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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTed N. Wyatt, Korea The Forgotten War a �. liti.:1,,,,A!! � (K it J � " � 1- i. i. * R e me mb e r ni F o r g o tten W ar • #t r t + r o f "Tt� Fo r' e i Wa r �"E our ca . W n4The Ko rea Wa `" > xavtt i � n t W � y E � • �� 4 -. .a t�, w ; , i el �e i X` �' k .- r,. • � ,,, >' @ R N . ,,,,::::.. v . F Ted N. W att By Bill Youngkin an exposed position from which he machine courageo engaged Special to The Eagle and knocked out the enem gun a crew. His cool behavior and selfless actions possibly saved the lives of his • There was an article in The who Bryan was Daily News in 1950 four comrades and materially contributed to the success of concerning Mrs. C.N. Wyatt, contacted by the his company. Corporal Wyatt's gallantry reflects great credit newspaper after it was reported to the paper that her son, on himself and the military service. Entered federal service Ted N. Wyatt, had been wounded and awarded ilver from Texas" Star for his actions in Korea the . Her response in the articl S e was Wyatt would be flown to a field hospital to Japan. on the According landing "In his letter, Ted said he thinks the Army is going to send struts of a helicopter and then sent him to Japan for a rest. Ted never was one to talk much. The to Wyatt, "We had been told by the Army that if we were first I knew about him receiving his medal was when I read wounded, we would get to go home. That wasn't true, about it in The Bryan Daily News." because they patched up the wounds to my hip and calf and Ted Wyatt is still not one to talk , but he did fill sent me back within 10 days. in the gaps in the newspaper story about much his Korean War . "I was in the line with my company first on sergeant October told 1, 1951, experience. when a runner came for me. My me they Ted Wyatt was born in Bryan on May 26, 1930, and had a'shaved head; replacement, for me but if 1 would re up, turned 80 this week. Before he graduated in 1948, he and he would promote me to a staff sergeant. By that time our four other boys from Bryan volunteered for the Army. They company had eleven different commanding officers in 13 were J.C. Hallford, Frank Stabler, Ben C. Gann Jr., Harold months. Of the original 200 plus men in my company when Hazelwood and Billy Earl Holliday, who would be killed in we arrived in Korea, only nine were left, with the rest having Korea. been wounded or killed. I told him that President Truman According to Wyatt, "When we all joined there was no had extended my tour of duty once and once was enough for war going on. We just wanted to join the Army. We did our me. I Wanted to no home:' basic training at Camp Chafee, Arkansas, and then we went Wyatt would return to the U.S. and to Washington D.C. our separate ways. I was sent to Ft. Carson, Colorado, where I on his way to Ft. Dix, New Jersey, to be discharged when he was assigned to a mountain training detachment. It was the was contacted by his brother -in -law, John Gregory and Travis first time I had seen —much less climbed or skied down — Antonio. Nelson, both from Bryan, who flew him home as part oftheir a mountain. I ended up training officers in the summers and flight training requirements for the military. He n in San would be then winters, skiing free of charge at Camp Hale, Colorado, discharged on October 19, 1951, at Ft. Sam Housto near Leadville, Colorado. "1 spent two years there and was in the process of Wyatt worked for the Santa Fe railroad in Somerville, turning in my equipment and being discharged when my where he met and married Dolores. Five years later, he first sergeant informed me that N orth Korea had invaded entered the construction business with his brother and South Korea and President Truman had extended all duty remained in the construction business until he retired in obligations for one year. The very next day at 6 a.m. 1 was 1993. In 1972, he and Dolores, with their three girls, opened on a train to San Francisco. We left two days later on the USS and operated Wyatt Sporting Goods stores in two location General John Pope, landing in Pusan, South Korea, in July When asked abouthistimeofservice ,Wyattresponded, 1950. I was now part of Company K, 5th Calvary Regiment, "I think every young man' needs the service experience. If 1st Calvary Division. you become a better solder, I think you become a better "With us at Pusan was the 24th Army Division and man.1 know the it helped me mature and become a better man;' Republic of Korea troops. Surrounding us was the whole I know relating his tears story was difficult for Ted, because parts North Korean Army. It was a pretty desperate time. The he related with in his eyes as we approach Memorial battles were hot and the weather was hotter. We were there Day. It is good to know that our community has such good until the landing by the Marines at Inchon. After Inchon, the soldiers and such good men. North Koreans pulled back and we followed, all the way to Ted Wyatt's name will be on the Brazos Valley Veterans • theYalu River. I tell folksthat I walked that place three time Memorial. For more information, to make a contribution, Up against the North Koreans, back down when the Chinese or if you know a World War II or Korea War Veteran entered the war and then back up again:' whose story needs to be told, contact the BWM at www. Itwouldbeinthemounta vet Youngkin at (979)7761325. 13, 1950, that Wyatt would b e wounded and earn the Silver Aceremonyhonoring the6OthAnniversaryoftheKorean Star. The citation reads',for gallantry in action against an War willbeheldlune25 ,2010,attheVeteransMemorial,The enemy force. near Waegwan, Korea. During an attack on ceremony will commemorate two statues to be sculpted and a strongly defended enemy hill position, four men of the installedatalaterdateofaKoreanandanAmericansoldier attacking company were pinned down by heavy enemy fire • from the KoreanWarPeriod. Thememarialis possiblebecause from a well prepared enemy machine gun placement. With of significant donations by appreciative Korean individuals. complete disregard for his own safety, Corporal Wyatt moved All citizens are invited to attend but a special invitation is through heavy enemy artillery, mortar and small arms fire to extended to all Korean Veterans and their families.