By Ed Stozek
For the Herald

After being sent back from Europe during WWII because he was too young, Peter Ewasiuk legally re-enlisted when he turned 18. He began a career in the Armed Forces that lasted over 20 years.

When troops from Communist-ruled North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, Peter was called to action.

After taking a train to Seattle, he boarded an old supply ship bound for Yokohoma, Japan. The trip lasted 14 days as they ran into a monsoon. To ride out the storm, huge anchors were hung on each side of the boat while the engines idled.

The large waves didn’t bother Peter. He even took the time to watch a movie in one of the staterooms.

From Yokohoma the unit took a train to a military base where they stayed for two days and then boarded a Japanese ship headed for Pusan.

“About 30 miles from Pusan the smell was so bad I thought that I was going to die,” The enemy had decimated Pusan and several million inhabitants lived in shacks. Raw sewage had made its way into the water.

Two days later, Peter saw battle action. In the first 15 minutes their commander was killed from a volley of fire from a burp gun. As the unit advanced, they captured a hill but had forgotten to take their panels. Panels were large signs that gave directions for aircraft to drop napalm on the enemy. This mistake could have cost the troops their lives as the aircraft would have dropped bombs on Peter’s unit and they would have been killed by “friendly-fire.” They got their panels five minutes before the planes flew over them.

Peter noted, “The summer was very hot with a great deal of bugs, poisonous snakes and rats as big as cats. The winters were very cold.”

Trenches were connected to bunkers. Two men occupied a bunker. One man stood on guard while the other slept. One night when everything was really quiet, Peter decided to throw a grenade in the enemy’s direction. When it exploded the Americans started firing their machine guns in the direction of the enemy. “What a racket,” he said.

On night patrol into enemy territory there were always 14 men and each one was assigned a number. Periodically the men called out their numbers and if someone called out a wrong number he was immediately shot because it was an enemy who had infiltrated in an attempt to slit someone’s throat.

Once Peter’s squad got caught behind enemy lines during the monsoon season and had to eat roots and live off the land for five days.

“Those five days seemed like five years.” After 15 months of battle action it was time to head home. At this time Peter was stationed at Attack Headquarters and was a driver for a major. “Could I borrow the jeep to go see my buddies?” “How long?” “About two hours.” “Ok, be back by one o’clock as I have a meeting with the general.”

When Peter arrived where his buddies were they wanted him to go with them to an American MASH unit to buy beer as their jeep was broken. They loaded the jeep full of beer and decided to have a few drinks with the Americans. When Peter looked at his watch it was 3 o’clock.

“I’m going to be hanged!”

The major greeted Peter. He had walked a mile and was patiently waiting for Peter at the check stop.

“I’m at your mercy sir. Throw the book at me. I have it coming.”

Peter was told to leave the jeep and the beer and see the major the next day. Peter got a break. His penalty was to serve three more months in Korea as the major’s driver as opposed to three months of hard labour.

Hard labour was reserved for the Canadians who got into trouble and included working 16 hours each day. After his stint, Peter returned to the Fort Osbourne barracks.

Peter was a very interesting person to interview as he had many stories to tell.

Sadly, he passed away in Brandon several years ago.