Honoring Our Veterans: Richard Kurzrok

Ed. Note: Memorial Day is a time when Americans commemorate the U.S. soldiers who gave their lives in defense of freedom. A tradition dating back to the Civil War, Memorial Day honors the sacrifices these brave men and women made for a better nation. Perhaps there's no greater way to honor their memory than by reflecting on their service and recognizing those veterans who live among us. 

With a sincere sense of gratitude, Patch would like to say "Thank You," to all the brave men and women who answered the call to serve with a special feature titled 'Honoring Our Veterans,' which will run daily at 5 p.m. during the week leading into Memorial Day 2011.

Today, we salute Richard Kurzrok.

Name: Richard Kurzrok

Branch: U.S. Army – Radio Officer

Conflict: Korean War

Post: Kurzrok was a communications officer assigned to the Second Infantry Division. He was deployed to South Korea during the Korean War, reporting in at Chunchon during the spring of 1952 before heading west to Inchon, where he assumed command of Division Radio Communications.  

Reflections: "My military service was a bit different than many other veterans because I served two separate tours separated by college, with my first tour ending September 1947 and the next one beginning December 1951, just in time for Korea. I put in a request to deploy to the Far East and by March 15th the following year, I was on an air craft heading for the Pacific. A few days after that I was at Inchon, boarding an old rickety pre-war train heading to Taigoo.

In October of 1952, the 9th Division for the Republic of Korea, which was on our right flank situated between us and another American division, came under tremendous bombardment from the enemy and we lost radio communications with them.

So, I headed out with a few of my men into the night with our radio equipment to try and get communication back online. We ended up getting lost at the frontline position of the 9th ROK company area, but eventually ended up making radio contact with the major of the 9th ROK. We kept up communications with them until the morning, when we were given orders to return back to HQ. The crisis had been averted."