How do you Measure a Hero?

      Hero’s come in all shapes and sizes. They can be both young and old. Gender is not a discriminating factor nor is race, creed, or religious flavor. Sometimes human beings can rise to unfathomable circumstances and produce feats of valor in many ways. Hero’s are found on the streets and by ways of nearly all of God’s earth. Daily are the stories and events which produce such magnificent episodes in our lives. Human beings are fascinated at the stories from sullen warriors that serve in war-torn theaters. Other hero’s patrol the streets and protect the innocent from the dangers that prevail. Our news is filled with constant stories of valor and praise for people whom disregard their lives for the sake of others in peril. One such hero walks the streets of this great nation and this is just a brief look into his personal life.

     On or about the middle of 1950 a young man stands at the mailbox and receives a strange letter addressed from the war department. As he opens the letter his thoughts are filled with questions. The letter is addressed to the young man and informs him of his duty to his country and the service which is required of him in a call to arms order immediately. The young man is paralyzed in thought and his first response is to his newlywed bride. Barely married and starting a life together the young couple and their relationship will be frozen in time temporarily. The young man is full of questions and tries to sort out the call to duty as he prepares to embark for a United States Marine base in San Diego California. The young marine had previously served a two year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. at the end of World War 2. He was in the Marine reserves at the time of the draft notice for Korea. Now most people can’t really imagine going to war let alone leaving a beautiful young wife and a good steady job at the age of 21. But our country made the call and thousands answered without a second thought. This young marine was interned on a troop ship and embarked for the eastern sea coast of South Korea. As the young marines disembarked they were taken ashore on landing craft and outfitted with the moderns of warfare such as the world had never seen before. This young marine marched out onto the beach and into the hills of Korea to face an enemy of millions. The marines were outnumbered the entire time they fought in Korea but never lost a battle. Sure some news details report of the famous Chosen Reservoir fight and how the Marines were badly beaten and forced to withdraw from the campaign, but the real truth is in the hero’s stories that survived that awful mess. Talk to any marine that was there and you will be told that they made a strategic with drawl from the battle to be resupplied for further action. It took days to count the dead Chinese soldiers that were left at the frozen Chosen reservoir and the Marines carried off their dead. That doesn’t sound like a defeat of the Marines to this writer.

     As the days of battle and fatigue set in the young marine wondered if he would ever see his bride again. This marine made every hill assignment given in battle for the thirteen long months he was interned. A lot of marines couldn’t make some of these mountainous assault battles due to fatigue, malnutrition, sickness and battle shock. We will never know how bad it was and only the stories of the survivors are left for us to glean bits and pieces from to satisfy our minds. This young marine fought in many battles famously called the punch bowl. He witnessed death and mutilation at a young tender age and although he survived the war unscathed in the flesh, he carries the scars of battle inside where only fellow warriors can see them. This marine was luckier than most. On at least several occasions his life was in the taking for the enemy. One time a Chinese machine gunner had this marine and another marine dead in his sights. Why he never fired is a mystery to this day. The young marine had the heel of his boot shot off and a Chinese mortar round land within two feet of his head. Fortunately the mortar round was a dud. On another occasion the young marine was stationed on an outpost in front of his company and quite exposed. He and another marine watched all night as artillery rounds from the marines pounded Chinese positions in front of them. When morning came the young marines were instructed to go down in the valley and survey the damage. Throughout the previous night the marines could hear a young Chinese boy crying and sobbing as the shells exploded around his position below them. This young marine was instructed to go down at daylight under covering fire and report back to the company CP. As he worked his way down the valley to the area of the cries he came upon three Chinese soldiers. One of them was just a young boy and very shell shocked the other two Chinese soldiers wanted to surrender and were presenting their weapons in a bowing fashion as customary. The young marine had a feeling come over him like nothing else and the warning voice said not to touch the prisoners and do no harm to them. After what seemed like a perilous long time the young marine finally convinced the two Chinese soldiers to lie their guns down and make a carry for the young boy. As the group started back up the hill this young marine found himself in the middle of a well hidden squad of Chinese soldiers. They were coming out of well camouflaged holes in the ground that surrounded the young marine. Being caught off guard and well within their killing zone the marine was at their disposal. The Chinese soldiers came out of their defensive positions and started presenting their guns and bowing to the young marine. To this day that young marine knows that had he laid one hand roughly on the first three prisoners he surely would have met his fate.

     Throughout the long year in country the young marine tried in vain to remain steadfast to the task at hand. Thoughts of home and loved ones, was the only thing to break the carnages of death and war. He lost good friends and was witness too many young marine’s brutal deaths. A year later and after much suffering the young marine marched off the hills and down onto the beach where he was stripped naked, deloused and given new fatigues and put on a landing craft. Just like that the physical war for this marine was over. Then he was taken and placed onboard a ship and sent home. I mention the physical war was over but the mental war will remain with these valiant warriors all the days of their lives. These stories are just a few of those that have been garnered over the years. To this day, most of the gut-wrenching traumatic details that this marine was party to are still bottled up within his soul never to be revealed. We are left to our imaginations and the stories that have prevailed to form our own conclusions of that period of time and how awful war can be for a young man. Coming home was a great blessing for this marine and he has made the most out of his extended life that God granted him. He raised three children with a tender loving hand and became a great father and devoted husband. He not only served his country with valor and bravery he served his God as well. He walks the streets of this proud nation and if you were to meet him in person you would not have any idea of the hardships he faced just to take the next breath of life.  As American’s we can never repay these hero’s for their selfless sacrifices. Their seasons in time were short and many are passing away before our very eyes. Each one is different and they are all so precious to our nation. We as Americans stand as a united free people but for that right we are indebted for all that we are and all that we may become. To these great spirits we owe everything. So the question posed is how do you measure a hero? Well I measured mine and he’s 10 feet tall.

    This is dedicated to United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Neven Ray Southwick Item Company 3rd Battalion 7th Regiment 1st Division. Thanks dad for all you have accomplished and all that you are in this life.

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