Jean Clement
Bio
Jean Clement served in the Army during the Korean War. He conducted dangerous night patrols, navigating through rice fields near the Imjin River. On one occasion, his patrol was attacked by Chinese forces close to his camp along the Imjingang River. He and his fellow soldiers had to carve a path through the mountains to escape to safety. Despite the challenges he faced, not all of his experiences in Korea were negative. There was a strong sense of camaraderie among the soldiers, as they supported each other during tough times. He enjoyed his time in rest camps away from the front lines, where they could wash their clothes and interact with American soldiers. Jean Clement took pride in his service and was pleased to see how much South Korea has transformed since the war.
Video Clips
Dangerous Moment
Jean Clement recalls a perilous moment he experienced while serving in Korea. He shares that the night patrols were particularly dangerous, recounting one specific incident where he and his fellow soldiers were assigned to check a post near the Imjingang River, in no man's land, due to an issue with the communication lines. He describes having to maneuver through rice fields while 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 his experience of soldiers on patrol being attacked by the Chinese. He describes the camp where he was assigned, situated between the Imjingang River and a mountain, noting that its location was not optimal for defense against an attack. He recounts how Luxembourg soldiers were conducting a patrol across a nearby floating bridge over the Imjingang River when they were ambushed by the Chinese forces. He recalls helping a soldier who had jumped into the river to escape the gunfire. Before evacuating, they destroyed any equipment they could not carry with them to prevent it from falling into Chinese hands. He describes how the Belgian soldiers carved a path through the mountain to reach safety.
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Reflecting on the Good
Jean Clement reflects on the positive experiences he had while serving in Korea. He speaks about the camaraderie among the soldiers and how they supported each other during difficult times. He mentions that he enjoyed his time in the rest camps, away from the front lines, where they could wash their clothes and interact 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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