Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Raymond Primm Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Cold War; Korean War, 1950-1953
- Branch of Service: Air Force; Army
- Unit of Service: 4928th Test Squadron, 4925th Test Group (Atomic); G Company, 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
- Location of Service: Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Enewetak Atoll (Marshall Islands); Camp Funston, Kansas; Fort Riley, Kansas; Chosin Reservoir, Korea
- Highest Rank: Corporal; Staff Sergeant
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/24863
Raymond Primm finished his Army basic training just prior to the outbreak of the Korean War. He was eager to fight, having enlisted at 16 with his head full of heroic imagery from World War II movies and newsreels. On the voyage to Korea in the fall of 1950, he was disappointed to hear predictions that the fighting would be over by Christmas. He became a rifleman whose unit seemed always to be on the move. During one operation, they would take a hill, retreat from it at night to allow artillery shells to fall harmlessly on it, and take it back the next day. He survived two instances of friendly fire from U.S. planes, and was wounded in an explosion that led to his being wrongly listed back home as killed in action. Primm's tour in Korea ended prematurely when it was discovered he had lied about his age to enlist.
Interview / Recording
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PlayHad finished basic training just before the Korean War started; enlisted at 16, inspired by WWII movies and the uniformed men he saw coming home from that war; knew little about Korea before he shipped out; heard on ship MacArthur's prediction the troops would be home for Christmas and was disappointed he would miss the fighting 00:00:08.4 - 00:02:18.6
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PlayWas a replacement; went in as a rifleman, eventually working with recoilless weapon; soldiers did not want to be near him because the weapon would leave a big footprint and draw heavy return fire; sharing information on targets with other riflemen; concentrating on heavy weapon targets like machine guns; aiming for a small hole in a bunker; case of lucky misfire: a sock was left in the breech of his gun and had it not misfired, the blockage would have cause it to explode, killing Primm. 00:03:54.2 - 00:09:18.6
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PlayLittle recall of first month in Korea; most vivid memory is Thanksgiving dinner; hot food served to the troops; got a big turkey leg and didn't like dark meat; hot coffee had chilled by the time he tried to drink it; always on the move; compares first year of Korea to WWII, the second and third years to WWI in terms of action and movement; digging in the Kansas line near the Hwachon Reservoir; most of his time on east coast of Korea; wore same clothes from November to March. 00:09:34.2 - 00:14:09.2
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PlayGoing into Operation Killer, which was "demoralizing;" didn't know its name or understand what they were doing; take a hill and after dark would retreat, let enemy expend firepower on it, and take it again the next morning; frostbite affecting his mobility; had to walk on his toes; in one retreat, he stayed behind, calculating he would catch the unit when they came back the next day; reprimanded for missing the roll call. 00:15:18.4 - 00:18:42.5
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PlayChinese trapped, probing for ROK (Republic of Korea) troops, then overrunning them; U.N. troops having to plug the gap; two incidents of friendly fire aircraft from aircraft, strafing and napalm bombs; major relieved of duty because of first one; caught in ambush; idea was to stay down until support arrived, though a few men panicked and tried to escape without success; getting cover fire and running downhill, his helmet off and strap choking him; finding refuge under a buddy's poncho and chain smoking to get warm; buddy hears his name called and finds he's going home; gives Primm his poncho and field jacket. 00:18:57.9 - 00:30:43.7
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PlayIn a foxhole with another soldier; wakes up to find they're been hit and his ears are bleeding; back to aid station; refuses to sign form for Purple Heart because he knows the notification would worry his parents; aid station evacuated when it comes under fire; National Guardsman from his home state tells him he had been mistakenly listed as killed in action; took several weeks to straighten out the story. 00:32:24.5 - 00:37:50.4
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PlayLeaving Korea in July 1951 when it was discovered he was underage when he enlisted; in rest area in Japan before going back to the States; having trouble sleeping in a soft bed; given more than enough to eat, food going to waste; in the field he would irritate his buddies by talking about comfort food; signing log book at camp and noting that his brother had signed in two hours earlier, on his way in to Korea; could not locate him. 00:39:00.2 - 00:43:37.5
About this Item
Title
- Raymond Primm Collection
Names
- Daugherty, Sandra J.
- Primm, Raymond
- Association of the United States Army (AUSA)
Home State
- Arkansas
Headings
- - Primm, Raymond
- - Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
- - Cold War -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Air Force.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Korean War, 1950-1953
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: G Company, 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
- Location of Service: Camp Funston, Kansas; Fort Riley, Kansas; Chosin Reservoir, Korea
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Dates of Service: 1950-1951
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
-
Cold War
- Branch of Service: Air Force
- Unit of Service: 4928th Test Squadron, 4925th Test Group (Atomic)
- Location of Service: Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Enewetak Atoll (Marshall Islands)
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Dates of Service: 1954-1958
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran participated in Operation Teapot (1955); Operation Redwing (1956); worked as an electronic instrumentation technician on Operation High Dive, Operation Man High, Operation High Altitude, Operation High Speed Ejection Seat.
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 1999-05-15; 2012-10-31)
- Video: Betacam SP [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 1999-05-15; 2012-10-31)
- Video: Betacam SP [2 items] -- Oral history interview (collected 1999-05-15)
- Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2004-05-26)
- Manuscript: Clippings [2 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1997)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2000)
- Photograph: Digital print [1 item] -- Photograph (collected 1955)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/24863
Cite as
- Raymond Primm Collection (AFC/2001/001/24863), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Camp Funston, Kansas
- Chosin Reservoir, Korea
- Enewetak Atoll (Marshall Islands)
- Fort Riley, Kansas
- Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
- Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
- Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Battles & Campaigns
Service Unit
- 2nd Battalion
- 31st Infantry Regiment
- 4925th Test Group (Atomic)
- 4928th Test Squadron
- 7th Infantry Division
- G Company