In tribute to PFC Henry Gurke, U.S. Marine

• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Pembina County Historical Society 2002
• Subjects: Flying Fish; The Landing; Yukon; Alaska
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16921coll1/id/1747

ns KOREA p,tl, / " :. I* Kirs . .? SEOUL " * <m<j,i<rio • • ' ' ' "Stnvuri #*$ '\JMp !■■■■ .c,,. Kurv !H* ,Tyi j ■:■ T80! *Cl 5qju P'ohanq Ulsan K>*« r; j .1 Mokpo. Cinya-du ?,%»<-,)!t«Crw ?ot ->«•.»■ :sll ■«? *«ftl 1945, reaching Pearl Harbor on September 2nd. From there she continued west to participate in the occupation of Japan and other Japanese possessions. Returning to her home port of San Diego, CA in February of 1946, the USS Gurke participated in training operations until September 4, 1947, when she sailed for another WestPac cruise. Two further WestPac cruises, alternating with operations out of San Diego and a cruise to Alaska in 1948 (aiding the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Yukon gold rush), filled the USS Gurke's schedule until the outbreak of the Korean War. The USS Gurke departed San Diego August 5, 1950, and arrived at Yokosuka on August 19 to screen fast carrier task forces off the west coast of Korea from August 25th to September 6th. She shared with five other destroyers the award of the "Navy Unit Commendation to Task Element 90.62" for extraordinary heroism in support of the landing at Inchon. Steaming up Flying Fish (So Sudo) Channel at flood tide that first day, the USS Gurke bombarded Wolmi Do and the Inchon waterfront. As a member of the "Sitting Ducks", the USS Gurke remained close to shore to provide gunfire support for the ground force. Communist fire concentrated on three of the Sitting Duck destroyers, with the USS Gurke taking three hits with two wounded but suffered no fatalities and only minor damage. The destroyer's 3" batteries opened in a prelanding shore bombardment on September 15, 1950, until the first assault wave of Marines crossed the line of departure for Wolmi Do, which was secured by high noon. After this initial landing, General Douglas MacArthur made visual signal: "The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning." After the Inchon landings, the USS Gurke screened fast attack carriers launching strikes against enemy positions and supply lines. She also patrolled the Narrow Formosa Straits to prevent a Chinese Communist takeover of Formosa, and to insure that Formosa was not used as a base for military operations against (12) TH£ INCHON ASSAULT, ijSeptigso (13)