Some of Art's Korean War Experiences

Art was in the 11th grade at Granite High School in Salt Lake City when he enlisted in the Air Force (for 3 years) in December of 1947.  He had not (yet) been adopted by Dorothy and Harrison S. Brothers of Salt Lake City - but he did go by their sir-name of Brothers.  Due to that oversight, the military insisted he use his birth name (Arthur Wellington Weart).  During his 4 years, 9 months, and 23 days of military service he was known as Arthur Weart, AF-19316310.

Art was sent by train to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas for Basic Training.  Because Art had been an active member of the Civil Air Patrol and knew how to march, he was assigned to be the Right Guide of the beginning company of about 60 enlistees. He was promoted to Private First Class.  In March of 1948 Art was sent to Mather AFB near Sacramento.  He worked on radios used at the Training Command Base to teach bombardiers how to use the type 23 radar equipped B-25's.

In December of '48, Art was told he could go to a 9 month "radio school" if he would take a discharge and re-enlist for 3 more years.  He did and graduated first out of 23 in his class. As an Amateur radio experimenter, for a short time, he (with Pete McCown) held the U.S. Record for long distance (DX) of just over 400 miles using MCW, on the 2 meter band.   He refused a request to stay at Scott AFB as an instructor and returned to California with an FCC 2nd class radiotelephone license and Amateur Radio license W7NVY as well as AF ratings as a General aircraft and ground radio mechanic (and operator) and similar ratings for ground and aircraft radar.

Art devoted most of his spare time to a Amateur Radio station located upstairs in the East end of the largest hanger on the field.  He participated in scheduled Civil Air Patrol meetings by checking out a Bus from the Mather motor pool and picking up teens in Sacramento and taking them to and from CAP meetings at near by McClellan AFB.  Art (and a finance company) owned a 2 year old Red  Indian 74 cc Motorcycle,  With his buddy, Reese, they roamed in all directions from Sacramento.  Art was dating a Red headed beauty, Ruth Stone, (who lived in San Francisco) whom he had met at a Church dance.
Other evenings he and three friends from a similar church group would sit under street lights in Sacramento to practice singing.  Sometimes to the applause from homeowners sitting on their front porch.  And from Church invitations.  Lester Cox.  Farrell Kimball.  Art Weart.  others... summer 1949.

Then North Korea invaded the South.  Nationwide all available Air Force personnel were told to report to Ft. Benica.  As ships were available the assembled thousands were taken by ferry to the Presidio at San Francisco. Walked across the dock to Troopship. And off to Japan. To be reassigned as needed.

Aug 3, 1950, Art, on the troop ship General R.L.Howze, AP-134, in mid-Pacific at 38 N, 180 W (the International Date Line). Arriving in Japan was assigned to the HQ, 5 th AF radio maint shop in Nagoya. Then quickly reassigned to a 67 man special ops communications unit of two 15 man technicians (each with 15 combat MP's). His group was to go to Korea via Inchon by ship. While camping on the Docks in Yokohama, Art volunteered to assist signaling on convoy ships during the transit. The following are research facts of:

Art's voyage as an Air Force Bridge signalman from Japan to Inchon for the Invasion of Korea. Military Sea Transportation Service and Merchant Ships Participating in Inchon, Korea Invasion.

Korean War Task Organizations for Inchon Invasion -- September 15, 1950

Third Echelon Movement Group X Corps Troops - (Art's convoy, 15 known ships)

Marine Phoenix, (USNS) C4-S-A3 12,420 Gross tons

Length 523 feet overall
Breadth 71 feet 6 inches
Draft 29 feet
Cruise radius 12,000 miles
Troops carried 3,485

Source: The Sea War in Korea , Malcolm W. Cagle and Frank A Manson, Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute, 1957

General William Weigel AP 119, was assigned to MSTS 1 August 1950. During this phase of her career, the ship sailed from the Pacific coast to Japan and Korea carrying troops for duty in Korean fighting.

Named in honor of  Maj Gen William Weigel, USMA Class 1887, Indian Wars Spanish-American War, AEF WWI.

Sold 1987 for $1,123,100.00 for scrap done in Taiwan.

After unloading vehicles for Art's land group of 30 men, he was in the Soul airport vicinity for a while, and then went to the Wonson airport and later as the ground troops advanced, went to Hamhung airport (near Hungnam) where the 67 man USAF group based until evacuation by air to Pohang. Art went to Taegu for one solo assignment.

Art also took one trip to a Japan for R&R with a mail sack of cigarettes to use for barter in lieu of money in Japan. As he did not smoke, all issued cigarettes given were saved for barter. All ships with "Victory" as last name represented a "class" of identical ships. The Twin Falls Art sailed to Korea was like the Meredith shown below.

A few months later, merchant shipping again provided yeoman service by evacuating troops from the ports of Hungnam and Wonsan , following the intervention of the People's Republic of China into the conflict.

In an operation reminiscent of Dunkirk , 193 ship loads rescued 105,000 U.N. troops; 91,000 refugees; 350,000 Metric Tons of cargo; and 17,500 vehicles from encirclement and delivered them to the port of Pusan.

One ship in particular, the SS Meredith Victory under the command of Leonard P. La Rue , activated from the NDRF, operated by Moore-McCormick Lines, and licensed to carry 12 passengers, transported over 14,000 refugees in one single voyage . First mate D. S. Savastio , with nothing but first aid training, delivered five babies during the three-day passage to Pusan. Ten years later, the Maritime Administration honored the crew by awarding them a Gallant Ship Award.

Loading supplies during evacuation of Hungnam, Korea	South Korean troops boarding evacuation ship at Hungnam, Korea

Copyright 2004 by A. W. Brothers. All rights reserved.

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