“DEVASTATE CHARLIE”
THE
MARINE AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL SQUADRON
OF THE
MARINE CORPS AVIATION ASSOCIATION
BY – LAWS
Article IDevastate Charlie
Section 1. The name of this Squadron shall be Devastate Charlie, the Marine Air Command and Control Squadron of the Marine Corps Aviation Association, and it shall be a non-profit, unchartered organization.
Article II
PURPOSE
Section 1. To honor all those who have served or are serving in Marine Air Command and Control, to perpetuate the spirit of brotherhood, and to promote the history of Marine Air Command and Control personnel, agencies, and units.
Section 2. To foster and encourage interest in Marine Air Command and Control, its many contributions to the Marine Corps, and its future.
Section 3. To recognize and reward meritorious and professional achievement in performing the missions and tasks of Marine Air Command and Control.
Section 4. To actively seek means of preserving and furthering the unique role of Marine Air Command and Control in the National Defense policy of the United States.
As a member of MASRT-1 during the last six months of the Korean war---our call sign became "Wiggle Charlie" and then "Lameduck" and then ???. Can't remember further names. The Chinese became familar with a few of them---- suggesting over the radio what they would do "us" .
ReplyDeleteMasrt-1 was located north of the Imjin but a little SW of Freedom Bridge on Hill 121 in area called Tambang-Dong. Hill 121 was north of the 11th Marines 155mm[as well as the Army 25th Div 155's] artillery battery which had fire missions over or beside our hill.They serenaded us every time an outpost battle required artillery support. We were in view of the outposts called Dagmar. Bunker Hill, Reno, Vegas, Carson, Boulder City, Berlin, East Berlin etc. Though we directed numerous day or night bombing runs--the flare drops by R4D[?] type planes were the most memorable as "they" lit up the night sky for the embattled Marines on the MLR and outposts. When the Chinese started firing on the flare planes and things started to be a little too hot---the plane would notify us that they were braking contact and ceasing the drop for a short period. On those type of night runs we could "see" the results...unlike the night bombing runs over troop concentrations or whatever where it was impossible to check results.
Impressed to see original call sign "Devastate Charlie" received some recognition.
DeleteShould really correct my blunder of the bridge name which crossed the Imjin River.
As I stated recently---the bridge name was Libby or X-Ray [either name is correct] and not Freedom Bridge. Freedom Bridge was to our "west". Thanks.
Oops---Hill 121 where Devastate Charlie [ aka Charlie; Lameduck; Wiggle Charlie] was located was a short distance SW of Libby Bridge [aka X-Ray]. I confused the bridges in the original note. Freedom Bridge was a different crossing point. With the armitice we started to pull down our bunker and Masrt-1 moved quickly to Hill 215 just to the south of Munsan-ni. From the top of Hill 215 we could see the crown of our old Hill 121. After a short stay on Hill 215--we moved to K-6 while the radar equipment underwent repair at a southern destination. Upon its return we set up an outpost on a remote hill by the Yellow Sea near Pyong-taek ---created a target island "near" shore-- and had a target practice site. On 1/16/54 Masrt-1 moved back to the Hill 215 site. I soon left for the USA for discharge.
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