1945 War Nickel Found in Korean War Foxhole on Task Force Smith Battlefield

[Mphares]

On Sunday my son and I went metal detecting at the Battle of Chochiwon here in South Korea. It is the fourth battle in July 1950 when the North Korea 105th Armored DIV supported by the 4th INF DIV attacked the United States 21st INF REGT, also known as Task Force Smith, at a strategic bottleneck on Route 1. We hit up two ridgelines where the NK 16th and 18th INF REGTs attacked US positions and found a handful of NK officer pistol casings, Soviet-made rifle casings, as well as M1 Garand and M1 Carbine casings.

To top off the hunt, we found the discovery of a lifetime: a 1945 War Nickel in one of the foxholes in the path of the North Korean 4th INF DIV. Below is the video. It is emotionally moving to find an item like this, especially since it was probably dropped by a young soldier from Task Force Smith, 21st INF REGT 3rd BN. You can really feel the tension on that hill.



We do a lot of metal detecting here in Korea at Korean War battlefields and old mountain passes. So if anyone visits or lives here and wants to come find history, you are 10000% welcome to join us!

 

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[djackson7348]

Great history save. Imagine the emotions of the young American, far away from friends and family, when he lost that nickle.

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Mphares]

Great history save. Imagine the emotions of the young American, far away from friends and family, when he lost that nickle.

Right? He probably took that as his lucky nickel, I imagine. After fighting the North Korean infantrymen, he found he dropped it. Poor fella. Those boys were ready to get back to Japan and relax. Who knew they would fight the first battles of the Korean War.

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

Thank you! It is our first silver coin ever and it is attached to the history of a great group of men. I am very proud to have recovered it.

 

[BavariaJeff]

Awesome find. I watch your videos on Youtube. You have made some awesome finds. You have a passion that is second to none.
I am also based in Pyoengtaek Korea. My avatar is the oldest coin I ever found (200 BC Chinese Han dynasty banliang coin). I found it in Incheon Bupyong Korea. I have found many Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cash coins in Korea.

I would love to get together with you for a metal detecting outing.

 

[tamrock]

What a wonderful way to have fun with the family. My dad was over there in 1950-51 as an infantryman with the 7th cavalry regiment. I have stacks of letters he sent to my mom and many photos from his time over there. My dad is the fella on the Yak and in the front row right in the first group photo. Last Christmas me and my daughters pulled many of the letters out and read them outloud to each other. It was like listening to a podcast of the time, feeling and the stories of his experiences over there, so long ago.

 

[BavariaJeff]

I sent you a PM

 

[Mphares]

@BavariaJeff Awesome!! Dude we need to hang out all the time now. Hearing that you found that at Bupyeong, are you by chance friends with Matt Pfeil as well? Are you the guy that hunted Bupyeong like crazy when you were a soldier in Yongsan and found the old Japanese hoards?

 

[Mphares]

@tamrock That is amazing. Your dad is a hero to everyone of us that lives here on peninsula. If you know of any battles he participated in, we can go there and try to find you some stuff. Let me know.

 

[tamrock]

@tamrock That is amazing. Your dad is a hero to everyone of us that lives here on peninsula. If you know of any battles he participated in, we can go there and try to find you some stuff. Let me know.

That be interesting if you could search the areas my dad may have been. In the letters he does write about I believe some of his movements and camp life, but most of his writing
are about how much he loves and misses my mom, but I'll see what I can uncover.

 

[Mphares]

That be interesting if you could search the areas my dad may have been. In the letters he does write about I believe some of his movements and camp life, but most of his writing
are about how much he loves and misses my mom, but I'll see what I can uncover.

Most definitely. Just let me know and we will hit the road!

 

[Ammoman]

Very good story. Any time a personal item is found on a battlefield it can indeed be very emotional. I have done a lot of detecting in the pacific And have found personal items from both sides of the conflict in the same foxhole. Make the mind wonder how they were lost.

 

[Mphares]

Very good story. Any time a personal item is found on a battlefield it can indeed be very emotional. I have done a lot of detecting in the pacific And have found personal items from both sides of the conflict in the same foxhole. Make the mind wonder how they were lost.

100% agree with you that it is emotional. I actually cried the first time I found a wheat cent in a foxhole here in Korea. It just hits you right in the feels knowing that this young guy lost his penny while fighting for Korea. I found a trench art piece in a trench line at the Battle of Daejeon. It was a bullet made into a lighter that hung from a necklace.

 

[dts52]

Great history save. Imagine the emotions of the young American, far away from friends and family, when he lost that nickle.

I hope that was all he lost. God bless him, whoever he was.
dts

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice old coin recovery with a great hidden story!

 

[Mphares]

I hope that was all he lost. God bless him, whoever he was.
dts

I hope so too, but unfortunately of the 2,000 that fought there, nearly 1,100 of them here killed or wounded. These boys took a beating but held that hill for three days.