the service. The best friends I ever
pass, I hit left lever. It was icy and slick and I started sliding had and we were together only two years.
to the edge of the road. Fortunately, I was able to stop and Arby Wager's name is on the Brazos Valley Veterans
back up. The drop -off on that portion of that mountain pass Memorial. For more information, to make a contribution, or
road was about 1,000 feet. We relieved the 5th Regiment if you know a WWII or Korea War Veteran whose story needs
and that first night we camped on the edge of a river. We to be told, contact the BVVM at www.veteransmemorial.
stood guard duty that night, and the frozen river cracked all org or Bill Youngkin at (979) 776 -1325.
night. It made you think the Chinese where coming across
the river. I didn't have any trouble staying awake during my A ceremony honoring the 60th Anniversary of the
tour of guard duty." Korean War will be held June 25, 2010 at the Veterans
first combat action was to take three hills with our Memorial. The ceremony will commemorate two statues
"Our
tanks in support combat b the action was One tank h a tank with our to be sculpted and installed at a later date of a Korean
ta
bu the loft about forty guys that h ay. tan all the and an American soldier from the Korean War Period. The
but infantry t l arms fire, h
lost grenades, f oryagu, guys t h arty, With t appreciative Korean individuals. All citizens are invited to
allithe memorial is possible because of significant donations by
small rms t
l a rtus fi e , gre t be inside mortars,
s ak.
attend but a special invitation is extended to all Korean
"The problem with tanks in that war is that tanks are Veterans and their families.