Jean Clement
Bio
Jean Clement reflects on his service during the Korean War. He recalls night patrols being dangerous and offers an account of one particular patrol he was on where it was forced to maneuver through rice fields near the Imjin River. He describes a separate event along the Imjingang River where a patrol was attacked by the Chinese near his camp and shares how he and fellow soldiers were forced to carve a path through the mountain to safety. He adds that not all of his experiences in Korea during the war were bad and speaks of camaraderie and being there for each other when it mattered most. He shares how he enjoyed time in the rest camps away from the front lines where they could wash their clothes and engage with American soldiers. He is proud of his service and of how South Korea has transformed since the war.
Video Clips
Dangerous Moment
Jean Clements recalls a dangerous moment he experienced while serving in Korea. He shares that the night patrols were especially dangerous and recounts one in particular where he and fellow soldiers were assigned to check a particular post near the Imgingang River in no man's land due to an issue with the communication lines. He recounts having to maneuver through rice fields and securing one side with his machine gun as they made their way to the post.
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Imjingang River Attack
Jean Clement shares an account of soldiers on patrol being attacked by the Chinese. He describes the camp where he was assigned, sandwiched between the Imjingang River and a mountain, and recalls that it was not located in the best position for defense against an attack. He shares that Luxembourg soldiers were conducting a patrol across a nearby floating bridge on the Imjingang River, and they were attacked by the Chinese. He recalls helping a soldier out of the river after he had jumped in to protect himself from the Chinese fire. He recounts destroying the equipment they could not carry with them prior to leaving so that it would not fall in Chinese hands and describes how the Belgium soldiers carved a path through the mountain to safety.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjLtYgWqUA8&start=531&end=780
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Reflecting on the Good
Jean Clement reflects on the good he experienced while serving in Korea. He speaks of camaraderie and being there for each other when it mattered most. He adds that he enjoyed time in the rest camps away from the front lines where they could wash their clothes and engage with American soldiers.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjLtYgWqUA8&start=1416&end=1550
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/jean-clement#clip-3
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