426wedge
NES Member
Location western MA
May 29, 2017
My brother was lost at Chosin Resorvoir on 2 December 1950. I had contacted a childhood friend of his about 7 years ago. His name was William G Mahar. Bill was able to tell me the events leading up to my brother's death as he was in Korea the at the same time period.
This is a copy of a remembrance entry at the Korean War Project by Mr. Mahar:
"I knew Remi growing up as kids in Westfield, went to his house High St. as I recall, ran into him again in Tokyo PX in the summer of 1950, stayed overnight at my unit in Tokyo on his way back up to Sendai to rejoin the 7th. Division, we had pictures taken together and I gave them to his mother when I returned from Korea in 1952. At the time she was living up near Noble Hospital. Later years talked to his 1st. Sgt. in Heavy Mortar Co up at the Chosin Reservoir. WGM"
I also located another friend of my brother that enlisted on the same day with him in 1948. His name was Gordon Snyder, also a Korean War vet. Gordon happened to be a ceremonial guard at the Agawam Veterans Memorial Cemetery. He contacted me after doing research so he could have a memorial erected at the cemetery for my brother, because it had to be done by family. I had to prove my relationship to the cemetery to get the stone put up, which did happen eventually.
Anyway, here is the letter that Bill Mahar had sent me. I posted this here 3 years ago, but I may do this every Memorial Day. Bill was in his 80's when he wrote this...
Remi and I used to fish together in the Westfield River over where the railroad bridge crosses from Elm to North Elm St. Met Remi in Tokyo at the snack bar in the PX., he had been down in Eta-jima school command attending a school and when the Korean War started the military closed the school and sent all the students back to their units, Remi was heading back to the 31st. Infantry Regiment, heavy mortar company, 7th. Infantry Division up in Northern Japan, Sendai. He stayed over night at my unit in Tokyo, then left the next day to report in to his unit. During his stay with me we had pictures(portrait) taken and when I got back to Westfield I took a picture of him and gave it to his mother, who at the time lived on W. Silver St. in a house across from Noble Hospital. It probably is around somewhere. My unit got to Korea ahead of his unit and when his unit got to Pusan Harbor on troop ships designated to the invasion of Inchon Harbor. I recall talking to a 7th. MP down on the docks in Pusan and mentioned Remi's unit to him and he pointed out the actual ship that the unit was on. Unfortunately I did not go out to see him as I figured I would see him up the line sometime. Never did. Remi was in the Inchon invasion and later was involved with the Chosin Reservoir operation. Where Remi's Regiment had 4 Chinese Divisions roll over them. If you do any reading and can get the book titled East of The Chosin, author Roy Appleman you might find it interesting. Talked a few years back to Remi's First Sgt(now dead) in Phoenix AZ. He told me that Remi had been shot in the chest and loaded with the other wounded in a truck and the truck in attempting to run a Chinese roadblock the truck was stopped, shot up and burned by the Chinese with all the wounded aboard. Trying to ascertain that Remi was on the truck I made contact with another guy from Mississippi in Remi's unit and he told me that he remembers giving Remi a cigarette on the truck just before the roadblock incident. Remember this all occurred in an area where zero degrees and no snow was considered a good day. Keep in touch, see if whoever has that portrait of Remi. Regards: Bill Mahar"
May 29, 2017
My brother was lost at Chosin Resorvoir on 2 December 1950. I had contacted a childhood friend of his about 7 years ago. His name was William G Mahar. Bill was able to tell me the events leading up to my brother's death as he was in Korea the at the same time period.
This is a copy of a remembrance entry at the Korean War Project by Mr. Mahar:
"I knew Remi growing up as kids in Westfield, went to his house High St. as I recall, ran into him again in Tokyo PX in the summer of 1950, stayed overnight at my unit in Tokyo on his way back up to Sendai to rejoin the 7th. Division, we had pictures taken together and I gave them to his mother when I returned from Korea in 1952. At the time she was living up near Noble Hospital. Later years talked to his 1st. Sgt. in Heavy Mortar Co up at the Chosin Reservoir. WGM"
I also located another friend of my brother that enlisted on the same day with him in 1948. His name was Gordon Snyder, also a Korean War vet. Gordon happened to be a ceremonial guard at the Agawam Veterans Memorial Cemetery. He contacted me after doing research so he could have a memorial erected at the cemetery for my brother, because it had to be done by family. I had to prove my relationship to the cemetery to get the stone put up, which did happen eventually.
Anyway, here is the letter that Bill Mahar had sent me. I posted this here 3 years ago, but I may do this every Memorial Day. Bill was in his 80's when he wrote this...
Remi and I used to fish together in the Westfield River over where the railroad bridge crosses from Elm to North Elm St. Met Remi in Tokyo at the snack bar in the PX., he had been down in Eta-jima school command attending a school and when the Korean War started the military closed the school and sent all the students back to their units, Remi was heading back to the 31st. Infantry Regiment, heavy mortar company, 7th. Infantry Division up in Northern Japan, Sendai. He stayed over night at my unit in Tokyo, then left the next day to report in to his unit. During his stay with me we had pictures(portrait) taken and when I got back to Westfield I took a picture of him and gave it to his mother, who at the time lived on W. Silver St. in a house across from Noble Hospital. It probably is around somewhere. My unit got to Korea ahead of his unit and when his unit got to Pusan Harbor on troop ships designated to the invasion of Inchon Harbor. I recall talking to a 7th. MP down on the docks in Pusan and mentioned Remi's unit to him and he pointed out the actual ship that the unit was on. Unfortunately I did not go out to see him as I figured I would see him up the line sometime. Never did. Remi was in the Inchon invasion and later was involved with the Chosin Reservoir operation. Where Remi's Regiment had 4 Chinese Divisions roll over them. If you do any reading and can get the book titled East of The Chosin, author Roy Appleman you might find it interesting. Talked a few years back to Remi's First Sgt(now dead) in Phoenix AZ. He told me that Remi had been shot in the chest and loaded with the other wounded in a truck and the truck in attempting to run a Chinese roadblock the truck was stopped, shot up and burned by the Chinese with all the wounded aboard. Trying to ascertain that Remi was on the truck I made contact with another guy from Mississippi in Remi's unit and he told me that he remembers giving Remi a cigarette on the truck just before the roadblock incident. Remember this all occurred in an area where zero degrees and no snow was considered a good day. Keep in touch, see if whoever has that portrait of Remi. Regards: Bill Mahar"
