75 years later, Drysdale veteran returns to Korea

RONALD Green grew up during the war, so a career in the Navy wasn’t a surprising choice.

The 97-year-old Korean War veteran was a young adult as the second world war came to an end, watching as the men from families down his street left home to serve in the air force, army and navy.

He had a penchant for planes and was initially eager to pursue a career in the air force, but a sweet-talking naval neighbour redirected him to the sea.

“There was still a lot of old second world war sailors with us, and quite a few British sailors that had come over because the navy was shutting down a bit in the United Kingdom,” Green said.

“We had a fair number of people who talked to about what war was like.

“They were mostly a lot older than us – we were all pretty young – and quite a few people from Geelong actually.”

 

Green joined the Navy not long before the outbreak of the Korean War and would go on to work alongside men from across the globe, led by the United States under the auspices of the United Nations Command, in support of South Korea.

Commissioned throughout the war to both the HMAS Anzac and HMAS Tobruk – both which were used as escorts – Green reflects on working alongside ships flying an array of flags.

His squadron helped move smaller boats to and from shore and supported aircraft carriers.

“Most of the time we were there, we were involved on the east coast escorting aircraft carriers and protecting them, being part of their guard, then getting deployed off onto the coast at night and bombarding the artillery the North Korean’s were using,” Green said.

“We’d spend the day at sea with the carriers and then off at night on a patrol.”

 

Green acknowledged the difficulties of being involved in international conflict, grateful to have returned to Australia unharmed.

Those he served with remained a constant in his life, with his years in the Navy also leading him to meet his late wife, Maureen.

“We saw plenty of things, it was quite exciting at times. We didn’t get much sleep, I remember,” Green said.

“You’d come off watch and you’d be called for other stations if a big jet or something had flown in. That’d happen almost every night.

“It was all exciting and fortunately we avoided being hit.”

Now more than 70 years since the conflict ended, Green continues to stay in touch with his fellow veterans.

This April, he will return to Korea for the second time since the armistice was agreed in 1953, on an invitation from the Korean Embassy as part of the Revisit Korea program.

Each year, about 200 people are invited to participate in the program, which was created by the Korean government to express gratitude to Korean War veterans from 22 United Nations-allied nations.

 

The program hopes to build veteran’s pride by allowing them to witness how Korea enjoys “peace and prosperity thanks to their noble sacrifices and dedication”.

Green, alongside his granddaughter and four other delegates, will join participants from Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Though admittedly anxious about the travel, he is looking forward to returning to see what modern Korea is like.

In the decades since the war, Green said he and his fellow servicemen have received nothing but support and gratitude from South Korea.

Over the years they have developed a relationship with the Korean community in Geelong and Melbourne.

Green and his granddaughter will leave for the week-long trip on 21 April.