John Roland Goering, Jr. was drafted January 26, 1951 and reported to the induction center in Kansas City, MO. Declared physically fit, he was sent to Ft. Sam Houston, TX for basic training for 2 months. Upon completion, he was enrolled in the Ft. Sam Houston Medical Field Service School for intense training in treating and recovery of battle field wounded in preparation for active duty.
On June 30, 1951, he successfully completed an 8 week course and declared a Medical Technician/Corpsman. Pvt. Goering’s first duty assignment was at Ft. Sill, OK for six months as dispensary assistant to the base army doctor. His duty was to assist the doctor in making notes an dispensing medications as directed during morning sick call that seemed very busy after weekend authorized leaves. Periodically, Pvt Goering would assist giving shots and vaccinations to the troops in preparation for active duty in foreign destinations. The procedure was like running an assembly line. Later the same recipients would return for a reading of vaccine results and some were quite positive.
Being a qualified clerk typist Pvt Goering was sent to Ft. Riley, KS to prepare numerous orders for troop dispatch. After completion of that assignment, Pvt Goering received orders to ship out to Korea and was assigned to the Ambulance Company, 7th Medical Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, CA where Pvt Goering boarded U.S. Navy named General D. I. Sultan in San Francisco harbor and departed under the Golden Gate Bridge. The troopship arrived Yokohama, Japan in ten days and then were transported by train to a holding area and eventually dispatched to the port at Sasabo, Japan. Pvt Goering was then dispatched via troopship to the harbor of Inchon, Korea and eventually arrived at his assignment; Ambulance Co. 7th Medical Battalion near the end of August, 1952.
After initial field training, Goering was promoted to Private First Class and received duty assignment to transport wounded from helicopter arrivals at a Mobil Army Surgical Hospital (MASH]. At that time the 7th Infantry Division took the offensive to recapture the Triangle Hill Complex located north of Kumwha. Once the wounded were stabilized, they were loaded onto an ambulance for transport to another field hospital at Chunchon near the 38th Parallel. On the night of 05 Sept. 1952, PFC Goering’s Ambulance Co was under enemy ground fire in the vicinity of Kumhwa, North Korea. He was awarded the Medical Badge for satisfactory performance of duty. The 7th Division assaulted and captured “Triangle”, “Sandy” and “Jane Russell” hills, October 1952 and during that time the Ambulance Co was busy delivering wounded.
Night time travel required ambulances to use only “cat eyes” instead of headlights to avoid enemy detection. On one occasion when returning to the MASH unit empty his ambulance using cat eyes for vision, the left wheel missed a culvert and turned over on it’s side. Thankfully the driver and Medical Aidman PFC Goering escaped injury.
By Thanksgiving Military service record Day, 1952, the 7th Medical Battalion Ambulance Co was relieved from active duty and sent south of the 38th Parallel. Thanksgiving day was celebrated with Turkey and all the trimmings. PFC Goering was soon to complete his two year obligation and arrived Sasebo, Japan in time to enjoy Christmas Eve with a large shinning star decoration displayed in the evening above the harbor. A large sign was displayed that read: SASEBO Replacement Depot welcomes You. You have earned This TRIP HOME.
The return to San Francisco took almost a month and PFC Goering was then transported by train to Ft. Carson, CO. He was honorably discharged from active duty January 31, 1953 with the Korean Service Medal ; Bronze Service Star; and United Nations Service Medal. He was then transferred to ERC (Emergency Reserve Corp) 5 year obligation.
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