Purple Heart in the Korean War from 7th Infantry Division Infantryman Joseph Mills Wise

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Today we hear our first combat story from a Korean War veteran, Joseph Mills Wise. Joe was injured while in the front lines in 1951 as an infantryman engaged in fighting that, to this day (and understandably), has not left him.

When Joe was medevaced out of the combat zone he also had frostbite in both feet. He was able to recover only to be sent back to Korea.

While this fighting took place 70 years ago, it's amazing how so many parts of the veteran experience don't change from getting letters from your wife, to sneaking off base in the trunk of a car, to freezing outside in the cold, to humping a massive radio and weapon, and so much more.

Joe is part of the silent generation of warriors who, for the majority of his life, did not share these moments of horror with his family and, instead, kept the bottled inside.

At 94 years old, he agreed to sit down and share these with us. His wife, Joice, was in the room for our interview and experienced Joe's war through letters and telegrams and then, like many military spouses, was the one who supported Joe through the years of nightmares and pain that come with seeing combat firsthand.

This was an honor for me and reminder of this war that came so close on the heels of WWII but with a very different experience for those who fought in it (the war was not even recognized as a war for years).
With that, please enjoy this bit of history from someone who lived it.

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Show Notes:
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Guest Introduction (Joseph Mills Wise)
02:33 - Interview begins
02:49 - Surviving Pearl Harbor
11:19 - Joining the Military
14:52 - WWII
16:12 - Being drafted
19:19 - Not dodging the Draft
19:51 - 4Patriots
21:11 - Atmosphere around the Korean War
24:30 - Sneaking out
27:24 - Getting from the States to Korea
34:56 - Being in Korea
36:30 - Meeting the unit for the first time
39:09 - On the front lines
47:10 - Contact with the enemy
48:33 - Passing time
50:18 - Moving in formation
52:35 - A tough operation
58:56 - Wounded in battle
01:04:01 - Letters to Joice
01:10:38 - Food on the battlefield
01:13:19 - Courageous act
01:15:07 - Hardest personal challenge
01:16:13 - Korean War Memorial
01:18:04 - "The Forgotten War"
01:19:08 - 9/11
01:20:43 - Sentimental items
01:23:15 - Joe and Joice