| Fifties Frogs Magazine | Vol 2 |
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Memories of an Old Frog by
Phillip E. Carrico |
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Left: Author Phillip E. Carrico I feel
that most folks associated with UDT Teams would agree with this theory; the transformation from Frogmen to SEAL's started some 40 days after the
Communists jumped off in Korea and when LT George Atcheson and his squad
of Frogs from Team 3 pulled the first in-land demolition raid behind the
enemy and its supply lines. We had left Coronado in April 1950 and had been in Japan for some three months when the fighting started on June 25th. Approximately forty days later on August 5th, this squad pulled that first raid. We left Chigasaki early on August 4th, went by truck to Tokyo, there caught a Navy PBY for the hop down to Sasebo. There we boarded the USS Diachinko, who was haling anchor for out target some 45 miles north of the 38th parallel on the Korean peninsula, a railroad tunnel. It was approximately noon when we boarded the ship. That afternoon as the Diachinko steamed toward our target, a thing happened that has left a lasting impression on me. As we went aboard, a ship's gunners mate thrust Thompson Sub-machhine Guns into all our hands. We looked over at each other and shook our heads—none of us had ever seen one before. However by twilight that evening, the old gunner had us fairly literate about Thompsons, even firing them off the fantail. I thank God for his persistence because we got into a helluva fire fight that night.
On the following raids, we decided that the Thompsons were too temperamental and too cumbersome for our kind of actions. Most of the guys went to the M2 30 Caliber Carbine. These light weight little weapons could be pistol gripped. They were fairly accurate up to 40 yards and with only two 30-round clips taped butt to butt, the weight was almost insignificant.
That raid on August 5th, 1950
produced the first Navy combat casualty of the Korean conflict. "Fins"
Foley was shot off the track ledge and fell 25 feet on the rocky beach.
The bullets did not hurt him all that bad. However, the fall on to the
rocks wrecked a knee. These likely are the only pictures of LT George Atcheson and his squad of men who pulled the first raid in Korea. This squad was later joined by Team One with whom they spent a full tour. Then when Team Three relieved Team One, they stayed on for a second tour. This squad of frogs, undoubtedly, spent more time in active combat in Korea than any other frogs. [ top ] |
continued—
Standing L to R: 1 Ledbetter, 2 unk, 3 Adams - Midwest, 4
Akerson - Los Angeles, Kneeling L to R: 8 McCormic-Texas, 9 Austin - California, 10 Lt. Atcheson - Texas
Top Row — L to R: Ledbetter, Nelson, Adams Trivia: I have never met or talked to a member of this squad since my
discharge in '52. And have absolutely no word on any of them. Notice the frayed bib of LT
Atcheson's cap (2nd photo). "Limy" Austin, during the fire fight of the
raid, fired a burst at the LT when he stuck his head over the ledge
without announcing himself. (I'll bet Atcheson has that cap framed
somewhere right now.)
These security squads need explanation. We found out very early that being
shorthanded, we needed every frog available to monkey powder to the
objective. Carrying two 60 pound packs of TNT, sometimes for 200 yards—we
could not defends ourselves, so we initiated what we called "a security
boat". Ten man squads of armed troops who went in ahead of the powder
boats and set up security perimeter around the objective. [ top ] |
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