From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: military radio collectors#3 Fcc: Sent Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 05:31:27 Subject: MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Feb.15/99 Message-ID: <19990215.053022.10975.5.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Sent X-Mailer: Juno 1.49 MILITARY COLLECTOR GROUP POST, Feb.15/99 Index: BOOK REPORT; White Tigers, My Secret War in North Korea, (GRC-9 in Partisan Hands) from Dennis Starks MEMBERS WRITE; URR-74 is Watkins-Johnson, NEW MEMBER, Dorian H. Klein HUMOR; *********************************************** BOOK REPORT; White Tigers, My Secret War in North Korea, (GRC-9 in Partisan Hands) As most of you know, for many years I've been trying to document the actual use, or non-use of all our military treasures. As you also know(because I've bitched about it many times) that the Korean War era has been the most difficult period to document due to it's general lack of historic interest in the eyes of the world. In this light, and in the hopes of finding even the slightest of clues, I'm always purchasing/reading some obscure books, not really radio or communications oriented, in the hopes of finding that one liner(or two) that might make all the clues come together. Or sometimes just lend support to simple justified suspicions. Such has been the case with titles like "Tan Phu, Special Forces Team A-23 In Combat"(the GRC-109 & others), and "Cloak and Dagger, the Secret Story of the OSS"(the RBZ), to name just a couple examples. Considering the above, a couple months ago I went on a book buying spree that included the title which is the subject of this report, "White Tigers, My Secret War in North Korea" by Col. Ben S. Malcom USA(Ret.) printed by Brassel's Washington/London and available from "The Scholars Book Shelf". In his account, the author relates his experiences when a young 1st Lieutenant assigned as an adviser to fledgling North Korean Partisan/Guerrilla units operating 125 miles behinds enemy lines. With extremely limited official suport, and before the days of an originized Special Forces which first came to fame in the early days of Vietnam. Activities that remained so classified as to prevent him from being awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge for 12 years. And while he was awarded the Silver Star in due coarse, the circumstances of which were officially moved off the mainland and hundreds of miles from the actual action that warranted it. While I'm tempted to relate all the types of operations, their methods, and the troubles they encountered. It's of course impossible to do so here. So I will restrict myself to the following quotes from the book which specifically mention radios, and or communications. Partisan companies of varying strength of about 500 men were assigned designations of "Donkey-*". As of March 1952 there were 10 of these U.S. supported Donkey units comprising approximately 3500 men conducting operations controled from an island 125 miles north of the 38th parallel. Only a few thousand yards off the West Coast of North Korea, this Island was called "Leopard Base". The Author attempting to relate the possible origin of the official "Donkey" designation(in particular Donkey-4, the White Tigers) relates the following: "My own theory, and the one subscribed to by many others, is that the name derived from a particular radio used by the partisans, the AN/GRC-9, known as the 'Angry Nine'. The AN/GRC-9 had a generator on a tripod that someone mounted and cranked with their feet to provide power. The man working the generator looked like he was riding a donkey. Whenever I saw the Koreans set up one of these radios there would be much laughter and braying to indicate that the 'Donkey' was being prepared for work." The primary mission of these Donkey units was to harras enemy positions and supply lines, collect intelligence, rescueing downed Allied pilots, and several other less socialy acceptable chores. At the top of the U.S Army's interest was intelligence gathering, at which these units were most adept. "Early operations for Donkey units were virtual suicide missions. They were given only two or three weeks of training with weapons, explosives, and radios, and then were sent to the mainland in small groups." In a exercise to train these partisan units, and prove their ability to operate as a Light Infantry Brigade. The author orchestrated a raid on the mainland against an extensive bunker complex, and heavy gun emplacement, which would include the use of the GRC-9, and SCR-300. As none of their communications equipment were compatible with those aboard either the British gun boat providing naval gun fire, nor the three Carrier based U.S. Marine Corsairs that would be providing air support, a un-named British set was loaned by this ship for fire control. This same ship would in-turn relay messages to the Marine Corsairs. From the brief use outlined by the author, this radio might have been a WS-48(an AM/HF back-pack radio operable between 6 and 9mc). Included among the officially disclosed captured equipment from this raid was,"one Russian type radio". We can only imagine what this was. "Partisan units sent to the mainland usually took two types of radios. One was the SCR-300, a small, battery-operated unit easily carried by troops on the move. The other was the AN/GRC-9, the 'Angry Nine', which was carried in deep and set up in remote areas to serve as a relay station between units or individual agents and Leopard Base..The Leopard Base Partisans realized the value of their radios and guarding them with their lives. The radios were their most prized possessions and were treated as such. They would do almost anything to get one of their radios back if they lost it. They considered the loss of a radio more serious than loss of a man. Although interior units were continually on the move, they were careful to protect their radios. We lost very few radios and I don't recall a single case where we had a problem with false transmissions from a captured radio. The airborne operation of the 8240th Army unit and CIA behind-the-lines operations had frequent problems with captured radios and false radio transmissions." "The messages we received from units and agents on the mainland were by voice, usually relayed through one or two AN/GRC-9 operators inside North Korea." "The messages were received in the radio shack", a mud building with tin roof approx 20ft x 8ft. "Running the length of the back wall was a wooden table that held ten AN/GRC-9 transceivers hooked to a common generator outside. Depending on the pace of operations, at least three radios were monitored at all times. On busy days all ten were monitored." I have long held that the GRC-9 entered service immediately after WW-II and that at lease prototypes had been completed before the wars end. This belief was based on a number of clues which included early printed material, and physical examples of equipment with order dates as early as 1946. The later discovered by Bill Strangfeld in the small lot of radios he acquired for us as part of a recent Group Project(until then 1949 had been the earliest known example). While it is entirely possible, and common, that the author has confused the GRC-9 with the BC-1306(SCR-694) which looks very similar, and was considered in the eyes of it's user as interchangeable. We have in this case the collaborating evidence as can be found in our Backmail files. Until this time, that previously known data could have been speculative on a 'proposed' unit's table of allowance(TOE). I think we can now with all confidence say, the GRC-9 is indeed a distinguished veteran of not only a number of others conflicts and unit actions, but indeed deserves the title of 'Korean War Vintage' (unlike most radios so named). We not only see that it was used in it's intended role for use by Special Forces, Airborne, and Mountain troops. But we also see it being used as a clandestine radio in the hands of untrained/unskilled peasant "agents", in voice mode. A role traditionally reserved for CW. Perhaps now we can understand why the AM mode was included on such radio sets as the Delco 5300, PRC-64. Dennis Starks; Collector/Historian Midwest Military Communications Museum email: military-radio-guy@juno.com For more data on the early use of the GRC-9 see MCGP Backmail #58 *********************************************** MEMBERS WRITE; URR-74 is Watkins-Johnson 8718, Dennis, the URR74 (Watkins Johnson) is basically the same as the Watkins Johnson 8718 series of HF receivers. No good source of (cheap) manuals. WJ is actually pretty helpfull to civilian users but they 'aint cheap. Spencer Bahner N7UMO *********************************************** NEW MEMBER; Dorian H. Klein Dennnis , I was so glad to see that there are other people with the same interests as myself.Please accept this email as a application to your group. I am Dorian Klein,I work in industrial maintenance at a factory west of Chicago. I got started in military gear many years ago, but when I puchased am M-37 3/4 ton cargo truck I got the bug.I had always had an interest in special forces and spy technology and was surprised that I could actually buy the gear! I currently own a grc-109 radio set with the usual accesories such as the gn-58 hand crank generator and the gra-71 code burst set.I also own a cia issue "village" radio. I would like to collect more, and most of all learn more.I look forward to associating with others with simular interests. Sincerely,Dorian H. Klein *********************************************** HUMOR; The Top 15 Rejected State of the Union Speech Opening Lines 15. Four whores and several interns ago... 14. Very funny. Now would all you Republicans please get rid of those berets and cigars? 13. Ya know, if I shot all of y'all, my approval rating would be 99%. 12. Dear Congressional Record: I never thought I'd write to you with a letter like this, but... 11. You're probably wondering where my pants are... 10. Okay, I shagged her. I shagged her rotten, baby. 9. Immediately after my speech, you are all cordially invited to come up here and kiss my pasty white ass. 8. Members of Congress, I feel you're a pain. 7. I have not had sexual relations with anyone in this chamber. But seriously, folks... 6. First, I'd like to introduce my new Attorney General, Alec Baldwin. 5. Whoa, I've been sleepwalking the last three years. I hope I didn't do anything embarrassing. 4. (Psssst) Al... Fourth row, third from the left-you can see right up her skirt. 3. Acquit me, or the stock market gets it. 2. This meeting of The Duplicitous Serial Adulterers Group will now come to order. Ha, ha Just kidding, people. and The Number 1 Rejected State of the Union Speech Opening Line... 1. I'm not under oath, am I? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RULES THAT GUYS WISH THAT GIRLS KNEW 1. If you think you're fat you probably are. So don't ask us. 2. Just learn to work the toilet seat: It's very simple, if it's up, just put it down. There is no practical reason that it should be left in the position that YOU want it. 3. No, don't cut you're hair. Ever. 4. Birthdays, Valentines, and Anniversaries are not quests to see if we can find the perfect present, again!! 5. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear. 6. Sometimes we are not thinking about you. Learn to live with it. 7. Don't ask us what we are thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as our career, the shotgun formation, the bad tee-shot we hit on #14, or Harley-Davidsons. 8. Get rid of your cat. And no, it's not different: it's just like every other cat. 9. Any dog is better than any cat. Period. 10. Sunday = Sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be. 11. Shopping is not a sport. 12. Anything you wear is fine. Really. 13. Yes, you have enough clothes and yes, you have too many shoes. 14. Crying is blackmail. Use it if you must, but don't expect us to like it or always respond favorably. 15. Ask for what you want, exactly. Subtle hints don't work. 16. No, we don't know what day it is. We never will. Mark Anniversaries and Birthdays on a calendar. 17. Yes, peeing standing up is more difficult than peeing from pointblank range. We are bound to miss sometimes. 18. Most guys own two to eight pairs of shoes-what makes you think that we'd be any good choosing which pair, out of fifty, would look good with your dress? 19. Yes and no are perfectly acceptable answers. 20. Check your oil. 21. It is neither in your best interest nor ours to take any quiz together. 22. Anything we said 6 or 8 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. All comments become null and void after 7 days. 23. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad and angry, we meant the other one. 24. You can either ask us to do something OR tell us how you want it done-But, not both. 25. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials. 26. Consider golf, football, or fishing a mini vacation from you. We need it, just like you do. 27. Telling us that models in the men's magazines are airbrushed makes you look jealous and petty and it's certainty not going to deter us from reading the magazines. 28. The relationship is never going to be like it was the first two months we were going out ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Great Truths About Life That Adults Have Learned * Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-o to a tree. * There is always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. * Reason to smile: Every seven minutes of every day, someone in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring. * The best way to keep kids at home is to make the home a pleasant atmosphere... and let the air out of their tires. * Car sickness is the feeling you get when the monthly car payment is due. * Families are like fudge .. mostly sweet with a few nuts. * Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. * Laughing helps. It's like jogging on the inside. * Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy. * My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely. * The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. * One day I shall burst my buds of calm and blossom into hysteria. * If you can remain calm, you just don't have all the facts. * Eat a live toad first thing in the morning, and nothing worse can happen to you the rest of the day! * You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while you're down there. * Life's golden age is when the kids are too old to need baby-sitters and too young to borrow the family car. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all the trivia buffs..... What occurs more often in December than any other month? -- Conception. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what? -- Their birthplace. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? -- Obsession More women do this in the bathroom than men. -- Wash their hands. Women ~ 80% Men ~ 55% What do 100% of all lottery winners do? -- Gain weight. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? -- One thousand What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? -- All were invented by women. Married men revealed that they do this twice as often as single men. -- Change their underwear. This stimulates 29 muscles and chemicals causing relaxation. Women seem to like it light and frequent, men like it more strenuous. -- A kiss This is the only food that doesn't spoil. -- Honey There are more collect calls on this day than any other day of the year. -- Father's Day 40% of all people who come to a party in your home do this? -- Snoop in your medicine cabinet. 3.9% of all women surveyed say they never do this. -- Wear underwear. What common everyday occurrence is composed of 59% nitrogen, 21% hydrogen and 9% carbon dioxide? -- A fart. About 1/3 of all Americans say they do this while sitting? -- Flush the toilet. 85% of the guys who die while having sex are doing this. -- Cheating on their wives Percentage of American men who say they would marry the same woman if they had it to do all over again: 80% Percentage of American women who say they'd marry the same man: 50% Cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400 The longest recorded flight of a chicken is thirteen seconds. The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 8 Worst Convenience Foods And I thought nothing could top Hormel's pickled eggs ... 8. Meeter's Kraut Juice (Stokely USA): Yes, that's sauerkraut juice, which is even worse than it sounds. The taste and smell can be a bit, well, harsh, but KJ is reputed by its fans to have certain medicinal benefits (as a source of vitamin C, cure for intestinal bugs, etc.), which adds up to a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease. 7. Guycan Corned Mutton with Juices Added (Bedessee Imports): The best thing about this Uruguayan canned good is the very pouty-looking sheep on the package label -- he seems to be saying, "Go on, eat me already." The second-best thing is the presence of both "cooked mutton" and "mutton" in the ingredients listing, which would seem to have all the mutton bases covered. 6. Armour Pork Brains in Milk Gravy (Dial Corp.): If you're really looking to clog up those arteries in a hurry, you'll be pleased to learn that a single serving of pork brains has 1,170 percent of our recommended daily cholesterol intake. All the more ingenious, then, that the label on this product helpfully features a recipe for brains and scrambled eggs. 5. Sweet Sue Canned Whole Chicken (Sweet Sue Kitchens, Inc.): From its size (think growth-impaired Cornish hen) to its overall appearance (it's stewed in a quivering mass of aspic goop), this product may change forever your idea of what constitutes a chicken. Gives new meaning to the old line about meat "falling off the bone." 4. Musk Life Savers (Nestle Confectionery): You may think musk is a scent, but over in Australia, they think it's a candy flavor. A candy flavor that tastes disturbingly like raw meat, to be precise. But what did you expect from a country where everyone happily consumes Vegemite? 3. Blind Robins Smoked Ocean Herring (recently discontinued by Bar Food Products): Possibly the world's most bizarre prepackaged tavern snack. Interestingly, the product's titular robin isn't actually blind, he's blindfolded -- the better, presumably, to avoid looking at these heavily salted herring strips, which look like giant slugs. 2. Kylmaenen Reindeer Pate` (Kylmaenen Oy): This Finnish canned good may not be particulary tasty, but at least it answers the age-old question of why Rudolph was so eager for that safe, steady job on Santa's sleigh team -- he didn't want to end up as a cracker spread. 1. Tengu Clam Jerky (Tengu Co.): Nothing you've ever consumed can prepare you for the horror that is clam jerky. Still, this product does score a sort of conceptual coup: If you're the sort who's always found raw clams too slimy and gelatinous for your taste, these dried, shriveled mollusks will help you dislike clams on a whole new level. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A guy arrives at the pearly gates, waiting to be admitted. St Peter is leafing through the "Big Book" to see if the guy is worthy of entering. After a few minutes, St. Peter closes the book, furrows his brow, and says," I don't see that you have really done anything great in your life, but I don't see anything really bad either." "Tell you what," St. Peter says. "If you can tell me of one really good deed you did in your life, I'll let you in." The guy thinks for a minute, "OK, well there was this one time when I was driving home and I saw a gang assaulting this poor girl. I slowed down, and sure enough, there they were, about 20 of them torturing this women. Infuriated, I got out of my car, grab a tire iron out of my trunk, and walked straight up to the leader of the gang. He was a huge guy with a studded leather jacket, and a chain running from his nose to his ear. As I walked up to the leader, the gang members formed a circle around me. So I ripped the chain out of the leaders face and smashed him over the head with the tire iron," the guy says. "Then I turned around and yelled to the rest of them, "Leave this poor innocent girl alone!" You're all a bunch of sick, deranged animals! Go home before I really teach you a lesson in pain! St Peter, duly impressed, says "Wow! When did this happen?" "Just a couple of minutes ago." *********************************************** (The preceding was a product of the"Military Collector Group Post", an international email magazine dedicated to the preservation of history and the equipment that made it. Unlimited circulation of this material is authorized so long as the proper credits to the original authors, and publisher or this group are included. For more information conserning this group contact Dennis Starks at, military-radio-guy@juno.com) ***********************************************