A few months ago, I shared the story of my dad being miraculously spared by a hocked pocket watch stashed in his bib overall pocket. Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by Debbie Culp with an incredible story about how her father was similarly spared during the Korean War. In his honor and in honor of all veterans this Veteran’s Day weekend I share his story.
On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began along the 38th parallel when North Korean forces backed by the massive Soviet Union, invaded South Korea similar to the recent unprovoked Hamas invasion into Israel. As the war progressed, China joined the North Koreans as the US, England, Australia, Canada, and others united with South Korea to help defend its freedom.
Lomer Elkins of Glen Rogers, WV had entered the military shortly before the war began and soon found himself not only in Korea, but in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. On November 27th, 1950, the Chinese forces conducted a surprise attack there on US troops. Over the next 17 days, 120,000 Chinese encircled 30,000 United Nations troops with orders from Mao Zedong to totally annihilate them.
This battle took place during a Siberian cold front when temperatures plunged to -36. These conditions resulted in many cases of frostbite. Elkins feet were so badly affected, they were set to be amputated until another doctor offered additional treatment. Thankfully, his feet were spared, but he has suffered with numbness in them ever since.
The extreme cold also caused weapons to malfunction and supplies to freeze. Blood plasma became useless and some medications had to be thawed in the medics’ mouths before they could be injected. These were but some of the challenges US troops endured during the bitter battle and they remind us of the horrors many veterans have faced and what current soldiers endure today to preserve our freedoms.
Mr. Elkins was one of the “Chosin Few”, as they were later called, who were surrounded and besieged but fought on. During one of the gun battles, he was hit in the chest by a Chinese bullet. Miraculously, the fountain pen in his left breast coat pocket he used to write letters home received the brunt of the force causing the bullet to ricochet out sparing his heart and lungs beneath. That’s as close a call as anyone wants to have.
With God’s help, the UN forces were able to escape the Chinese stranglehold and withdraw to Hungnam but not before both sides suffered heavy casualties from the fighting as well as from the bitter weather. Although Elkins Army unit was wiped out, he attached himself to the Marines for the pullout, some of which occurred in waist deep snow.
After leaving Hungnam, Mr. Elkins reentered the conflict and took bullets to the shoulder and chest and later returned to the US with shrapnel in his leg and the loss of one eye.
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir claimed nearly 6,000 US troops with another 4,600 wounded and over 7,000 non-battle casualties. Deaths and injuries on the Chinese side were even higher both from the battle and from the weather. Altogether, the three year Korean War resulted in the deaths of 3 million people and tens of thousands of additional casualties.
Thankfully Elkins and several other troops survived the brutal battle through God’s grace and fountain pens and are still around to share their stories. Today, Elkins lives in Woodstock near his daughter and still has the pen God used to spare his life.
We are all indebted to these veterans and we must not forget the high prices they paid to preserve our freedom and that of others around the world. Let us thank God and them for their selfless sacrifice and service this Veteran’s Day and let us remember that Jesus took our bullet on the cross and spared us eternal death. Blessings, George