Comments on: A Profile of the Chinese Tunnel

By: Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:12:53 +0000

Wow these pictures sure brought back some good memories. I was at Camp Pelham, in Son-u-Ri In 70-71. We did our field excercises at Camp St, Barbara.I remember going through the Chinese tunnel several times.The story I always heard was the Japanese made the Koreans build it during their occupation of Korea.Great pictures.

By: gary Honeysett

gary Honeysett — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:49:43 +0000

Bruce,

We were attached to the 7th Admin Co. (Camp Casey 1967). We ( 7th Division Bayonet Chorus) were headed to Camp Kaiser by bus, through the ‘Chinese Tunnel’ for a performance. Our busdriver (US military soldier) almost sent us over into the ravine after passing through the tunnel and moving to the edge of the road to allow another vehicle to pass us. Needless to say, on the return trip, our commanding officer, Lt. Wilkins, relieved that driver of his duties, and replaced him.
Thank GOD!!!!!!!!!

By: George Ewing

George Ewing — Sun, 29 May 2011 02:10:20 +0000

In an earlier quote I mentioned being with the 40th Replacement Company 40th Infantry Div. in this area in 1953. We could see the tunnel from our camp.

A buddy, Ron Fear from California found a skull which turned out to be Chinese. We were told a convoy of Chinese were bombed with napon by UN forces during the fighting, the remains bulldozed over the cliff, later retrieved and this skull was one of the missing Chinese. To my knowledge, in 1953 there was no known name to this tunnel, perhaps the bombing of Chinese troops could have been an influence on this name.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 07:11:00 +0000

I nearly drowned on that river near the tunnel. A Typhoon had hit Korea and flooded the river. BTW we helped build the tank wall on the south or east side of the river.

We had to move a bulldozer across the river and couldn't find a place suitable. The KATUSA SGT with me told me he knew the way across the river and told me to move over. We got 3/4 of the way across when the current got so strong it picked up the 42 ton Dozer and put us in a hole. There was about 6 inches of cab sticking out of the river. Lucky for us it was big enough for the two of us to stand on. We were out there for about 5 hours before we were rescued.

We also worked up there when the 2ID did their annual training excersise

By: Bruce

Bruce — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:28:56 +0000

George Ewing:

I would love to add any pictures you have to my web page. I have pictures of many of the camps from near the end of the War, to present ones.

Here is the one on Chinese Tunnel, and camps in that area.
http://qsl.net/wd4ngb/chinese%20tunnel.htm

You can send any pictures you have by email to the address on the page.

Bruce

By: George Ewing

George Ewing — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:16:09 +0000

Was with the 40th Replacement Company 40th Infantry Division. In Oct. 1953 the 40th constructed a camp, I believe S/E of the bridge, There was no bridge there; the engineers soon built a pontoon bridge about November. Tanks would go through the river. We had no shower point for awhile, had to be trucked somewhere else. Took PTA baths with river water and our steel pots. The 40th was deactivated in, I believe May 1954. I ended up at 8th Army Headquarters 21st. Finance Disbursing Section in Seoul until rotating.

Have quite a few photos of this area from 1953.

By: Lady Death

Lady Death — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 05:45:37 +0000

http://bpmdjproductions.com/blog/2009/07/05/605-m...

By: Will

Will — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:15:22 +0000

I was in the area with the 12th Marines Sep-Dec 1987. Looking at Google Earth, it's crazy how much stuff is north of Camp Casey now. We came by the USS Dubuque, I believe at Incheon. We spent most of the time sleeping under the stars, frozen stars later in the fall, though it was blistering hot in Sept. We were in tent city at Watkins Range for the weekend and gave most of our money to the girls in town there.

A funny thing that happened–in the field one time a 7-UP truck showed up above us pulling an old M114 155mm howitzer and had several pallets of ammunition on its flatbed. A bunch of guys jump out wearing civilian clothes and emplace the gun on a prepared concrete pad–no need for an aiming circle. They start shouldering shells off of the truck and firing right over us forcing us to take an administrative moment and join them at the top of the hill. After they expended their ammo they loaded up and left and we went back to tactical.

Those halcyon Cold War days before Gulf War #1…Our only fear was nuclear war. Now we fear 8 tours of IEDs.

By: Ron Buzil

Ron Buzil — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:53:34 +0000

I passed through the tunnel many times in '75-'76. We (1st Bn. 9th Inf) were at Camp Hovey and did frequent training and mortar gunnery at Nightmare range. I just happened to stumble on this page and discussion as was fascinated with the history of the tunnel. At least in our unit and at that time we called it the Chinese Tunnel. Thanks for the information. It was fun remembering those days.

By: A Profile of Camp St. Barbara

A Profile of Camp St. Barbara — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:20:37 +0000

[...] finishing my tour along the old stretch of Highway 37 that runs through the Chinese Tunnel, I then proceeded down the road to check out the old Camp St. Barbara [...]