FRANK GROSS - POET - SONGWRITER - MUSICIAN
In reply to the very respectful letter from the grandchild of a Korean Veteran - Juanita Arreola - who wrote how her grandfather felt the Korean Veterans were the forgotten from the Middle Fifties to that day in the late 1991 -- the day when the City of New York showed respect to the Korean Veterans by giving us a ticker tape parade,I have composed this poem below to relate to all those forgotten days.
KOREA THE POLICE ACTION WAR
In the words of the five star general as he spoke to the USA
"Old soldiers never die they just fade away"
But speak not of the Korean Veteran as you hear him coming through
in remembrance of his comrades with his tears of gratitude
In the year of Nineteen Fifty the communist had a plan
to capture South Korea
but the free world made their stand
Yes John Q there was Korea
but not like the wars before
for this action came
with a police action name
when the bear had knocked on the door
Many countries remembered their fallen with respect of honor due
but in thease states such little relates and our historys words were few
For in the hallway of the high school
mahogany plaques stand out
of the names engraved
and the sacrifice made
to remind us what war is about
There are names there of the first war
the very first bugle call
and for the Taps that blew in world war two
and of the boys from Nam on the wall
But the Korean War forgotten
Fifty Four Thousand lost their place
and the Eight Thousand more are MIAs
of them theres such little trace
So hear us Five Star General
we heed to the words you say
that Old Soldiers never die
but why must they fade away
By Frank G. Gross
Composed 25 July 1972.
America-----The Battle Hymn-----God Bless America
THIS IS PAGE 8 OF THE BUTTERWECK BROADSIDE
NEWSLETTER OF THE
RUSSEL M. BUTTERWECK DETACHMENT
DEPTARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA
MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
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Nearly 100,000 men, women and children, who "voted with their feet against communism" were evacuated by withdrawing allied forces, the last on Christmas Eve, 1950.
Never before, not at Dunkirk, or Saigan, or any recorded battle, have combatants rescued so many enemy civilians in the midst of combat.
"The men of Chosin fought one of history's greatest battles but also wrote one of history's greatest humanitarian stories" said Navy Captain J. Robert Lunney, a director of the Chosin Few Association. "Directly because of their gallantry, those refugees are now free, many in the United States. They are a living legacy of the "Chosin Few."
His sentiments were echoed by Dr. Donald K. Chung, then a schoolboy refugee, now a cardiologist, during a mini-reunion of "The Few" in Long Beach. "Without brave people like you, I wouldn't be here," the doctor said in an emotion choked voice.
Chosin was the epicenter of a momumential engagement that involved land, sea and air forces, each intergral in time and place.
The campaign ranged from the first full scale battles with the Chineese, below the Reservoir to the bloody withdrawal and fighting the way out of entrapment by vastly superior in numbers enemy forces, of the Marine and Army units while still bringing those opposed to communist rule to safety."
THE WALK TO FREEDOM
It was a long cold walk to freedom
To the calm of the morning sun.
As the task begins in the freezing winds
on a journey that must be won.
They walked away from burning homes
and barely shed a tear,
They walked away from treachery
and walked away from fear.
It was a miracle at Christmas,
Forty years ago,
When one hundred thousand refugees
Had braved the blizzard snow.
An old man in his sixties
carried a heavy pack
of food, of clothes and blankets,
on the A-Frame on his back.
The strength of the solid frame
And the courage held inside,
Started by wife, son and daughter,
increased the father's pride.
Each step a vote for freedom
When so many walked away,
to find a path of peace on earth,
that many know today.
It was a long cold walk to freedom,
to the calm of the morning sun,
in the freezing winds where the task began,
The journey now is won.
It was a Miracle at Christmas
Of forty years ago.
When one hundred thousand refugees
Had braved the blizzard snow.
By Frank G, Gross 1990
THE 4TH AND THE CHOSIN FEW
Being this is the day of the fourth of July I would like to pass on some quotations in a letter from Mr Wallace B. Elms the Superintendent of Independence Square and the Valley Forge National Historical Park
In his letter of November 18 1986 from the Department of the Interior Mr Elms wrote to Frank G Gross:
There is indeed a close similarity between the hardships that Washingtons Army at Valley Forge encountered and those of the troops during those winter days in December of 1950.
No particular glory was associated with either, not even the exhilaration of battle fought and won. Rather they are stories of the struggle, hunger, frostbite and unrelenting cold where men were put to the severest test in the mist of deprivation and near despair, an appalling cost in lives and suffering.
Both Washingtons Army at Valley Forge and the troops in Korea not only survived, they were triumphant. They achieved a decisive victory - a victory not of guns and bayonets but of spirit and will. Theirs stands alone in conveying that intense spirit of National Pride that makes our country unique among the nations of the world.
Wallace B. Elms
Superintendent of Independence Hall
Philadelphia Pa USA
(Reply to a letter from Marine Gross concernng the speaeh made by Mr Elms on July 4th 1986 in Philidelphia Pa.
Frank Gross is a founder of the Valley Forge Chapter of the Chosin Few in the late eightys.
MAJOR PAUL SANDERS, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS (Retd.)
The Chosin Few are marching
into historys books at last
We feel we Chosin Brothers
played a part in what has passed
We have a special memory
and we have a special place
with those bands of special fighting men
who have honored every race
Oh could our fallen brothers
know the honor they helped bring
to God and to our Country
To their memory now we sing
You gave your life for freedom
for famlies and for friends
and for that you have our special love
and a thanks that never ends
So onward Band of Brothers
hear ye now that special drum
it sounds alone for heros
when that special time has come.
For some there is no drum beat
so its hard to tell them why
there's a pounding heart, a quicking pose
and a glisten in the eye.
If God gives grace to warriors serving his holy name
if a special place in heaven waits for those who in honor came
then those who served with honor
near that frozen Chosin shore
will have His grace in a special place
when they stand at heavens door.
As the statues and memorial dedications were unveiled this poem was composed, also in honor of our Korean War Veterans
by Major Paul Sanders SGT. Gorden greene and PFC Frank Gross
When sunlight warms the statue
See the courage in their faces
In bronze and granite marble
the ones who died at Chosin
Men who died in all the battles
Our missing brothers call us
Their cause is not forgotten
When moonlight paints the statue
We ask our God for guidance
so blow the bugle softly
Note: If any one wishes to incorporate this poems in their up coming memorial day services, they have our blessing to do so. Signed Before you leave this page join with us in a moment of silence while we remember those who gave their lives for their country.
In the year of 1989 there were proposals by a few different states towards building a Korean War Memorial
THE BEGINNING
casting shadows to the ground
can it cast the frozen fury
that thease gallant men once found
see the pride which understood
their faith in one another
that forged a chain of brotherhood
see how strong how proud they stand
in their honor and their glory
with a brotherhood of man
did not give their lives in vain
God took them from that frozen hell
and blessed them in His name
from Pusan to Pork Chop Hill
call from the grave, remember us
as this statue says we will
from some prison grim and drear
remember our misfortune
we answer, never fear
for we surviving mortal men
place this wreath and pray a prayer
that the sword wont rise again
with a gleaming silver beam
will the spirits of the ones who died
enhance this noble scene
as we stand in silent prayer
our tears say that we miss them
as this statue says we care
let its lonely echo sound
let the music and our memories
dedicate this hallowed ground
This poem was first read at Memorial Services in a 1991 statue dedication in the state of New Jersey,
and thereafter was read at many more services throughout the United States
Frank G. Gross, Paul Sanders.
Gordon Greene passed on a few years ago, but he too would have been very proud to have our poem reconized at sevices once again.
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