The Americans

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Lee Gyong-pil, who has been given the name Kimchi 5, born on a Cargo -ship

Almost 70 years ago, a US merchant marine ship took More Than 14,000 refugees in a single trip by a North Korean port. This is the story of the trip, some of whom are on Board.

It was Christmas in the year 1950, and this was no ordinary birth.

The Mother was one of 14,000 North Korean refugees, herded together in a US merchant marine ship, fleeing from the advancing arms of the Chinese army.

There was hardly enough space on the board and it was not much of medical equipment, either.

"The Midwife had to cut her teeth on to my umbilical cord," Lee Gyong-pil tells me, of about 69 years. "The people said, the fact that I was not going to die, and born, was a Christmas Miracle . "

Mr Lee , the fifth baby was born on the SS Meredith Victory , that of the winter, in the darkest time of the Korean War .

Meredith Victory three Days and saved thousands of lives, including the Parents of the current President of South Korea , Moon Jae-in.

He also acquired the Cargo freighter a nickname - The Ship of Miracles .

The Family of Kimchi 5 The evacuationIn December 1950, approximately 100,000 UN troops trapped in the North Korean port of Hungnam. They were overwhelmed by Chinese forces in what became known as the battle of Chosin reservoir, and had the good fortune to be out of The Mountains alive.

they had an army almost four times their size. But now there was only One Way to safety. By The Sea. And they had very little time to do it: the Chinese were close.

But the troops were not alone. Thousands of North Korean refugees, the freezing beach fled. Walked many miles through the deep snow with small children, in The Hope to be rescued.

they were cold, exhausted, and desperate.

About 100 U.S. ships, including the SS Meredith Victory , had to get sailed to Hungnam to the troops, supplies and ammunition, and take to The South Korean ports of Busan and The Island of Geoje.

the rescue of The Refugees was never part of The Plan .

refugees gathered at Hungnam in December 1950, Colonel Edward Forney of the U.S. Marine Corps with other worked together to try to make it part of The Mission . His grandson, Ned lives in Seoul.

"If you want to win A War - your job is not to save civilians," Ned, a marine veteran, told me. "It is a nice thing to do. But the military comes first. "

"Somehow it just happened," he explains. "These guys heard it in Hungnam your better angels, and, indeed, to say what I like, it was exactly The Right thing, for The Right reasons in a very difficult situation. "

It took several Days to all on Board of the ships. The Refugees huddled together on the coast, wait, and Hope for their turn.

Among them, the then 17-year-old Han Bo-bae with her mother was.

"It was a live or die situation," she says. "We don't think of Anything Else , except that we need to be on The Ship , or we will die.

"We did not know where it was, but it was no matter. We knew only that we can live, if we are on The Ship . "

, But to leave their home town, was difficult.

"with views of The Beach , away from me, my young heart was grieved. I Am now leaving, I thought. "

conditions on Board each of the ships were, to say the least, difficult. Refugees were between the vehicles, crates of ammunition and supplies Packed.

There is no food or water was. The largest ship, the SS Meredith Victory , was designed to be 60 team to wear The Most . Now, More Than 14,000 refugees - as well as the freight had it.

The Ship , which was meant to hold, Cargo , found himself thronged with people, Han Bo-bae was exposed, on the deck of a small ship. Your mother managed to bring you a blanket, but very little else.

"My mother, my younger sister and I were bundled. So many people were on The Ship . We were all jammed.

"The Waves would shower Over Me , and my mother was worried we would drown, and you will See-spirits. "

No One died on Board the ships. All the troops, 200,000 of The Refugees this dangerous trip to South Korea - about half of them, half of them - the country came alive.

It was the greatest sea-borne military evacuation of civilians under combat conditions in American History .

And, like the SS Meredith Victory sailed in Geoje island Harbour , there are five new life on Board.

thousands lined up to have a chance, it knew on The Ship of The US crew members of Korean name, so they named each of The Babies Kimchi . Mr Lee Kimchi number 5 was.

"I didn't really like it at first. Since Kimchi 5? I have My Own name. But if I don't a thought, it is deep, I thought about it now, and I thank the person who called me. "

Mr Lee still lives on The Island of Geoje, where the Meredith Victory docked for almost 70 years. He became a veterinarian and still has a business card with the name Kimchi 5.

It helps, the story of the evacuation of Hungnam alive, and met some of the former members of the crew of the Meredith Victory - including The One that helped his mother give birth.

He hopes to One Day create a memorial to the ships in Geoje port.

Lee Gyong-pil, aka Kimchi 5, today The partingNo you know what happened Kimchi figures 2, 3, or 4.

But the Parents of The First baby born on Board, Kimchi -1, better known as the son of Yang-young, made a serious decision, in the case of Hungnam, that home would look for them all your life.

the Majority of The Refugees thought they would only be gone a few Days maybe a few weeks at The Most . The Plan was always to return. But none of them did.

son Yang boy's Parents had two more children during this time. Taeyoung, at the age of 9 and Youngok, at the age of 5. It was bitter cold. The port was in chaos.

Lord son, the father looked at his heavily pregnant wife and knew she had to come on Board. He decided to leave, his other two children with their uncle and assured them that he would be back in North Korea soon.

you never saw again. Even if the fighting stopped and an armistice was signed, which was half of the divided island. The two Koreas are officially still At War .

for years, Mr son, The Mother asked to go back to your husband, for your children, but you knew that, you ask The Impossible .

Every morning, she would take a bowl with Holy water and rice, and pray in front of you as a victim for their Lost Children .

"I Am the living proof of the suffering and the pain, which carries a divided family," says Mr. son.

"My Family was torn apart. I have My Own children and grandchildren now, and I check Every Day if my children are home from work if ok.

"I'm still understand it at a loss, as a baby had the good fortune of the residence of his Parents , while The Other babies came from the same uterus were separated from theirs, and went through so much.

"you must have been waiting in The Hope your Mama and Papa would come back. "

Mr son has applied to see through The International Red cross, his brother and his sister, who allowed as part of the rare meetings of separated families, by North Korea .

He is not to Hold Back tears, as he tells us that he wishes for the Peninsula United in The Hope that he can see you again.

"as long as you are still alive, I'll find you," he says.

He shows us a picture of him as a baby with a hand written note attached. "Keep up the good care of this photo, to you your Big Brother Taeyoung encounter reads," The Note from his father.

Kimchi 1 as a baby, There are thought to be about one million descendants of the evacuation of Hungnam life in South Korea and around The World . It is a story of survival. But it is a deep sorrow, even for those who are Left Behind .

As The Americans sailed from Hungnam for The Last time on Christmas Eve , Rear Admiral James Doyle looked through his binoculars.

"He saw at least as many refugees on the coast, had saved US," said Ned Forney, is to write a book to document the evacuation.

But the US said it had no choice. They had to blow up the Harbour , in order to ensure that the Chinese army would not take all the items remaining in inventory, or plant.

Han Bo-bae saw from the deck of The Ship , and described the port as a "sea of fire". Not Long After The Explosions , the Chinese army to the city, infiltrated.

"As many were still waiting at the port. So many he could not make it on The Ship ," she tells us.

"There was a lot of waiting and you need to are the killed. It hurts my heart, the artilleries, the bombs. War should not happen. War should not happen. "

explosions on Hungnam beach Mr son still hopes His Family lives. After All , he came from The Ship of Miracles . Now he wants just One More , and has this message for his brother and sister.

"Our Parents miss you every single day that you were still alive. Even if you are now in heaven I believe you are still on the search For You .

"I Hope our dream will come true in the very near future. I Hope . "

north korea, south korea, united states, inspiring stories

Source of news: bbc.com