✅ SOLVED What is this Korean war jeep and tank in pictures taken by my Dad

[tamrock]

On my last visit to my moms, who is now 89. She asked that I pack home all the family photos and take them with me to Colorado. There are 6 large boxes of photo albums and hundreds very old pictures of my ancestors. The pictures I'm posting are ones I found that my dad took when he was in Korea. In the first picture my dad is in the front row to the left and he's also in the 3rd picture as he could be a clown at times and he's sitting on a Yak I think it is. That smile on my dads face sitting on that beast is one I came to recognized that he was in a fun mood and it was seen on him from time to time till the day he past. Other times he was a real bear and I knew that face very well. The clue to when these were taken is in the 2nd picture with a soldier standing next to a sign dated June 1951. My question is, what kind of jeep is that in the 4th picture. I find nothing like it used by the US in the early 50's? and in the last picture what kind of tank is that with no markings? My dad never spoke of his time in Korea to me. When I was young you had to jump back very quickly if you woke him up as he would fly out of bed. I also was woken up many times myself by the loud nightmares he would have when I was very young, I'd go upstairs to see if all was well and he and my mom would be sitting on edge of the bed and my dad was dripping in sweat not saying anything. My mom would just say everthing was okay and I can go back to bed now. Those nights were very scary ones to me. They did over time stop coming to him. My dad served with the US Army 7th Calvary in the occupation of Japan and was later called to serve in Korea.

 

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[Mekong Mike]

What's that sticking out the barrel of the tank ?

 

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[DCMatt]

You are in luck. I know exactly what those are.

The tank is a Russian T-34

The Jeep is a Russian Gaz-67

A little background on why US troops would be driving the Gaz:

Production ended in Autumn 1953. 92,843 were produced from the 2nd half of World War II until the Korean War. GAZ 67 was the Soviet Unions version of the American Willys Jeep.
Some GAZ drivers will tell you that in Towing and in off-road performance, the GAZ-67 was superior to the Willys, Bantam and Ford Jeeps. The GAZ-67 also had the benefit of having 2 fuel tanks: the main tank in the cowl, and another fuel tank under the driver's seat. The GAZ could use multi fuels, including kerosene and �low-test gasoline� which was a big advantage on the WW II battlefields.

DCMatt

 

[BosnMate]

Pa was in the first division sent overseas in WWII and was gone for more than 3 years...one time when he was back we were down by the river in the woods and he got kinda foggy and said to me..."what was it like for you the first time you killed a man?".....

Some of the stuff those guys went through just doesn't go away. The combination of a couple of things, the cold, the fog, perhaps a smell or the way the air is hitting your face, and your memory will instantly have you back in that situation.

 

[unclemac]

yeah, he didn't talk much about it either, came back with malaria too weighing 90 lbs. Had the malaria shakes on and off for about 10 years as I recall.

 

[tamrock]

A little background on why US troops would be driving the Gaz:



DCMatt

Fantastic info, Thanks! DCMatt

 

[tamrock]

I have a few more photos here to review.

These are just a few more pic's my dad took in Korea that I have on my phone. My dad was a true shutterbug and I only wish he could have lived long enough to see the digital photograph age as he would have so embraced it. I have wondered much what all my dad was involved with in the Korean war. My mom says when he was in Japan he was a clerk as he could type very well and was a college grad, so he got a nice office job. She also said before he was sent to Korea he was given only 30 days combat training and shipped out. My mom and one other soldiers wife drove from Iowa to San Fransico to see their husbands off. She still has a visitors boading pass to allow her to say goodbye to my dad on the ship that took him to the war. My mom said her and that other wife drove down the coast to watch the boat as it followed the coast for some time before it headed out to sea. Anymore clues you can offer on these picture would sure be appreciated. I have one pic of my dad standing in the cold with his unhappy face I came to know. Also I now know what the tank is as a T34. This one is pushed off the road and has the number 210 on it. With maybe a crushed Gaz 64 smashed to the side of the tank. The one pictures looks like just a bunch of regular guys taken 5 in a war.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Camp Gary Owen, Korea Base Service Display Recognition

 

[DCMatt]

I may have figured out who the guy is in the Gaz. He looks a lot like this guy:



Georgios Koumanakos was a commander in the Greek Expeditionary Force in Korea. In June of '53, he was part of the defense of Outpost Harry. It is considered by the Greeks to be the modern day Thermopylae. If it is not him, it is certainly one of the Greeks.

DCMatt

 

[clovis97]

I may have figured out who the guy is in the Gaz. He looks a lot like this guy:

Georgios Koumanakos was a commander in the Greek Expeditionary Force in Korea. In June of '53, he was part of the defense of Outpost Harry. It is considered by the Greeks to be the modern day Thermopylae. If it is not him, it is certainly one of the Greeks.

DCMatt

Did the GEF wear US style uniforms and helmets?

 

[tamrock]

What's that sticking out the barrel of the tank ?

I've wondered that myself. Looks like a shell head stuck in the barrel?

 

[tamrock]

Did the GEF wear US style uniforms and helmets?

Boy! I don't know that one or who that may be?. My mom said in one of the letters my dad wrote of a night they took some heavy shelling and she thought my dad described the Indian army who were close to their position acting as a bunch of crazy fools, as they were banging drums, singing and dancing as they were being fired on. She said my dad couldn't believe the way they showed defiance at the enemy. I need to see if that is in writing in one of his letters home. Could that be a Greek way to fight a war?

 

[DCMatt]

Did the GEF wear US style uniforms and helmets?

Yes.



DCMatt

 

[tamrock]

I may have figured out who the guy is in the Gaz. He looks a lot like this guy:

View attachment 861960

Georgios Koumanakos was a commander in the Greek Expeditionary Force in Korea. In June of '53, he was part of the defense of Outpost Harry. It is considered by the Greeks to be the modern day Thermopylae. If it is not him, it is certainly one of the Greeks.

DCMatt

This is very interesting. You and clovis97 have seem to come to this possibility at almost the same time on this fellow in the Gaz. Did the Greek Army use the Gaz jeep also? or is it the person and dress you are focusing on to lead you to believe this is Greek Commander Geo. Koumanakos?

 

[DCMatt]

This is very interesting. You and clovis97 have seem to come to this possibility at almost the same time on this fellow in the Gaz. Did the Greek Army use the Gaz jeep also? or is it the person and dress you are focusing on to lead you to believe this is Greek Commander Geo. Koumanakos?

When I first saw that pic it made me wonder why a GI would take that picture. Other soldiers are showing interest in the guy and his posture indicates swagger and bravado. Therefore, he must be someone notable and should be identifiable. The defense of Outpost Harry was a big deal at the time and gave the Greeks considerable notoriety and press coverage. I can understand why your dad would want a picture of the commander. He was famous...

DCMatt

 

[DCMatt]

Did the Greek Army use the Gaz jeep also?

I suspect the Gaz was a captured vehicle - adding to the Greek's "bad-a$$" (and well deserved) persona.

DCMatt

 

[tamrock]

I suspect the Gaz was a captured vehicle - adding to the Greek's "bad-a$$" (and well deserved) persona.

DCMatt

I better start a bit better of preservation and transcribing these letter as one of them may varify who for sure that person is. The letters have very much detail of what life was day to day for my dad in Korea. Do you think this group would have any historic importance? I did donate a short snorter given to me that was in the wallet returned to a family member and later given to me. The fellow who owned the short snorter was KIA first mission in a B17 May 15 1943 and was a great uncle of mine. On it is a name signed two times of a Benjamin H King who I believe is who some say is the father of the Air Comandos who did covert operations in Laos just before the start of the Vietnam war. I donated the bill to keep it away from future family that I believe would have no interest in my ancestry. All girls I have and no interest in history.

This was my uncle bobby and a link to the AAF site you will see the short snorter I kept from the time I was 13 to around 1996. I may call the short snorter back from the musem and they would do it. Just need to find a good place to keep history of the 351st BG

I still wonder if the King signature is the same as Brg. Gen. King and Its still a bit fuzzy to me as how the B17 'Spare Ball' it seem was the only ship lost that day as its reported it was knocked down with a bomb dropped from some ME109's Kind of a strang way to bring a B17 down wouldn't you think? Bernard A Guenzig 511th KIA May-15-1943 | ArmyAirForces

 

[DCMatt]

knocked down with a bomb dropped from some ME109's Kind of a strang way to bring a B17 down wouldn't you think?

From: JG 54 Victories against the US 8th Air Force - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

As described in Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces vol. 1, B-17F-30-DL 42-3173/DS-R "Spare Ball" of 511th BS, 351st BG, was attacked by 5 Bf109s who kept attacking it in turns until it crashed into the sea. Lt. Joseph A Meli Jnr and crew were all KIA. To me it seems Oblt. Froehlich, Rudolf Patzak, Karl Weber, Horst Sack and (possibly) Friedrich Rupp were likely the "five Bf109s" that finished it off. Franck Ruffino's Heinz Knoke website credits the loss to aerial bombing by Helmut Lennartz.

 

[tamrock]

From: JG 54 Victories against the US 8th Air Force - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

Thanks so much DCMatt, I've never came by this info. Now I may know those by name who got my great uncle and his crew. Bobbys little 82 year old nephew will sure be excited in knowing more on the fate of his favorite uncle. He kept a scrap book all these years on his uncle Bobby and with your help we can add more to the story of this man who was never found again on earth from that day on May 15, 1943.


Sorry folks I didn't mean to take this thread down a different path, its just that DCMatt is a fantastic souce of information and I felt I could utilize it.

 

[New Seeker]

T-58 - The reason I believe the tank is a Chinese version.

I came across this picture and noticed a LOT of similarities with the photograph. Thanks by the way for preserving these wonderful pieces of history!!! The object sticking out the barrel appears to be one of the rounds for the main gun placed in the barrel from those strewn on the ground around the wreck.

OK for some reason the Attachments are not working for me so maybe I can provide the link to the web page - File:PIC02105.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jewelerguy]

My dad never spoke of his time in Korea to me. When I was young you had to jump back very quickly if you woke him up as he would fly out of bed. I also was woken up many times myself by the loud nightmares he would have when I was very young, I'd go upstairs to see if all was well and he and my mom would be sitting on edge of the bed and my dad was dripping in sweat not saying anything.

no doubt your Dad saw horrible things during his time in the service. I find it appalling that great men like him serve our country and are often denied the services and benefits that were promised to them when they carry the nightmares of their experiences with them their whole lives, but yet the praise and glory go to the generals and politicians who never once spent a night in the field.
you didn't mention, but I assume your Dad has passed on. if he has, may he rest in peace, and many thanks to him for his service.