The Passing of a Hero - 1920 - 2011

Glenn C. McGuyer,  was born 11 May 1920, and passed away 15 February 2011 at the age of 91.  Glenn was my Uncle and I am going to miss him dearly.  My Uncle Glenn had known me for 58 years. I first remember Glenn as a young boy and did not know that much about him until later in life. I really got to know my Uncle about 32 years ago, shortly after I got married. Glenn knew me when I was just a pup.  Glenn was a special person, one of a kind, proto-typical Army man, rough and gruff exterior, but a heart as big as Texas. He always treated me well. I am sure however, if I had lived with him, he might have had a different outlook on his nephew, I am sure of it. I did not get to visit Glenn much because of the distance. However, my wife and I moved to California, and I got to visit more often.

I would always call Glenn "General", even though his real rank was a Major in the Army, I just loved messing with him and calling and asking my Aunt Sue for "The General".

Chipyong-ni

Glenn was a true American hero, as he told me, he served in WWII, Korea and two tours of Viet Nam, as if one tour was not enough. Glenn once told me he just enjoyed serving his Country. Glenn also was awarded a "chest full of medals".  I do not know how many, but he earned quite a few.  About two months ago, I was joking with him and I said to Glenn, "Well General, are you ready to head to Afghanistan?"  Glenn replied the only way I knew he would reply, damn right I am ready. I am just a tad to old."   I knew exactly what Glenn was going to say,  if he could have, he would have been gone in a heart beat. Men from Glenn's era are true Patriots, not that we do not have true Patriots now, I just believe that in the era that Glenn was raised, there was so much more respect for our Country because the times were so much different than today, you never heard of anyone burning an American Flag, if it happened it was not reported on like it is now.  I wish I could recount the number of stories Uncle Glenn would tell me about the war in Europe. He also told me about his time in Japan as part of the United States occupation force in July 1946 to August 1947, he went there as a Lt, and left Japan as a Captain. Glenn was an Infantry company commander of a heavy weapons unit and was in charge of 40 man units and was in charge of the training of these men.  The next battle that Glenn mentioned to me was the battle of Chipyong-ni fought on February 13 -15 1951.  How amazing is that,

Uncle Glenn passed away on the anniversary date of this epic battle.  The "General" has now gone home to be with the rest of his fellow soldiers. I know he is looking down on us now, he will be with his family, standing watch over us all. That is the way it has to be, for that was Uncle Glenn, he now has contact with the "The Big Guy". So I know Glenn will be putting in a good word for all of us. I can see it now, Glenn is hanging out with my other Uncle, Lewis Post, another true American Patriot, I am going to be writing about Lewis as well in the near future. It is not very often that to be blessed by having three extra ordinary uncles (Glenn McGuyer, Lewis Post & Alton Parker)  like I was. I will at some point write about all of them, they each had a major impact on my life. 

In Closing I just want to say, that Glenn was a man of prinicple, values and morals.  Glenn loved his Country and loved his family, he was a private man,  and did not like much fan fare, he never liked, nor did he want the spot light.  That was Uncle Glenn. I am so glad that I knew him, he really was a hero to me, I told him once that I wished that I could have been more like him, he said, just be yourself and you will be fine." I knew he was right,  but still, I wished I could have walked a few miles in his boots; those boots could have said a lot.

Good Bye Uncle Glenn,  you are gone, but not forgotten,  we will see you when it is time, but until then, just watch over everyone..........

Here is a  article from the Leavenworth Times on the battle of Chipyong-Ni it must have been a monster of a battle.

"Five Chinese divisions lay siege to Chipyong-ni beginning on the night of Feb. 13. The battle was fought through the 15th with the heaviest fighting occurring at night. The Red Chinese were extremely wary of U.N. airpower and used darkness to mask their operations. After an initial stint on the defensive perimeter, Chapman's infantry company was designated to be part of the regimental reserve. Successive waves of Chinese smashed against the defenses but were unable to break through until the early morning of Feb. 15.
Two local counterattacks were initially unsuccessful.  Finally, a napalm strike by the USAF combined with a tank platoon envelopment of the Chinese line and attack by Chapman's B Company reserve forced the communist forces back. Task Force Crombez, an armor/ infantry relief unit, appeared at this time and the Chinese broke off action and retreated north leaving thousands of casualties. In that relief force was then Lt. Frank Duggins, Col. Chapman’s West Point classmate. Col. (ret.) Duggins (now deceased) was a frequent visitor at Fort Leavenworth and “Oldest Graduate” speaker at the U.S. Military Academy Founder’s Day dinners. Besides being a moral defeat for the Chinese, it demonstrated that U.S. forces could stand and fight against numerically overwhelming enemy forces. Chipyong-ni marked a turning point in the ground maneuver phase of the war and Ridgeway's forces went on the offensive again to push the Chinese back north of the 38th Parallel. The war continued on for two and a half more years but Chipyong-ni marked the end of major Chinese gains in South Korea. When I was stationed in Korea in 1993, South Korean highway work crews unearthed a massive Red Chinese burial trench with hundreds of soldier remains close to Chipyong-ni.
When the Chinese showed no interest in the remains, they were covered back over, the last vestiges of a major U.N. victory against communist aggression in Korea, 60 years ago this month. (Edwin Kennedy)"