I wish my Korean War veteran husband were still alive to give me his thoughts on your comment. MP - regarding my son in Gulf War 1, his unit of the 82nd Airborne in Bragg was “on mission” August 1990. For two days after the invasion of Kuwait I tried to phone him but the phones were always busy so I had no communication from him until October. It was a very nervous time. I was very worried that the Iraquis would invade Saudi Arabia with a huge army against a very thin line of US and SA troops and my son.
I was luckier than you. I was in France at the time and watching the news when the Marines reached the Airport at Kuwait City. Believe it or not, I saw my son directing his guys with hand signals. I watched every rerun throughout that day and the next just to get the chance to see him a few seconds each time. Later, when I got home and he was home, he laughed at my telling him I had seen him. “No way,” he said. When I described the transport he was riding and how he was standing and other details,he had to admit I had indeed seen him. It surely relieved my tension enormously at the time.
Friends who fought in Korea, one of whom I am currently helping write a book (his memoirs) have given me an in-depth insight.Most won’t talk about what went on unless they feel secure in passing their memories on to someone they trust. I have always been fascinated with Military History.