Cpl. Wayne Fletcher, U.S. Army, Korea

Wayne Fletcher joined the U.S. Army in September of 1949. In June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, and just 16 months after enlisting, Fletcher found himself at war. He operated .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns mounted on half-tracks. With no real enemy threats coming from the air, Fletcher and his fellow gunners turned their weapons on enemy ground forces in support of Army infantry.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Fletcher gives us a good explanation of the guns and how he operated them and the brutal cold he dealt with after arriving in January 1951. Fletcher also shares some specific, intense moments in combat. And he reveals the stunning mindset change that came over him when engaging the enemy – and realizing either he would kill the enemy or the enemy would kill him.

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Veterans Chronicles