You like War stories. Now there is a difference between war stories and combat stories. Combat stories are recall of actual events in combat during war. War stories are memories of specific events or incidents while in the Army or any other Armed Service. My war story goes like this: I was assigned to Company D, 728th MP Battalion in ASCOM, Korea. The year was 1960 (late summer). ASCOM is about 17 miles east of Inchon and about 30 miles southwest of Seoul. We patrolled from Inchon to the Seoul city limits. The city of Seoul was patrolled by another Company for the 728th. I was in the 1st Platoon. Most of the others guys in my platoon where a couple years older then me (23 or 24 years old) and where draftees. I was 21 and Regular Army. To be a Military Policeman then you had to be at least 20 years old. Most of the Military Police in those days were draftees. There were only two others that were Regular Army in my platoon. One warm summer evening our platoon was on break (we worked shift while on patrol). We received a break from duty every nine days. This is the only time that our entire Platoon is off duty at the same time. It was George Jacobs’s birthday. He wanted to go to Inchon and have a party. What the hell lets go to Inchon and have a party. About 11 of us got a bus to Inchon. The Korean Buses where “Off Limits” to soldiers at that time because of there accident rate and being unsafe vehicles. That was first rule we broke that night. Jacobs had a specific Bar that he wanted to have his party at. It was the best Bar in Inchon. Inchon is not the best place for us to have a party. One its 17 miles to our compound and two we policed Inchon and that bar. The island of Waimedo had special security (military policeman). We called them security guards which they resented. The only difference between us and them was our assignment to a military police unit. In the past we have trouble with off duty security guards from Waimedo.
There was bad blood between us. We where in their town and it just so happen that their hangout was the Bar that Jacobs wanted to have his party at. Jacobs like patrolling Inchon. Let me jump ahead a little bit; Jacobs had served with one of the Security Guards from Waimedo back in the states. The two had a dislike for each other. They had some dust ups in Inchon when Jacobs was on patrol nothing serious, just unkindly words. Let’s get back to my war story. We were all ready drinking before we got on the bus and feeling good. We got to the bar and entered. WE had to climb stairs to the second floor barroom. We got a bunch of tables together and all sat down. Mamasan came over to our group looking quite concerned. She tells us that she wants no trouble; she likes all GIs Waimedo GIs and ASCOM GIs. We said no sweat we are not going to cause trouble. I look crossed the dance floor and said “Shit”. On the other side of the dance floor was at 20 members of the Waimedo Security Force. They were having a “going away party” for one of their guys. At that time everybody had to wear a uniform in Korea. Our guys wore a green scarf (Ascot) around our neck with our Battalion crest in the center and we had our ASCOM patch on our left shoulder. It was quite easy to identify us as off duty MPs from ASCOM. They wore a green scarf and their unit patch also. WE knew who they were and they knew who we were. That’s O.K. we will still can have our party. As the night goes on us (they and we) get pretty drunk. Jacobs gets up and crosses the dance floor and asked one of the girls to dance. Next thing we know is that Jacobs is swinging like hell at this guy. That’s all it took. If you were looking from above it was like a movie scene. Both groups advancing towards each and meeting with a clash of fists. Everyone was swinging at each other. You’re looking at the other guys scarf or his patch before you punch him. It was like a “Western Movie Bar Fight” knocking guys over tables, throwing chairs. Mamasan standing by the bar in tears. As quick as it started cooler heads from each side began to stop it. We were out number so we fought our way to the stairs. We did not get beat we just could not beat all of them. We got outside and counted heads, all accounted for. For some unknown reason they did not follow us outside. We checked to see if anybody needed medical help right away. Everybody was O.K., for now. We had some bloodied noses and a few black eyes, at lot of bumps and sore lips. On the bus ride back to ASCOM everyone told their exploits for the night. At ASCOM we went to our compound and our hooch. We all were feeling no pain because the booze. That next morning there was a lot of pain and hangovers. WE found out that Jacobs knew girl he asks to dance was this security guards steady and Jacobs did not ask to dance. I like Korea and the Korean people.