Stars and Stripes, December 24, 1952 

Missile Men Bring Joy to Orphans 

PYONG TAEK, Korea-About a hundred children watched intently as men of the 4^th Missile Bn. carried mysterious packages into the dining hall of Eden Orphanage Friday afternoon near here.  A Christmas tree was lighted, and all of a sudden it was Christmas time at Eden.  Gifts were piled high under the gaily decorated tree and from the organ in the corner came the familiar tones of carols. 

Lt. Col. John E. Durst, 4^th Missile Bn. Commander, and his men, played the role of "dad for the day" at the orphanage.  The men, along with all units at Camp Humphreys, have supported the orphanage for nearly two years. 

"When the 4^th Missile Bn. and the units of Camp Humphreys began support of the orphanage the children were sleeping between mattresses-they had no blankets and very little clothing to cover their bodies," Durst said.  Gifts of clothing and shoes sent by the men's parents in the United States were distributed.  Sweaters and socks and scarves were knitted by the mothers and sisters of the 4^th Missile men especially for this Christmas program.  Don Nagy, chief of CARE Korea Mission was on hand to present food packages to Eden superintendent Soo Young Chung.  CARE provided Eden with blankets.  Nagy said CARE has distributed food and 7,000 blankets to about 30 orphanages in Korea during this Christmas season.  The program was devoted to giving gifts of necessities, food and clothing, and to singing of carols and entertaining the children. 

Col. Robert M. Lorenz, post commander, said that since Humphreys has been contributing to the orphanage, the children "are better fed, better clothed, better housed and received better medical attention than thousands of children in the rural villages." 

Durst credited the 802d Engineers with saving Eden from dissolution.  The tiny building that housed them could no longer accommodate the numerous orphans left in Eden's care.  Koreans provided the materials and the men of the 802d built the present building.

(S&S Photo)

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