Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Duane St. John remembers Frozen Chosin

Speaking of writing books, a few years ago I was privileged while speaking in Cazenovia, New York, to run into a veteran of the battle of Chosin Reservoir. Indeed, he was part of the relief column led by Lt. Col. Ray Davis that relieved the besieged Fox Company that was holding a key hilltop at ...

By , a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy.
Ron Cogswell/Flickr
Ron Cogswell/Flickr
Ron Cogswell/Flickr

Speaking of writing books, a few years ago I was privileged while speaking in Cazenovia, New York, to run into a veteran of the battle of Chosin Reservoir. Indeed, he was part of the relief column led by Lt. Col. Ray Davis that relieved the besieged Fox Company that was holding a key hilltop at a pass that was needed for the Marines to retreat and consolidate. In fact, he was wounded in that overnight march through the howling winter. In a memoir he has written, he recalls finding the Fox survivors, who were still fighting. "We stepped over and around hundreds of Chinese bodies surrounding their position," he writes. He began helping a Navy doctor, who soon was shot in the back and killed instantly. He notes that two members of Fox received Medals of Honor, as did Lt. Col. Davis.

Speaking of writing books, a few years ago I was privileged while speaking in Cazenovia, New York, to run into a veteran of the battle of Chosin Reservoir. Indeed, he was part of the relief column led by Lt. Col. Ray Davis that relieved the besieged Fox Company that was holding a key hilltop at a pass that was needed for the Marines to retreat and consolidate. In fact, he was wounded in that overnight march through the howling winter. In a memoir he has written, he recalls finding the Fox survivors, who were still fighting. “We stepped over and around hundreds of Chinese bodies surrounding their position,” he writes. He began helping a Navy doctor, who soon was shot in the back and killed instantly. He notes that two members of Fox received Medals of Honor, as did Lt. Col. Davis.

Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1

More from Foreign Policy

Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.
Children are hooked up to IV drips on the stairs at a children's hospital in Beijing.

Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak

Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.

Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.
Henry Kissinger during an interview in Washington in August 1980.

Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage

The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.

A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.
A Ukrainian soldier in helmet and fatigues holds a cell phone and looks up at the night sky as an explosion lights up the horizon behind him.

The West’s False Choice in Ukraine

The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.

Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi
Illustrated portraits of Reps. MIke Gallagher, right, and Raja Krishnamoorthi

The Masterminds

Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.