James R. Bolen
Era: Korea
Military Branch: Army
James R. Bolen
Mr. Bolen served two tours of duty in Korea during the Korean War.
He served in the U.S. Army, and he signed up in Duluth, Minnesota, on January 21, 1949.
He served in the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, out of Fort Lewis, Washington. He boarded a transport ship to Korea on August 5, 1950, and landed on Pusan on August 19. He was the only member of his unit, George Company, to survive the Chinese invasion. He was flown to Japan.
He was deployed to Korea a second time and was assigned to Easy (E) Company 23rd Infantry Regiment 2nd Infantry Division.
He was a light machine gunner.
Mr. Bolen was decorated with the Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service Medal with 5 bronze stars, a Presidential Unit Citation and the UN Service Medal.
Source: Information entered by the veteran and subsequently edited by Historical Society staff (below):
I joined the 38th Infantry Regiment 2nd Infantry Division in Fort Lewis, Washington in July of 1950, and I was shipped out on August 5th, 1950. We landed at Pusan on the 19th of August, but I was sent back to Osaka General Hospital. I then rejoined the 38th Infantry south of Seoul in September. Many trips north were made with those patrols to fight fires.
Three days after Thanksgiving, I was up at the Yalu River when the Chinese stepped in with force. I was in a MASH tent when we where overrun. Three days later, the Battalion Commander Col. Skelton picked me up in his jeep and said I was what was left of George Company. He took me down to the airstrip and had me flown out to Japan.
When I came back to Korea again, I was put in the Easy (E) Company 23rd Infantry Regiment 2nd Infantry Division and was with them until the May Massacre ended. While in Korea, I fought many fires and was a light 30 machine gunner the whole time.
I was sent back to the states in July of 1951. When I got back, I was put in the M.P.’s at Camp Carson, Colorado until I got out of the Army in the summer of 1952 after four years of service. It is hard to believe that it was over 50 years ago.
I enlisted in the Army at Duluth, MN, on January 21, 1949. I took my basic training with the following awards: Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service Medal with 5 bronze stars, a Presidential Unit Citation and the UN Service Medal.
