2022 Chosin Few Reunion

The Korean War is a significant part of American and World history that is finally starting to get the attention it deserves in recent years. Col. Warren Wiedhan, USMC (ret.) invited WATM to the Chosin Few Reunion from September 7-September 11 in Washington, D.C. It was an honor to attend and a great event filled with Marine Corps veterans from the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. The Marines present are of the generation of veterans from the Forgotten War and those who placed great sacrifice upon the altar of freedom, which must be honored. COVID-19 kept any prior events from taking place, so it was excellent to attend and meet so many heroes who survived the icy cold combat of Chosin. Col. Wiedhahn hosted a well-thought-out, planned and noble sequence of events for the reunion.

Soldiers in winter military gear are positioned along a snowy hillside, aiming rifles and taking cover, with a mountainous landscape in the background. — Marines taking cover at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Photo courtesy of chosinfew.org.

Col. Wiedhahn joined the Marines in 1948 on an enlistment. Post-boot camp he served in China until 1949 when the country fell to communists. He served in the Korean War and participated in the Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon Landing, the Liberation of Seoul and the Chosin Reservoir and was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds received during the war. Wiedhahn was then commissioned in 1953 and served 33 years in the Corps. His service included combat in Vietnam from 1968-1969 with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and he was awarded the Silver Star and Legion of Merit with a “V” for heroic actions during Operation Dewey Canyon. He later commanded both the 4th and 9th Marine Regiments.

Col. Wiedhan. Photo courtesy of chosinfew.org.

The Chosin Few Reunion began with a meet and greet for our initial day, which allowed us to get to know those in attendance for the ceremony. We had a dinner provided to us by the 29 Diner at the Crystal City Hilton, which is where the majority of events were held for the reunion. Our first major trip was to the National Museum of the Marine Corps and we were hosted at the museum by Major General James Lukeman, USMC (ret.) in the theater with the colors presented by Marines and a video welcome by Mrs. Ellen Gordon, CEO of the Tootsie Roll Industries (Tootsie rolls played a significant role in Korea), which all were excellent. More on that later. The Marine Veterans of Chosin in attendance were honored as well with an exuberant ovation from the friends, families and supporters gathered. Those who could stand did so with pride.

A large group of people, mostly older adults, are standing inside a movie theater facing a stage area in front of a large blank screen. On the stage, a small color guard with flags is positioned near the right side. The theater seats are red and blue, and the lighting is dim except for the stage area. Some attendees are taking photos or looking toward the stage. — Inside the theater at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in which we stood for the march on of the colors. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

A large group of elderly people seated and standing in a darkened auditorium or theater with blue and red seats, facing a large blank screen at the front. Some individuals are wearing blue shirts and hats, and a few are in wheelchairs. The atmosphere suggests an event or presentation is about to begin or has just ended. — The attending Marine veterans of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir stand to be recognized for their service and sacrifice. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

The Tootsie Roll story for the Korean War, especially the Chosin Reservoir begins with the Marines being in frozen temperatures and low on mortar rounds radioed for support. The code word for mortar rounds was “Tootsie Roll” which is what they requested. Pallets of what were thought to be mortar rounds were air-dropped and arrived, however, they were filled with the Tootsie Roll candies and no mortar rounds! The Marines made quick use of the candies, not just for sustenance, but when the candy was softened up, it could be applied to broken equipment and pipes, especially cracked fuel lines, for a quick fix. They used these fixes to maneuver away from the Chinese and toward safety, so the Tootsie Rolls appeared to be a sugary-filled lifesaver. Eat your heart out MacGyver. A gift from Tootsie Roll came in the mail post the reunion and two pictures of the items they sent are below.

Soldiers in winter gear stand and watch a military vehicle driving on a snowy road in a mountainous area, with smoke rising in the distance. The scene appears to be from a wartime setting. — Marines at the Chosin Reservoir. Photo courtesy of the chosinfew.org.

A gift from Tootsie Roll for those who attended the reunion. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

During the Korean War, the First Marine Division faced subfreezing temperatures at Chosin reservoir, as low as -36° Fahrenheit. Out of ammunition, they requested 60mm mortar ammo using the code name "Tootsie Rolls." The radio operator, unaware of the code, still placed the order. Pallets of Tootsie Roll candies were parachuted to the Marines, providing nourishment and a way to plug bullet holes by warming the candy to seal them as they refroze. Over two weeks, the 15,000-man division suffered heavy casualties but destroyed several Chinese divisions and saved thousands of refugees. Many troops credited their survival to Tootsie Rolls. The surviving Marines call themselves "The Chosin Few." The image is from the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Korean War Era Gallery, The Frozen Chosin Exhibit, November 2006. — Further information from Tootsie Roll. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

We were next treated to a tour of the museum, which was my opportunity to revisit the Korean War exhibit, especially the Chosin Reservoir portion which is cooled to an icy temperature to provide a small effect of what life was like for the Marines at the battle. The museum and its employees have done an excellent job in creating the exhibit and bringing as much life-like realism as possible to it. The museum is definitely engaging and worth a visit. They even have items from LtGen Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller as well.

Frozen Chosin "At 0230 I was awakened by heavy firing to the north, west, and south of the company perimeter and by the shout 'Here they come!'" —Lieutenant R. C. McCarthy, Fox Company, 7th Marines, Toktong Pass Never was a Marine division in greater danger of being cut to pieces. The 9th Chinese Army Group hurled over 100,000 men against the 20,000-man 1st Marine Division, its units strewn along miles of bad road near the "Frozen" Chosin Reservoir. The 5th and 7th Marines, surrounded at Yudam-ni, faced the greatest danger. Critical to their safe extraction was Toktong Pass, the choke-point of the escape route, defended against Chinese assaults for five bloody nights by Fox Company, 7th Marines, commanded by Captain William Barber. Fox Company's gritty defense of Toktong Pass remains one of the most compelling stories in American military history. — A plaque hanging on the wall next to one of the exhibit’s entrances. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

A snowy mountainous scene with four soldiers dressed in winter military gear. Two soldiers are sitting together on a rock ledge in the background, while two others are positioned separately in the foreground near a mortar weapon and wooden crates. The sky has a gradient of blue and purple hues, suggesting dawn or dusk. The soldiers appear to be in a wartime setting, possibly a diorama or museum exhibit. — The Chosin Reservoir exhibit at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

Two soldiers in winter military uniforms are positioned on a snowy, rocky terrain. One soldier is kneeling and appears to be attending to a wound on his leg, while the other soldier stands behind him, holding a radio to his ear. The scene is dimly lit with a mix of yellow and blue lighting, highlighting the snow and rocks around them. — The Chosin Reservoir exhibit at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

A display board featuring a wooden smoking pipe labeled "9" and three military medals labeled "10." The medals include a gold star with a red, white, and blue striped ribbon, a bronze medal with a light blue ribbon, and a bronze medal with a white and gray striped ribbon inscribed with "KOREA." Above the display is a black-and-white photograph of two soldiers in uniform, one smoking a pipe. — Chesty Puller’s pipe and his awards from the Korean War. The Silver Star was awarded to Uller by General MacArthur. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

Chesty Puller during the Korean War. Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org.

Our next stop on the day’s events involved lunch with fellow veterans and their families, which was interesting and pleasant. It was great and fun to hear many of their stories and the opportunity to meet with fellow esteemed veterans such as Senator Jim Webb and Admiral William H. McRaven. We then enjoyed a screening of Devotion, which is based on the book of the same name about the life of the first African American Naval Aviator Jesse L. Brown and his service in the Korean War which includes his support of Marines in battle at Chosin Reservoir. The film comes out November 23, 2022, and is financed by decorated Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and founder of FedEx, Frederick W. Smith, who was in attendance at the screening as well. Many of the Korean War veterans were deeply touched by the film and appreciated the screening.

Two men in military flight jackets, one wearing sunglasses, are shown above three fighter planes flying in formation with tracer fire in a cloudy sky. The title "Devotion" is displayed prominently, along with the text "Based on true events" and "In America's forgotten war, they made history." The names Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell appear at the top. The release date "November 23" and rating PG-13 are also visible. — Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.

We boarded our buses back to the hotel for our afternoon catch-up and then our dinner. Our next day involved even more interesting VIP guests and speakers such as Dr. Charlie Neimeyer, a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, who spoke about the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir with a question and answer session. He offered insights into the monumental challenges that the Marines faced going into the Korean War, the battles and hardships and lessons learned for future engagements. We then completed our lunch and headed to the buses for us to visit the Korean War Memorial. The trip to the memorial was highly memorable and touching, especially with the group of Marine veterans gathering with their loved ones and then doing a group photo which rounded out the trip. A few ladies from South Korea posed in the photo as well and offered their appreciation for the veterans’ service in the war.

A triangular memorial with statues of soldiers on stepped greenery, surrounded by a paved walkway. An American flag flies on a tall flagpole at the center, with a circular hedge and reflecting pool behind it. Visitors walk along the paths and around the memorial, which is set in a well-maintained grassy park with trees and shrubs. — An overview of the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of nps.gov.

Silver statues of soldiers wearing helmets and ponchos, arranged in a walking formation on a green landscaped area with trees in the background. — A photo of the Korean War Memorial. Photo courtesy of tripsavvy.com

A photo of the Korean War Memorial. Photo courtesy of coldspringusa.com.

We then moved back to the hotel for our big dinner in the evening. The live band, which was reminiscent of a Glenn Miller concert, made the ambiance of the event and the food was exquisite. The fellow Marine veterans at my table made the evening fun, enjoyable and interesting. One of the guests at my table was Fred Lash, a Marine Corps combat veteran from the Vietnam War and later public affairs officer in the Corps. He shared a lot of his insights into the Corps and his providing military-technical consultation on The Great Santini, which is a film that stars Robert Duvall as a Marine Corps pilot. The VIP list for our day’s functions included General David Berger, Commandant of the Marines Corps, Michelle Kang, head of Cognosante and Andrew Choe, CEO of Starkist. A special thanks to Frederick W. Smith and Michelle Kang’s sponsorship of the event.

A bald male military officer in a dark green uniform adorned with numerous colorful ribbons, medals, and insignia, including four silver stars on each shoulder and collar. He is standing in front of two flags: the American flag on the left and a red flag with a gold eagle emblem on the right. — General David A. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps. Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org.

A confident woman with short, dark hair wearing pearl earrings and a striped long-sleeve top with the repeated text "BALMAIN PARIS." She has her arms crossed and is wearing a ring on her right hand. The background is neutral and out of focus. — Michelle Kang, CEO of Cognosante. Photo courtesy of cognosante.com.

Andrew Choe, CEO of Starkist. Photo courtesy of starkist.com.

A big band dressed in formal attire is performing on stage, with musicians playing saxophones, trumpet, and trombone, and a female vocalist singing. In front of the stage, several couples are dancing, dressed in elegant evening wear. The setting appears to be a formal event or gala, with a floral centerpiece and a bottle of wine visible on a table in the foreground. Blue and white star-shaped balloons are seen on the right side near the stage. — The Marines, their families and guests enjoyed the live band. Photo courtesy of Joel Searls.

The Chosin Few acknowledge many organizations in their program, which seemed important to mention here too. They include FedEx, Cognosante, Costco, Starkist, Tootsie Roll Industries, the 29 Diner, Radio City Orchestra, Armed Forces Reunions, The Original Great Plate, Ka-Bar and Military Historical Tours. It was a memorable event that I’m grateful to have attended and offer my heartfelt appreciation to the veterans of the Chosin Reservoir and to their families. Semper Fi!