Edward L. Rowny
A ..
No, I had no problems of that type. I found the Koreans to be well trained and
disciplined soldiers. They cheerfully and loyally obeyed my orders. When I called
an alert they met my standards, even though the U.S. units did not always do so.
They had a great deal of pride. It was generally not recognized back home that the
Korean military had come a long way since the Korean War of the early 1950s.
Many of their younger officers were products of the Korean military academy
which was patterned after West Point. Their officers were highly motivated and
well qualified. I had full confidence in their ability.
Q ..
What about the Koreans in Vietnam. Did they do a good job?
A ..
Yes, they were good. The difference between the Korean units of 1950 and 1969
was nothing short of astounding. In 1950 there were a few good Korean units, but
for the most part they were not well led, not well trained, and didn't have much
in the way of weapons and equipment. By 1969 things had developed rather
rapidly. I was pleasantly surprised by the high degree of alertness and soldierly
qualities of the Korean officer corps and the Korean soldiers. We constantly pitted
U.S. units against Korean units in competitions. Some, like maintenance of
vehicles, were won by the Americans. But others, like moving out quickly to their
battle positions, were won by the Koreans. There was a healthy, lively, and
friendly competition between the U.S. and Korean troops, and the Koreans won
most of the prizes.
Q ..
I gather the country had changed quite a bit.
A ..
Yes, very much so.
Deputy Chairman for the NATO Military Committee
Q ..
I understand that when you left Korea you went to Europe where you became the
deputy chairman for the NATO Military Committee.
A ..
Yes.
Q ..
How did they manage to ship you overseas from an overseas assignment without
going back to the States for a briefing in between?
It was a matter of getting someone aboard in a hurry. The officer I was replacing
A
had left early in July for a new assignment and there was no deputy on board.
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