Posted on Aug 21, 2015
Has anyone ever heard of "The Great Train Robbery" of the Korean War?
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From http://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/s/seabee-history0/1946-1960.html
On 15 September 1950 U.S. troops landed at Inchon in what has come to be known as one of the most brilliant amphibious assaults in history. Seabees achieved renown as the men who made it possible. Battling enormous thirty-foot tides and a swift current while under continuous enemy fire, they positioned pontoon causeways within hours of the first beach assault. Following the landing, the incident known as the "Great Seabee Train Robbery" took place. The need to break the equipment bottleneck at the harbor inspired a group of Seabees to steal behind enemy lines and capture some abandoned locomotives. Despite enemy mortar fire, they brought the engines back intact and turned them over to the Army Transportation Corps.
What this official history doesn't mention is that the locomotives were abandoned at a brewery so the Seabees also brought back a few cold ones which were not turned over to the Army. ;-)
On 15 September 1950 U.S. troops landed at Inchon in what has come to be known as one of the most brilliant amphibious assaults in history. Seabees achieved renown as the men who made it possible. Battling enormous thirty-foot tides and a swift current while under continuous enemy fire, they positioned pontoon causeways within hours of the first beach assault. Following the landing, the incident known as the "Great Seabee Train Robbery" took place. The need to break the equipment bottleneck at the harbor inspired a group of Seabees to steal behind enemy lines and capture some abandoned locomotives. Despite enemy mortar fire, they brought the engines back intact and turned them over to the Army Transportation Corps.
What this official history doesn't mention is that the locomotives were abandoned at a brewery so the Seabees also brought back a few cold ones which were not turned over to the Army. ;-)
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Military History
Posted >1 y ago
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PO2 Ron Burling Excellent post, PO2, thanks for sharing. I hadn't heard. I'm sure the final disposition of those missing beers will be one of the great mysteries of history!
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I wonder where there records are of this as soon after the chins joined in inchon and area became untainable. regardless of the Kirin who hasnt wanted to steala train?
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PO2 Ron Burling
I first heard the story on Oliver North's "War Stories" show, he mentioned it in the episode he spent talking about the Seabees.
After I heard of it, I checked with some of the men I had served with and found the gang leader was a well known Seabee character.
After I heard of it, I checked with some of the men I had served with and found the gang leader was a well known Seabee character.
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