One of the “Chosin Few”
by Deb Spalding
Russell “Russ” Delauter of Thurmont was born the only child of Willie and Hazel Delauter. His father was known as one of the top bulldozer operators in the country and often took new jobs wherever work was available. Therefore, the small family moved around a lot; Russ started at a new school every six to eight months.
They spent some time in the village of Ellerton near Myersville. When he was entering the eighth grade, the school wouldn’t honor his last six months of schooling and decided they wanted Russ to repeat the seventh grade. Soon after, at the age of twelve, Russ struck out on his own. He worked in a restaurant in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, then hauled equipment in Reading and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Times were very different then.
Though on his own, Russ said, “Everybody looked out for me,” adding, “I graduated from the streets of hard knocks.”
In 1948, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Army. He trained in Texas and Georgia, and was then sent to Korea, just two months after the Korean War started. North Korea invaded South Korea in June of 1950 to start the war.
As an infantryman with the rank of Sergeant First Class, Russ was in charge of light tanks and half tracks.He had a crew of around forty men the entire time he fought there, from September 1950 to January 1952.
The main battle he participated in was the Chosin Reservoir Campaign, where approximately 120,000 Chinese circled and attacked 30,000 United Nations (UN) forces, later named the “Chosin Few.” It was thirty-five degrees below zero. Russ said, “It was a big battle; 2,500 soldiers were lost. We lost some Army, some Marines.”
“Korea was a different kind of place—between the Chinese and Koreans. First, the Koreans ran us down south, then the Chinese joined with them, and they took us out.” He explained that the U.S. Navy came in through HagNam and took Pusan on the extreme south end of Korea. The UN forces reorganized and went back up north into battle.
“The reason any of us got out of there is because the Chinese were not equipped with uniforms and shoes to battle the severe weather in battle. We survived the Chosin Reservoir because the Chinese soldiers’ feet were froze.” The Chinese uniform was thin and their footwear was similar to a tennis shoe. Russ continued, “We didn’t stop them; the weather stopped them.” UN soldiers wore shoe packs for warmth and heavy-duty overcoats. Russ said that even with the shoe packs, they were still freezing.
He explained that people back home often believe that a soldier is in danger 24/7. “They need to understand, in any war, you’re sometimes safe as you are when you’re sitting in church. But when times are bad, times are bad.” He added, “My body didn’t see water from October to February.”
The U.S. military forces were engaged in the Korean War with other UN forces and Korean civilians. The civilians couldn’t handle North Koreans by themselves, and definitely couldn’t handle them once the Chinese joined the fight. Russ explained that the Korean civilians were freezing and starving to death, but never complained. He had about six Korean soldiers who fought with him. “They don’t come any better than that.”
Russ talked about the lack of racism during his time serving with the military. People were very kind and supportive of each other, no matter what their nationality, and they were at war. One of the Korean soldiers who fought with Russ was a sixteen-year-old named Kim Kwang Joo. “He had more guts than anyone I ever saw.” Kim was still fighting when Russ left for home, but it is unknown to Russ whether Kim made it through the war.
Back home, Russ’ parents had moved to Thurmont while he was at war. Once back, he met his wife, Marlene Addison, in 1953, right around the same time that he and his dad started W.F. Delauter and Son. Russ and Marlene were married in 1954 and had four children: Keith, Kim, Kay, and Kirby. The Delauter’s son, Kim, was named after Kim Kwang Joo. Kim carries a picture of his namesake.
Russ and his father worked intently on the growing business, while Marlene was busy raising their children. “My dad and I built an honest business to earn a good reputation.”
As they dug in to keep the business going. Russ explained that building the business, “…was tougher than the war sometimes.” Tough, but enduring, the business is still thriving today, with son, Kirby, at the helm. About the business Russ added, “We did that [built an honest business and good reputation], but Kirby did it better. He’s doing a tremendous job with it.”
Russ feels very fortunate to have four children who turned out as great as they are. “They’ve raised good families, and they’re good people.” he said.
These days, you can find Russ, from the wee hours of the morning until almost noon, volunteering in the kitchen at Trinity United Church of Christ in Thurmont. He and a band of other volunteers bake some tasty treats for community members to enjoy.
As a kid, Russ went to the movies and watched war movies. He said he wondered then if he could do it. Then when he was on his way to Korea, he said to himself, “You’re gonna see if you can do it.” He did it.
Russ suggests military service for anyone. He thinks it’s the smartest thing you can do.
He feels that at seventeen or eighteen years of age, “…you don’t know what discipline is.”
After serving, he said, “You cherish the people, the memories, the thoughts.”
Russ grew up hating Japanese. But, when he was in Japan, he learned that they are good people. “They take care of each other with no animosity for anyone and act like the war never happened. People feel safe with no fear of others. Seeing them gives you a whole different outlook, an appreciation. The Koreans never complained. We [Americans] complain. They could lay there starving and not complain.”
Russ closed our conversation stating these words of wisdom, “We never fight a war in a good place.”
Russ Delauter, thank you for your service! May God Bless America and May God Bless You!
Russ Delauter is pictured in Korea while serving with the U.S. Army and UN Forces in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign.
