Freedom Bridge. Who is familiar with it?

2014-07-15T23:08:08-04:00

For those that don't know! Freedom Bridge is a symbol of 61 years of the US Army protecting Korea's Border!

For those that have crossed and served on the north side, this is a symbol to remind of us our past duty and missions. Those that haven't, do not know.

http://www.pinterest.com/thomaslucken/freedom-bridge/

Freedom Bridge

Besides my couple, found several other pictures and views of it. If by chance I have photos on here that someone knows who the owner/s are, please let me know so I can give them credit!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2014 1:01 AM

2014-07-16T01:01:22-04:00

Very interesting. I never heard of it before. Thank you.

Response by SSG Kevin Crozier made Jul 16 at 2014 11:16 AM

2014-07-16T11:16:49-04:00

I am very familiar with it

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 16 at 2014 11:33 AM

2014-07-16T11:33:38-04:00

Is that the one that was never completed? I may have seen it on a USO tour to the Z. The bridges that I'm familiar with are the Bridge of No Return inside the JSA, the retractable "Stands Alone" bridge that ran over the Imjin was just south of Cp Greaves and the unfinished railway bridge near Freedom Village.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Jul 16 at 2014 6:41 PM

2014-07-16T18:41:11-04:00

LTC Paul Labrador you are spot on

STANDS ALONE!

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Jul 16 at 2014 7:07 PM

2014-07-16T19:07:26-04:00

From the end of the Korean War (1953) till 1998. Freedom Bridge was the only bridge that crossed into Panmunjom/DMZ in what was the American sector till 1991. In 1998, the Koreans completed the new Unification Bridge and opened it.

Freedom Bridge, as you can see by the pictures in the link, was a old shot up rickety bridge with wooden planks. Guards at both ends and one way traffic.

Once you crossed the bridge, you were almost in a different time zone when going into the DMZ.... Attached is a map what it was like around 1990. Had about 4 camps and Warrior base which was Tent City also. This area was known as Western Corridor for a long time(Garry Owen, Greaves, Howze, Edwards, Stanton, Pehlam, 4P1, 4P3, and Giant)......

Till 1991, our combat patrol area was around Panmunjom and the 2 guard posts: Ouelette and Collier, besides QRF!!!! Also, some of the ranges we did were in the DMZ..... Run daytime recon patrols and nighttime ambush patrols!!!! Plus, stay out of the minefields!!!! :-) DMZ is heavily mined to this day, and guys occasionally find out the hard way, sadly. Seen it happen and hear of it.

Freedom Bridge for many of us old DMZ veterans, recognize it as a symbol of what our mission was about at the time! It was the only way in and out of the DMZ, unless you put up pontoon bridges! When 2ID still had the bridge, 2nd Engineers took care and checked the explosives on the bridge, it was always ready to blow.

Times have changed some since then. The only Americans left are those few that serve in the JSA at Panmunjom, below is a picture looking into the north. From one of the Repatriation Ceremonies I was out, return of Korean War remains in 1998.

The mission was a real combat mission that many don't know or ever realize we continued to due. Many incidents that happen up there, never reached the outside world! Those of us that have crossed the Bridge know the reality of what it was like, and many find it hard to believe! As the old saying goes: "What happens in Korea, stays in Korea", is true statement........

Present day, the nearest 2ID soldiers are at Camp Casey area and the surrounding camps! It is a different time now, the 24 years ago. SSG Crozier can add in any details that might be missed.....

The US Army camps for the longest time were still pretty primitive till the mid to late 80s and even then was behind times in through a good part of the 90s.

We did our duty in a forgotten time and land, that many don't ever know existed! We are the Korean DMZ veterans of a past time.

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Jul 23 at 2014 12:30 PM

2014-07-23T12:30:47-04:00

Bridge of No Return......

http://www.pinterest.com/thomaslucken/bridge-of-no-return/

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Jul 23 at 2014 6:14 PM

2014-07-23T18:14:22-04:00

Spent 2 years in Korea, and on many occasions I got to see the monster up close. In my opinion Freedom Bridge will and always should be considered a landmark in Korea's history. While I have forgotten much of the bridge's history I remember it being beat up and ugly but that was back in 1980-1982. Sad to hear that it is no longer viable. Thanks for the memories SGT Thomas Lucken.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 6 at 2014 11:25 AM

2014-08-06T11:25:10-04:00

Lived at Camp Greaves for a year 1991-1992, know it all too well.

Response by CW3 John Wescott made Aug 6 at 2014 6:20 PM

2014-08-06T18:20:17-04:00

I was stationed at Camp Pelham in 95-96. The day I left for home, they changed the name to Gary Owen and the unit became 4/7 Cav

Best memory of the DMZ besides "Stands Alone, Sleeps Together". Playing the one hole golf course at Camp Bonifas. The world's most dangerous golf course !!!

http://www.back9network.com/article/the-worlds-9-most-dangerous-golf-courses/

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/playing-on-worlds-most-dangerous-golf-course-can-literally-kill-you.html

World’s 9 Most Dangerous Golf Courses

When you think of dangerous sports, it is highly unlikely that golf is anywhere on that list. Auto racing, sure. Bull fighting? Absolutely. But golf? The relationship between golfer and crocodile has long been a tempestuous one. Recently there was an

Response by CW4 Edward M. made Aug 8 at 2014 4:29 AM

2014-08-08T04:29:56-04:00

I remember that bridge - I was stationed at Camp Stanley (C Co. 2AMC, 2nd Inf Div) and was voluntold to work at the JSA for a few weeks. That was about the time the OH-58 was shot down over the DMZ.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 22 at 2014 11:13 AM

2014-09-22T11:13:44-04:00

Great info and fantastic read!

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Sep 28 at 2014 8:09 AM

2014-09-28T08:09:56-04:00

This is dedicated to all those who served on the Korea DMZ from 1954 to 1991. We did a duty, most never knew about or will never understand! More then a few of our brothers gave it all and the world never knew!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsSSxgdSKoM

Korean DMZ Veterans 1954 to 1991

This is dedicated to all those who served on the Korea DMZ from 1954 to 1991. We did a duty, most never knew about or will never understand! More then a few ...

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Sep 29 at 2014 11:15 AM

2014-09-29T11:15:26-04:00

A Bill that was submitted to Congress in 2006, but never enacted! Typical coverup, especially about page 3 lines 18-22, Agent Orange!

109TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION S. 2914
To recognize and honor the soldiers of the United States and the Republic
of Korea who served, were wounded, or were killed from 1953 until
the present in the defense of the Republic of Korea, to require the
placement of a commemorative plaque at the Korean War Veterans
Memorial in Washington, D.C., and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 19, 2006
Mr. DEWINE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To recognize and honor the soldiers of the United States
and the Republic of Korea who served, were wounded,
or were killed from 1953 until the present in the defense
of the Republic of Korea, to require the placement of
a commemorative plaque at the Korean War Veterans
Memorial in Washington, D.C., and for other purposes.
1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘DMZ War Veterans
5 Recognition Act of 2006’’.
VerDate Aug 31 2005 23:59 May 22, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2914.IS S2914
bajohnson on PROD1PC72 with BILLS2
•S 2914 IS
1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
2 Congress finds that—
3 (1) the Korean War, which began in 1950 and
4 ended when the Korean War Armistice was signed
5 in 1953, is commonly known as the ‘‘Forgotten
6 War’’;
7 (2) a later war in Korea, known only to some
8 veterans and their families as the ‘‘Unknown War’’
9 or the ‘‘DMZ War’’, occurred long after the Korean
10 War Armistice was signed in 1953;
11 (3) according to military documents, the leader-
12 ship of North Korea issued a declaration of war
13 against the United States in a speech in 1966, which
14 read that ‘‘U.S. imperialists should be dealt blows
15 and their forces dispersed to the maximum in Asia.
16 . . .’’;
17 (4) the 124th Special Forces unit of North
18 Korea—
19 (A) was trained—
20 (i) to destroy the camps and civilians
21 of the United States;
22 (ii) to disrupt travel and communica-
23 tion between the Armed Forces; and
24 (iii) to sabotage and assassinate the
25 government officials of South Korea and
26 the United States; and
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•S 2914 IS
1 (B) repeatedly confronted the soldiers of
2 the United States and the Republic of Korea
3 when crossing through the Demilitarized Zone;
4 (5) since the Armistice was signed, over 40,000
5 Armistice violations have occurred, many of which
6 involved troops of the United States who were sta-
7 tioned in and around Korea;
8 (6) some of those violations, like the capture of
9 the USS Pueblo, caught the attention of the media,
10 although most have not;
11 (7) since the end of the Korean War, many sol-
12 diers of the United States have died or been wound-
13 ed in Korea as a result of hostile fire;
14 (8) some veterans of the Republic of Korea suf-
15 fer from exposure to Agent Orange, which was used
16 during a period that began in 1968 and ended in
17 1969 in and around the DMZ;
18 (9) because the hazardous properties of Agent
19 Orange last for at least 100 years, soldiers of the
20 United States who later served in the Demilitarized
21 Zone had been exposed to the chemical long after
22 the Armed Forces stopped using it;
23 (10) the military personnel of the United States
24 who served in the Korean War during the period
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•S 2914 IS
1 that began in 1966 and ended in 1969 received the
2 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and
3 (11) a few of the soldiers who fought and died
4 in the Korean War have been—
5 (A) nominated posthumously for the Con-
6 gressional Medal of Honor; and
7 (B) awarded—
8 (i) the Silver Star or Bronze Star for
9 valor in combat; and
10 (ii) the Purple Heart for being wound-
11 ed in combat.
12 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
13 (a) PLAQUE.—The term ‘‘plaque’’ means the plaque
14 directed to be placed at the Korean War Veterans Memo-
15 rial in Washington, D.C. under section 4(a).
16 (b) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the
17 Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of
18 the National Park Service.
19 SEC. 4. PLACEMENT OF COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE.
20 Not later than November 11, 2009, the Secretary
21 shall place on or near the grounds of the Korean War Vet-
22 erans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a plaque to com-
23 memorate the sacrifices of those who served, were wound-
24 ed, or were killed from 1953 until the present in the de-
25 fense of the Republic of Korea, that contains the following
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•S 2914 IS
1 inscription (in which the bracketed space shall include the
2 date on which the plaque is placed): ‘‘Dedicated to the
3 soldiers of the United States and the Republic of Korea
4 who served, were wounded, or were killed from 1953 until
5 the present in the defense of the Republic of Korea. The
6 efforts of those soldiers have enabled the Republic of
7 Korea to develop into a successful and modern country.
8 Since 1953, the Armed Forces of the United States experi-
9 enced more than 40,000 ‘Armistice violation incidents.’
10 Those incidents have caused the deaths of over 100 sol-
11 diers of the Armed Forces of the United States and the
12 wounding of hundreds more from hostile fire in the Ko-
13 rean Peninsula and its surrounding waters. Unknown to
14 most citizens, the soldiers of the United States and the
15 Republic of Korea fought and won the ‘DMZ War’ be-
16 tween November 1966 and December 1969. That war
17 caused the majority of the Armistice casualties. We re-
18 member the service, sacrifice, and valor of all of those sol-
19 diers on this 40th anniversary of the start of the DMZ
20 War. Their fellow soldiers and their families will never for-
21 get them. Let this Plaque aid their countries to remember
22 them as well. Placed this day,
23 [llllllllll].’’.
Æ

Response by SP5 Larry Burkholder made Feb 11 at 2017 10:54 AM

2017-02-11T10:54:43-05:00

In 1967 the 3/23rd was in camps north of the bridge patrolling the DMZ. I pulled guard on that bridge many times and we had to cross it to go on pass. Very familiar with it.

Response by SPC Robby Robinson made Feb 14 at 2017 1:57 AM

2017-02-14T01:57:43-05:00

I know my response is three years after the fact....I remember Freedom Bridge like it was yesterday.
Charlie Company 1/506 2nd Infantry Division (Camp Greaves)

Currahee! Stands Alone........... 1991 / 1992

Response by SPC Fred Wilhite made Oct 17 at 2017 11:03 PM

2017-10-17T23:03:29-04:00

I was in there in 1991-92. I was attached 2nd Engineers as a medic. Went with the engineers once during Monsoon season. They had planned on setting up camp close to the river; but thank goodness they moved to another location. The next day the original location was under several inches of water. Treated a lot of soldiers with blisters , due to a lot of marching in the never ending rain! It’s hard to believe the engineers aren’t there anymore! All the area by Camp Casey and the now deduct Camp Castle(Eng base) has changed so much since I was there! Isn’t Google Earth amazing...... Some of the best times of my life!

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Oct 18 at 2017 12:17 AM

2017-10-18T00:17:12-04:00

That ROK Detachment that pretended they were NK used to have their POW Course there

Response by CPL Ricky Thomas made Jun 22 at 2018 2:16 PM

2018-06-22T14:16:00-04:00

Stationed at Camp Hovey -1st/38th Infantry.
Knew the bridge well.

Response by SGT Raymond Zannetti made Dec 9 at 2018 12:59 AM

2018-12-09T00:59:00-05:00

I was at Camp Greaves from 11/74 to 12/75 HHC 1/31 Infantry. I remember the bridge well. It was our link to the rest of the country. When we were lucky enough to get a pass, we'd take the bus over the bridge to Munsan and go from there. We did plenty of military exercises moving up the Imjin river until we got to Liberty bridge. We used to joke around that they were useless, because if anything broke out, we were already listed KIA. If the N.Koreans didn't kill us, chances were that a lot of us would have been done in by all the unmarked mine fields. Still, for some reason, that was one of the best times I had during my 6 years of service!

Response by SP5 George Jenkins made Feb 6 at 2019 2:59 PM

2019-02-06T14:59:39-05:00

2/23 , 1968. Enjoyed my time there. Thanks

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2019-12-14T02:04:10-05:00

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2019-12-14T02:04:28-05:00

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Response by PFC Harold Cardona made Jan 12 at 2020 2:55 PM

2020-01-12T14:55:27-05:00

Was there 2 months after operation Paul bunyon

Response by PFC Stephen Marchisen made Jun 29 at 2020 3:38 PM

2020-06-29T15:38:09-04:00

I remember the 506th Saluting us with Curahee as we crossed Freedom bridge and also when we went through the M.L.R at Bonifas. That Flag and salute meant so much when we came back.

Response by PFC Stephen Marchisen made Jun 30 at 2020 7:53 PM

2020-06-30T19:53:50-04:00

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Response by SPC Billy Garza made Nov 11 at 2020 10:08 PM

2020-11-11T22:08:48-05:00

Served at Camp Liberty Bell as it was called . 1985-1986