36 | SUNRAYS MAY 2015
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T
hrowing a couple of blankets atop
some old corn stalks, Red Cahall
paused to consider the tempera-
ture. It must have been 20 or 30 degrees
below zero in that North Korean corn-
field, yet the Army’s requisition for win-
ter clothing and sleeping bags had not yet
caught up with his battalion. Red was
exhausted. Donning as many clothes as
he could, the young man settled in for the
night, not knowing his life was about to
change forever.
Red Cahall has lived in Sun City Texas
with his wife, Phyllis, for 10 years. Hav-
ing left school after the ninth grade, he
joined the army in 1948, just three days
after his 17th birthday. He was assigned
to the Allied occupation forces in Japan,
where he was given special privileges
due to his athletic abilities, and spent
most of his time in sports training and
competitions. It wouldn’t be long before
he would realize how dearly the lack of
focus on military training would cost
him and the thousands of Americans
who would soon be embroiled in a conflict
few saw coming.
In June of 1950, North Korean forces
crossed the 38th parallel into South Ko-
rea. Within weeks, 19-year-old Red found
himself making an amphibious landing
with his battalion on the east coast of
the Korean peninsula, slogging ashore
through the shallows with 60 pounds of
gear, weapons and ammunition strapped
to his back.
Although his battalion didn’t encoun-
ter much initial resistance, it wasn’t
long before they were advancing north
toward Unsan, a North Korean county
along the Chinese border. As the bat-
talion marched its way through the cold,
forested region, the soldiers had no idea
they were about to engage in one of the
most devastating battles of the Korean
War.
In the small hours of the night, artillery,
firing fast, roused Red from his corn-
stalk bed. He knew he was in trouble.
Scrambling to his unit, Red found him-
self dodging Chinese submachine guns
capable of firing off 900 rounds per min-
ute. Bullets sprayed over the road like
water from a garden hose while nearby
Red Cahall:
Soldier, Spy, Survivor
By Sandy Nielsen
PHOTO BY PHOTO PHIL
Red Cahall, a resident of Sun City Texas for 10 years, fought in the Korean war, provided covert activities to the Allied
powers in Europe, and is a cancer survivor. He says he still has more to do.
