Pork Chop Hill and (then) 1st lieutenant Joseph G. Clemens.

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  • I have the priviledge to announce that this fine Gentleman and combat veteran--is still doing well.


    Thanks to Keith (Hawkswill) who was more than nice enough to find out something for me--she located-and got in contact with--the man who was played by Gregory Peck--in that great war movie about the fight for Pork Chop Hill.


    Not only did Keith get his address for me--but his phone number as well. Ill be sending him a few images I have from the movie (some thanks to Bill and his generosity) and some of my lobby cards--to get signed by THE MAN HIMSELF.


    Also, thanks to Keith, I got to speak with this gent yesterday for awhile--as well as his nice Wife.


    The gent I am talking about is (at PCH--he was a 1st lieutenant) but retired as a Colonel)) Colonel Joseph Gordon Clemens. This nice Gent is living history and for me--more than makes my year--let alone day, week and month ;-))


    Ill and hopefully Keith--will be adding more to this.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Edited 2 times, last by The Ringo Kid ().

  • Thanks for posting this Carl,
    and well done to you and Keith
    for your research, which has
    produced a most satisfying result.
    You must be thrilled to have personal contact with this great man

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • When Carl asked me to check in NC for him, I thought I was in for the long haul. But, the first thing I put in brought up his city. Then, I got his phone and address and called him to explain about what a fantastic fan Carl was of his. Very modest fellow. I asked, "Do I have the honor of speaking with Colonel Joseph Clemons, the hero of Pork Chop Hill?" He told me I had the right person but he was certainly no hero! He asked me about my family's military history and was able to tell him of my cousin Cecil the retired General here in Raleigh, My LT, JG Mom from WWII, My grandfather a captain in WWI and Colonel in Hollywood promoting the war effort in WWII. Then told him about Dad's Curtis Wright airplanes that we call his medals. He was quite impressed! Then...........called Carl and he apparently won the fellah over. Think we will be seeing some pretty cool original pics for the actual people involved in the battle. WAY TO GO, CARL! KEITH


    Thanks for posting this Carl,
    and well done to you and Keith
    for your research, which has
    produced a most satisfying result.
    You must be thrilled to have personal contact with this great man

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

  • Hawk and Carl, you two are one hell of a pair of aces! Joe Clemmens? Damn. I envy you both. The man's response is that of a genuine veteran.
    Keep up the righteous work.




    We deal in lead, friend.

  • Awesome job, Keith! A favor Carl will never forget. I can only imagine the stories Colonel Joseph Clemons could tell.


    Mark

    "I couldn't go to sleep at night if the director didn't call 'cut'. "

  • Thanks for posting this Carl,
    and well done to you and Keith
    for your research, which has
    produced a most satisfying result.
    You must be thrilled to have personal contact with this great man



    I was and I still am riding high on it. Its like talking with say--Pappy Boyington (which I did shortly before he passed away. I got to talk with him for about 5 minutes as he was busy with his business that was at an airport in Florida.


    Im hoping he is willing to let me get some info ive never seen in books before--like as complete a roster of the names of the men who served in King Company at that battle--and maybe contact with any survivors. I dont want to ask for too much but--I also would like to know if his 2nd in command (who is Japanese American) Lt. Suki Ohashi (SP? and portrayed by George Shibata) as well as his Brother in Law: Walt Russel (who I think was played by Rip Torn??)-who led a company as reinforcement up that hill--I want to see if they are still alive as well.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Edited 3 times, last by The Ringo Kid ().

  • Hawk and Carl, you two are one hell of a pair of aces! Joe Clemmens? Damn. I envy you both. The man's response is that of a genuine veteran.
    Keep up the righteous work.




    We deal in lead, friend.



    Hi Bill and tank you. Keith is an Ace--im just a Jack ;-)) The little time I got to speak with him as well as with his Wife--words cant describe it enough for me. To me he is (though he denied being so) he is a true hero. Also, Im hoping that maybe the idea of him being upgraded to a Medal of Honor status--will grow. I wonder how people get these things started? He was also a hero in Vietnam. ;-))

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Thank you keith, and he said he would look for pics of him that were taken during or shortly fter the battle, and would try to send a couple along ;-))

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • WOW, I just noticed that he was also in the Screaming Eagles a bit later on as a Captain in the photo with him in uniform--something else I had not known about him.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Just had another nice chat with this Gentleman and got told some stuff which ill collect and post here later. Ill probably do that late this month or early April.


    Oh and, Keith, thanks for letting me know about that place they like getting food from--he has already enjoyed some and was going to get more soon as we got off the phone. I didnt want to keep him waiting so was only on the phone about 12 minutes. ;-))


    Also, good news on the autograph front--he's willing to sign a few more stills for me after I get more--which I told him will probably be in March since this month has been my most expensive one since before moving to Austin.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • I also talked with Col. Joe today as he couldn't find Carl's phone number and wanted to thank him for the gift certificate that Carl had sent him. I had talked to his wife before to find out the places they like to eat. Found out that she knew my father's hometown very well and knew of the State Park that was founded in honor of my father's best friend, who after numerous successful submarine commands, was all of a sudden lost to the deep....his sub was never recovered. The park is named Bobby Brown State park and is near Elberton, GA.....it is on the map. She and I plan to talk more as we surely must know a lot of the same people. She was also very familiar with Athens, Ga, (near Elberton), where my mother was born and raised and my grandfather, Will Keith Hawks was the Railroad Yard Master for Seaboard RR.


    But, today, I told Joe, I finally got a half decent copy of Pork Chop Hill and got to see what really happened in the movie. I knew that he had been there to "oversee" the production, but I was curious if they stuck to the true storyline. He said that there were some technical things that couldn't be recreated but all in all it was pretty much down to the letter. I particularly asked about that bunker they had to retreat to in order to save the Hill for the last little bit. He said the film company had done a fine job of recreating what it was like inside that bunker with the flamethrower hitting them......pretty much controlled pandemonium I think. I asked did they really throw sandbags like crazy to keep the flames out. He said, "Oh, that was a fact". Joe is very easy to talk to, and yet you still feel like you are, in a way, talking to a history book.....but a real LIVE one. We talked of Viet Nam some. He had never met my General cousin, but then, I didn't really think he would have.


    Quite a wonderful experience to talk with someone like Colonel Joe, and the wife who waited at home for him. I thank Carl greatly for that opportunity as it never would have happened if not for him and his love of the military men who served our country. I will be sending the link to this for them a while later. If anyone wants to thank him for his service or share some of their own exploits connected with this, please do so soon. Man, what a kick! Of all the many celebrities throughout the years that I have met and known, I consider my chat with Joe and his wife to be among the highlights....certainly the proudest! KEITH

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

  • My Keith and Carl,
    I envy you both.


    Well, you should, My BILL! I feel that we are most fortunate folks. I think Carl is going to try to hit you up for more pics so he can give some autographed ones away to maybe you and me, LOL! Carl is a giver for sure. He just LOVES to give things to folks who will treasure them as he does. Now, for me, I would like one of those off camera pics as in where Joe is teaching Greg the proper hand grenade procedure..........just would like one that shows Joe's face better. Maybe I can find one somewhere.


    Anyway, hope Joe and Cecil, (wife pronounced Sesil), become friends. Sounds as if we may have a lot in common. Funny that my cousin, the General is Cecil, LOL.........Going to ask him about Joe tomorrow. Cecil was in Korea also, but think he was just a Colonel then.


    Going to copy this to Joe in a couple of days Bill. So, if you want to say anything personally to him, please post it.......he will get it. YK

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

  • My Keith and Carl,
    I envy you both.



    Keith is too kind. I got info by luck when visiting the Distinguised Service Cross Recipients site and found info on what City he was living in but didnt know if it were accurate or not? but-Keith did the real work and broke the ice for me with the Colonel and his Wife Cecil. ;-))


    Oh and, when I talked with him yesterday--I told him about your magnificent collection of movie stills and images--he was VERY impressed ;-))

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Well, you should, My BILL! I feel that we are most fortunate folks. I think Carl is going to try to hit you up for more pics so he can give some autographed ones away to maybe you and me, LOL! Carl is a giver for sure. He just LOVES to give things to folks who will treasure them as he does. Now, for me, I would like one of those off camera pics as in where Joe is teaching Greg the proper hand grenade procedure..........just would like one that shows Joe's face better. Maybe I can find one somewhere.


    Anyway, hope Joe and Cecil, (wife pronounced Sesil), become friends. Sounds as if we may have a lot in common. Funny that my cousin, the General is Cecil, LOL.........Going to ask him about Joe tomorrow. Cecil was in Korea also, but think he was just a Colonel then.


    Going to copy this to Joe in a couple of days Bill. So, if you want to say anything personally to him, please post it.......he will get it. YK



    No probs on getting stills as I found a few sites selling them. My only thing is ill have to wait till April before I can afford to get more but--I have a few picked out.


    One of the stills shows George Shibata with Peck (Shibata was portraying Lt. Suki Ohashi--who was Joes XO for "K" Copmpany) and another featuring Rip Torn as his Brother-in-Law 1st Lt Russel) and im hoping both of them are still living so I can get those stills possibly signed.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • No probs on getting stills as I found a few sites selling them. My only thing is ill have to wait till April before I can afford to get more but--I have a few picked out.


    One of the stills shows George Shibata with Peck (Shibata was portraying Lt. Suki Ohashi--who was Joes XO for "K" Copmpany) and another featuring Rip Torn as his Brother-in-Law 1st Lt Russel) and im hoping both of them are still living so I can get those stills possibly signed.


    How much do they cost? Did you see any of Greg and Joe together like Joe showing Greg how to do something correctly? Really like the hand grenade one but would just like to be able to see Joe's face better. Well, back to work, LOL! Cool stuff, KEITH

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

  • How much do they cost? Did you see any of Greg and Joe together like Joe showing Greg how to do something correctly? Really like the hand grenade one but would just like to be able to see Joe's face better. Well, back to work, LOL! Cool stuff, KEITH



    These sell from between $15-to-$20 depending on who I shop with. I havent seen any production shots for the movie--yet. But if I do? im going to get some as I would like to see Peck with the (then) Captain ;-)) I was looking on the net yesterday and found a good photo take of Joe when he was a Colonel in Vietnam. I posted it on the Histomil site in the Non WWII Heroes thread ;-))


    Read his Distinguished Service Cross Citation--its absolutely amazing as well as amazing anyone in his command survived the initial charges to those trenches--because they would charge a trench--get forced out of them due to being heavily outnumbered by the Chinese-then he would lead them in again-retake the trenches-then get forced out again. I cant remember how many times this happened but--looks like at a minimum of three times--maybe four or five times? This is according to his Distinguished Service Cross Citation. Some soldiers received the Medal of Honor--for less than this--not that im intentionally downplaying what those men did in any way, shape or form.


    ;-)) If I knew how to get such things started for getting someone nominated and awarded a higher award-like the Medal of Honor--I would do so for Colonel Joe--as well as for Staff Sergeant Lafayette G. Pool and Sergeant William T. Shemin. Korean War, WWII and WWI respectively. At the very least for Pool and Shemin--they should be inducted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Edited 3 times, last by The Ringo Kid ().