William Vlaanderen
Bill enlisted in the service on March 27, 1951, at Ft. Douglas Utah, and was stationed at Camp Roberts, California for basic training. Shortly after entering the war, he and a fellow soldier were situated on a slight incline of a hill in some brush, thinking they were well out of danger. They were preparing some powdered eggs for breakfast. He said that as soon as they were ready to eat, he lifted a forkful to his mouth and suddenly felt a terrible pain in his leg. When his buddy pulled him back to the ground, he immediately tried to stand, only to find that the bullet (shrapnel) had traveled through his torso before it passed through his leg. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to duty until he was honorably discharged on March 3, 1953.
Korean War - Key Events
December 6, 1950
The U.S. Marines at the Chosin Reservoir begin their “attack in a different direction” as they engage in a fighting retreat to the port of Hŭngnam. Two entire Chinese armies have been tasked with the destruction of the 1st Marine Division. They succeed in driving the American force from North Korean territory but pay an enormous price: as many as 80,000 Chinese troops are killed or wounded, and the CPVF Ninth Army Group is rendered combat-ineffective for months. “Frozen Chosin” becomes one of the most-storied episodes in U.S. Marine Corps history.
These events are taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica
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