Dec. 13, 1950
WITH THE 1ST MARINE DIV. IN KOREA-A
17-year-old Korean orphan, Lee Bveng San, has but one ambition-to go
to the United States and join the Marine Corps. Lee adopted
the 1st Marines at Pusan when he joined a Navy medical
unit attached to the First Provisional Marine Brigade.
WHEN THE UNIT boarded ship for the Inchon
landing, Lee went along. At Inchon he worked around the station
hospital, doing odd jobs until the division was again ordered to move.
Once again Lee, who speaks English almost as well as an American, stowed
away. His aptitude with English kept him from being discovered a stowaway
for a while. When it was found out he was not a Marine, as he claimed,
he was turned over into the custody of Maj. Frederick Simpson, of Oceanside,
Calif.
At Wonsan, the major turned Lee
over to Lt. Col. Marvin T. Starr of Pullman, Wash., commanding
officer of headquarters battalion. The colonel, who understands youngsters-he
has two of his own-took Lee under his wing.
AN AVID STUDENT, Lee studies English whenever
he isn't cleaning house or acting as interpreter for the colonel. "Lee
is a very intelligent boy," Colonel Starr said. He reads, writes and
speaks Japanese and always carries a Japanese-English dictionary which
"he studies like a Bible," the colonel said. With American immigration
regulations as they are, Colonel Starr doubts seriously that Lee can
enter the United States. "However, if he can, I'll be willing
to see that he gets a job," the colonel said.
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