John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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ness. However, this day, brought an air of expectancy about the camp. Another supporting patrol had made contact with Nelson's group and it was appar- ent that general preparation was being made for an offensive action. Roger Nelson had been one of those who be- lieved that winter weather might bring the turmoil to a halt for a time. Now he saw the folly of his hopes as he realized that, in a war, as long as man could endure, he had to fight! The following few hours were spent in deliberation, planning. issuing of orders, and preparation of weapons. Soon the time for which the command- ing officers had set for the action, was near. Roger Nelson and the others of his group plodded through a stretch of woods which led to the hill they were designated to take with the help of other patrols. All through the night and early dawn, American artillery had bombarded the general region of hills held by the enemy. As the patrol which Roger Nelson was assigned to came closer to the hill. it became apparent that a concentrated group of the enemy had contemplated their coming aid, therefore, were firing heavily at all objects that moved. So far the enemy had been unfortunate in their aim. The patrol reached the bot- tom of the hill. The men. including Nel- son. were spread out in a line, crouch- ing closely to the earth. From this vantage point Nelson could plainly see the group which kept firing, and whose bullets struck irregular paths through the air, not finding targets! It then be- came apparent to the sergeant in charge, that that group firing at them was the only major obstacle to the sum- mit of the hill. The signal was given to charge!! Nelson found himself grasping for every bit of courage and sustenance he could muster. He jumped from his crouched position and began a Criss- cross path of attack up the hill. crouching behind stones and stumps when he could. Nelson had found him- self the furthest advanced of his patrol, as he stopped for a moment, taking cover! Enemy fire was literally chop- ping up the surrounding ground. All at once the urge, which must at one time or another take over all heroes, seized Nelson. He found himself running as he never had before, in a jagged line. toward the enemy position. His support rang out from in back, forc- ing the enemy to caution their move- ments. Nelson was upon the enemy, and in a burst of glory let forth all the fury of man since Adam. The enemy, surprised as they were, fell before his machine gun and finally fell back. Nel- son stood there firing as his support quickly came behind him! In due time the attack of fury sub- sided and finally diminished till only an occasional shot was to be heard. The Arn-erican forces began their re- grouping upon the hill! It had grown dark through all the elapsed time of preparation and battle. The sky was. overcast once more, and it began to- snow! The strewn bodies of the enemy and American forces were spread upon the immortalized hill. The snow fell peace-- fully and gently to the ground, denoting all which had taken place. Yes. the- snow was blanketing the surrounding terrain, but concentrated upon one par- ticular American body. There seemed to be trained. oddly enough, a sustain- ing joy of sun. It was the body of Roger Nelson. a great patriot, a great American, and a great Negro! - Let us do him and others like himl great homage,-Lest We Forget! A 23

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'lw his N in - I. s ' g A S i s Q Q A . . X 1 ,Q S . N ,fs ? 5 Fig X Y A Q is 3 5 0 L X A C , Nu Q :fl E b E FLASH! A mysterious glow appeared E in the distance. The early morning H snow filled the air. denying the eyes the right of perceptive vision. The low. unearthly rumble once more resound- ed, splitting the perfect peace of a De- cember morning. The sound's last echoes are heard as winter's torrential armies of glistening white once more close the distant gates from which a brilliant glow emerged in the darkness of dawn. During that instant's illumination. a number of tents were revealed to earth against the new snow-covered wood- land background. Winter had arrived quickly for some. but not half soon enough for others. To the newly indoctrinated forces of an in- famous human conflict. winter, along with its inevitable suffering. carried the hope of delay at cessation of hostilities which every day added to the list of human heartbreak and agony. How- ever, to the more seasoned participants of the conflict. winter brought memo- ries of the previous year. Last winter. they had also entertained such ideas of returning home in time for Christmas. that of a stop to the outrageous spilling of human blood at the front and human 22 tears behind the lines. Instead. they. who had survived. witnessed such things as the pen put to paper may not well describe but that the blood drained in the earth well discerns. These men knew all too well that winter in Korea brings no hope but only despair for the men destroying the ene- my in order that they instead should survive. Among the Army tents. which a dist- ant flash of an explosion had revealed through the snow, was that of P.F.C. Roger Nelson and his buddy. That ex- plosion had seemingly disturbed young Nelson in his dreams. for his buddy. although asleep, had trembled. Yet Roger slept on, subconsciously strug- gling to hold onto one of the few pleas- ant dreams which had come to him dur- ing his brief stay in Korea. Truly it was a pleasant subconscious thought that lingered in his mind. He was in Korea, but his thoughts were at home! Home. -1 a tenement building on South Second Street. Brooklyn. Home, -- his parents. brother and friends. Home - in America. enjoy- ing peace. It seemed hard to imagine that there was peace somewhere. Somewhere men were not troubled with the thought that they were for the last time seeing the light of day. Somewhere, children were happily playing in the street. and not crying over the body of a parent! -Crash!! A third explosion. not too far away, for the ground trembled, awoke Nelson! It was yet early but the sun had risen and the snow. which had stopped falling. was melting. A fateful day in Roger Nelson's life was begin- ning. The day began routinely for an American patrol in the front lines on that December morning. Nelson and his buddies went about their usual busi-

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umni rom Jcirea ARTHUR SHOSTAK OUR NEIGHBORHOOD was in quite a commotion. The boy who lived next door had just retumed from fourteen months' military service in Korea. After the Welcome Home festivities, I saw him one day, sitting on the stoop of our house. I asked him for his impression of Korea for the Clipper. You see, he was a former Adamsite, and I felt he would be interested in reporting recollections of his sojourn in Korea to his alma mater. In a soft, slow, but warm and glow- ing tone, the veteran told me that the Korean natives had made the greatest impression upon him. When the police action in Korea is recorded for history, he told me, the freedom-loving Korean youth, who braved all the terrors of war to assist in the emancipation of their country from a state of com- munistic slavery, will be classed as the unsung heroes from this epic. H-e re- called how a teen-aged Korean boy had attached himself to his outfit and had voluntarily performed menial tasks out of appreciation for what the outfit was doing to free his country. He re- counted the story of a Korean soldier who, after thirty-six months of active service refused a furlough because there remained so much to do and so 24 little time to do it in. He reflected, The pain, suffering, and discomfort of the U.N. soldier was like make-believe when compared with the tragedy be- setting the native Koreans. But one did not hear any misgivings or regrets ex- pressed by them. Russian expansion must be curbed. lust as David stopped the powerful Philistine, Goliath, when the latter's people were encroaching ruthlessly on the right and freedoms of their neighbors, so the Koreans feel that they must stop the twentieth cen- tury Goliath, who likewise is trampling upon the freedom of peace loving neighbors. People scoffed when puny David, using a slingshot, confronted the giant. Today, people, similarly snicker at the thought of hungry and tattered South Koreans standing up to the Red Chinese Government and chal- lenging it to a fight till death. You know what happened to Goliath. His- tory will repeat itself. I looked at the soldier and for but one moment felt that I was witnessing the struggle of the centuries waged in my presence. All I could say was, Amen.