The Tortuga deployed to Korea via Japan from December 1950 until March 1952. He was honorably discharged from the Navy at San Francisco, CA, 29 October 1952, a Quartermaster Second Class Petty Officer, having served four years, seven months and six days.

Richard published a book titled, "A Tin Can Named Mansfield: A History of the USS Mansfield (DD-728)." This was the comprehensive history of the (DD-728).

At this time I would like to acknowledge and thank Richard A. Bowman for permission to use the photographs and information on the following pages.

On 1 May 1950 the Mansfield, the flagship for DesRon 9 departed San Diego for duty in the Far East. Arriving 31 May, at Yokosuka, Japan, and after replenishment, DesRon 9 deployed to Sasebo, Japan. On 26 June, one day after North Korean forces invaded South Korea, the squadron steamed to South Korea. Beginning 27 June, the destroyers provided blockade, shore bombardment and escort services along the enemy coast. Ordered to lead a reconnaissance in force, the Mansfield lead five other destroyers, the Collett, DeHaven, Swenson, Gherke and Henderson in an attack on Wolmi-Do Island on 13 September, for the purpose of locating enemy gun positions.

During this action, the destroyer squadron won the title "The Sitting Duck Squadron." On September 15th, Mansfield lead the entire invasion fleet into Inchon Harbor on D-Day. Two weeks after Inchon, Mansfield, while searching for a downed Air Force B-26 bomber, struck a mine which severed the bow below the main deck. The ship's casualties totaled 28, nine of whom required transfer for surgical treatment. After receiving a temporary bow at Sasebo, Japan, Mansfield returned to Bremerton, Washington for extensive repairs and refitting, and again returned to the Far East and Korea. After Korea, she remained in duty until being decommissioned on 4 February 1971, after 27 years of active duty service. During her years of active service, she received five battle stars for WW-II service; The Navy Unit Commendation, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, three battle stars for Korea, and three battle stars for Vietnam. Information & photos courtesy, Richard Bowman QM2

October, 1, 2007

Received the following from Richard Bowman. Was so touched by this man’s story that I decided to add his letter to the cover page of Rich Bowman’s Korea.

Chuck Westbrook
TT Webmaster.

Chuck,

I thought you might be interested in this letter which I received last night from Maurice Mason. He had apparently visited your Tortuga web site to have seen the pictures he describes. Sounds like the man has had a rough life.

Salute Mr. Bowman,

Read your story via the internet about the Korean War and your involvement in it. Thank you very much, also for the photos.

I was with the US Army, serving in Inchon/Seoul from July 3, 1951 to April 28, 1953 when I shipped out to Seattle, Washington having 21 months and twenty seven days Korean service. I was attached to 11 different units serving as Clerk-Typist, Special Guard, Truck Driver, Battalion Clerk, Company Clerk, Supervisor of Korean Labor Personnel unloading ships inside the Tidal Basin waters, and on and on with various duties the Army could find for me to attempt.

I returned to the USA as a full blown alcoholic, brain damages of a great percent, what I term PTSD, and you name it. I took my discharge at Ft. Benning, Georgia in 1954 and attempted to return to a normal life, not knowing or realizing at that time that I was an alcoholic. I thought everyone got drunk like me sometime or another.

In 1957 I had a terrible automobile wreck that threw me through the windshield over the steering wheel, cut my right ear off and fractured my skull. I was unconscious 27 days yet came out able to walk from the civilian hospital.

I could not remember what my father nor mother's name was or the name of other people. I had a brain blockage due to the skull fracture and brain contusion. It took years for me to recover to the status I am in today where I can write this to you. I am a living MIRACLE and there is no doubt in my mind of that

. The doctors told me there is much of my life that I had formerly power to remember and much of the past I would never remember. I lost out on a lot of what went on with me in Korea....UNTIL I found out what computers could do. Now I am filling my mind back up to where it was per se before the wreck. So, you see sir, what you wrote and the photos you presented are parts of my new Memory Bank.

The streets of Inchon in your photos really showed me what it was and then I recalled it as soon as I viewed it among other photos I have seen online.

I watched the pipeline burn up there in Inchon where the per se South Korean was stealing gasoline from it at one of it's joints and dropped his cigarette into the mud beside the pipeline. That is the story I was told while still there inside Korea.

I did see one of our soldiers standing at the Medics Tent near the Old PX Building. He did not have much skin left on his back and I could see veins and muscles sticking out of his back. I don't know how he still was alive. I was also a guard at the POL Filling Plant outside Inchon that the Commies bombed and burned just a few days after I had rotated back to the states.

My duties at times were supervising from 25 to 75 Korean laborers unhooking 55 gallon gas drums when they were raised to the piers from barges by the crane operators. I have often wondered why the USA hid or classified these two fires which were as real as skin is on a frog or fish?? Oh well, I forgot I also worked with Secret Security documents at Seoul.

It is rewarding for an old 75 year old Great Grandfather of six children to relive parts of his life before ever being married.

If you find anything worth replying to in this, please do so, or otherwise trash it.

Maurice D. Mason

Formerly with the 21st TMP
At Inchon, Korea

The 1950's was an exciting time to live in. Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower were presidents. The cold war began and Americans were struggling on the Korean Peninsula from June 1950 until July, 1953. This era saw the invention of the transistor radio, victory over polio by Jonas Salk, computers for business, commercial jet aircraft and the beginning of space exploration. In the world of television, "I Love Lucy" was making its debut. Marlon Brando and Elia Kazan starred in "On The Waterfront," and "West Side Story" appeared in theaters.

This era ushered in the birth of Rock and Roll. Sun Records started the careers on men such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. This "Million Dollar Quartet" went on to become members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fats Domino, Nat King Cole, Muddy Waters, Roy Orbison, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Rufus Thomas were among the many pioneers of this era and helped shape the "sounds of the South." Buddy Holly, Riche Valens, and the Big Bopper, having sold 10 million records, were destined for success before they died in a plan crash in 1959 stunning their fans worldwide.

With the popularity of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock," the nation was soon swinging to a new beat and the young people of this time were looking forward to something refreshing and exciting, therefore, they discovered the vitality of Rock and Roll. This was the age of the drive-in movies and a time when fast cars and music meant a lifestyle.

It was also a very "sad time for many" because in June 1950 more than 50,000 Americans were killed in Korea!!