Nowak, Stanley, Jr., Cpl

People You Remember
Chain of Command:

Commanding General, 1st Marine Division (Rein):

MajGen Oliver P. Smith----------------------- (to 23 Feb 1951)
BrigGen Louis B. (Chesty) Puller------------- (from 24 Feb 1951 to 4 March 1951)
MajGen Oliver P. Smith----------------------- (from 5 March 1951 to 24 April 1951)
MajGen Gerald C. Thomas---------------------- (from 25 April 1951)


Assistant Division Commander, 1st Marine Division (Rein):

BrigGen Edward A. Craig---------------------- (to 20 Jan 1951)
MajGen Edward A. Craig----------------------- (from 21 Jan 1951 to 1 Feb 1951)
BrigGen Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller------------- (from 2 Feb 1951 to 19 May 1951)
BrigGen William J. Whaling------------------- (from 20 May 1951)


Commander, 1st Marine Regiment:

Col. Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller---------------- (to 24 Jan 1951)
Col. Francis M. McAlister-------------------- (from 25 Jan 1951 to 19 May 1951)
Col. Wilburt S. (Big Foot) Brown------------- (from 19 May 1951)


Executive Officer, 1st Marine Regiment:

LtCol Robert W. Rickert---------------------- (from 16 Jan 1951 to 11 Feb 1951)
LtCol Alan Sutter---------------------------- (from 12 Feb 1951 to 30 May 1951)
LtCol Donald M. Schmuck---------------------- (from 31 May 1951)


Commander, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment:

LtCol Donald M. Schmuck---------------------- (to 27 Feb 1951)
LtCol Robley E. West------------------------- (from 28 Feb 1951)


Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment:

Maj Robley E. West--------------------------- (to 27 Feb 1951)
Maj David W. Bridges------------------------- (from 28 Feb 1951)


Commander, "A" Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines:

Capt Robert H. Barrow------------------------ (to 30 Jan 1951)
Capt Thomas J. Bohannon---------------------- (from 31 Jan 1951 to 30 June 1951)
1stLt Calvin R. Baker------------------------ (from 1 July 1951)

Memories
To this point dad has participated in the following:

The "Pohang Guerrilla Hunt" in January and early February 1951.
The "CCF Spring Offensive" in mid February 1951.
"Operation Killer (1st Phase)" in mid to late February 1951.
"Operation Killer (2nd Phase)" in early March 1951.
"Operation Ripper" in early March to April 1951.
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Operation Rugged was conducted to secure Phase Line Kansas north of the 38th parallel from 2 April to 15 April 1951.
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Since dads letter of 29 March the following events had taken place:

Gen Ridgway published on 29 March a plan for a new Eighth Army advance to a line further north. Mountainous and almost road-less terrain on the east flank, the Hwachon Reservoir in the center, and 23 kilometers of tidewater on the west flank made it possible to prepare a strong defense in depth on this new line.

On 1 April the 1st Mar Div reverted to Corps reserve. The Marines were also directed by IX Corps to move to an assembly line south of Chunchon.

Meanwhile, RCT-7 was attached to the Army's 1st Cav Division on 1 April.

Further IX Corps instructions the next day (2 April) directed that RCT-1 go into Corps reserve at Hongchon while other units participated in the advance to line Ready.

The troops jumped off again on 2 April.

On the 3 April, the KMC Regt and RCT-5 attacked toward line Ready and secured it the following day.

This was the start of Operation Rugged although new names were to be applied every few days to various phases of the new UN offensive, it was in reality an extension of Operation Ripper, just as the latter had been a continuation of Operation Killer. Actually the Eighth Army had been driving steadily forward, with only brief interludes, since 21 February.
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Dads letter of Tuesday, 3 April 1951 included the following excerpts:

*****"The break has arrived and we're really taking advantage of it. We've been here a week now and all we do is lay around. The company went on outpost about five miles further north for one day and even that was pretty good duty. Up there a few buddies and I passed the time with some double deck pinochle. Naturally I was a winner."

*****"The showers are set up so we managed to take a couple of hot showers. The shower unit is quite the thing. They set up right next to the river. The unit is set up on a trailer frame with a motorized pump. A suction hose goes into the river, the water goes thru the unit into the shower. Somehow (I haven't figured it out yet) as fast as the water goes through the unit it's hot water. No strain, no pain. We were also issued clean clothes which actually made us feel pounds lighter."

*****"The galley set up our first day here and we've really been eating. Fresh eggs for breakfast with bacon or ham. We had French toast for a change yesterday. Southern fried chicken, T-bone steak, Liver, and today we're supposed to have turkey. Considering the conditions I've got to admit the cooks are doing a damned good job. Everything is cooked on portable gas ranges and in a tent with six or eight of them going a once it gets to be pretty sickening after awhile."

*****"I received three more boxes in the last couple of days. Right now most of the chow is gone. All I've been doing is eating. I'm getting the weight back that I lost. Maybe a little more."

*****"They had a beer ration five days ago. Each man had to pay seventy cents for six cans of beer. We paid it although we didn't want to and got three cans. Two days later we got the other three cans. There's no if, and, or but, about it. We have to buy it when they come around. Once we refuse the whole works will do without."

*****"According to the latest rumor we've heard the Division is going into reserve at long last. We're a unit attached to the Eighth Army in turn attached to the Tenth Army Corps. The 1st Marine Division is going to go into Corps reserve. For how long we don't know. We'll most likely find out within the next few days."

*****"Don't believe all the things you read in the papers. The M.C. has a rotation but it's slow. The Reserves are supposed to get out too but I'll believe it when I see it happen. Maybe if things work right now I'll be home in the near future."
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