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

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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.

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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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HE SET the bottle of sleeping tablets beside his bed and proceeded to un- dress. Then. lighting a cigarette, he walked into the kitchen and drew a glass of water from the tap. This, too, he set on the table by the bed. Sitting down, he inhaled deeply a few times and stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray. It's so simple. he thought. to end everything this way. I'm a powerful man. It's fitting that I take my own life. He felt a glow of inde- pendence surge through him as he un- screwed the cap from the bottle. Two, four, six, he counted. better make it eight to be on the safe side. Plac- ing them on his tongue, he swallowed them with the water and slipped in between the sheets. He couldn't have remained waiting for death to come to him. His mind raced back to the day when the doc- tors had told him that he had an in- curabl-e cancer and that, at most, he had only a year to live. That had been three months ago. How long does it take? he thought. lf only I could fall asleep. I don't want to think any more. He listened to the rain hitting his window with vehemence. A bolt of lightning lit up the room for a second, then it was dark again. A stormy night. he thought, very appropriate. Then he realized that he was thinking like a child. He was actually glad that it was storming. because it made the situation more dramatic. Even suicide was childish. he thought. But actually it was the only way. I want to live so badly. he mur- mured, yet it's impossible. What would the remainder of the year hold for him? Suffering, and then, finally, the death that he knew was inevit- able. There was so much good in life. The joy in a smile. or the sadness in eagza fion WILLIAM PEARCE a tear. These things were all good and fine because they were part of life. Then he knew. If iust being alive made even sadness something good. then his life must not end. While he was thinking these thoughts. his eyes had been closed. When he opened them, it was like lifting two heavy pieces of lead. He snapped the light on beside his bed and stood up. His knees were weak and unable to support him. Using the furniture as a guide. he groped his way to the living room and sat down beside the telephone. I've got to live. he thought, I've got to. Lifting the receiver from the hook, he quickly dialed the operator. He could hear a ringing sound and then her voice. Operator, get me- Lightning flashed across the sky be- fore he finished. Operator, get me the police. Operator! he screamed. His head was swimming now, and he knew there was little time. He hung up and then lifted the receiver. There was no dial tone. The storm, he cried, the storm! He dropped the re- ceiver to the floor and stood up. If he could only get to the window and cry out for help. Doggedly he raised himself from the chair and staggered across the room. When he got as far as the piano. the room started to spin dizzily about him and his knees folded beneath him. He grasped the piano for support, but in his hand there was no strength. His hands passed over a few keys before he fell, but to him the tones that came from them were inaudible. 25