Children during the Korean War

Children play in the street in Gapyeong or Chuncheon City in 1952. Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

In the spring of 1952, Frederic H. Dustin, a 22-year-old American soldier, arrived at Incheon and was quickly transported to his unit in the Gapyeong area. One of his first impressions of Korea was of the children gathered along the railroad tracks asking the soldiers aboard the train for chocolates and change. For the next couple of months, he saw nothing of the country save the countryside surrounding his camp.

In July 1952, Dustin received R&R (rest & relaxation) leave and traveled south to Seoul. In a letter to his parents, he described the abject poverty and dismal conditions that greeted him: "One has no idea I'm sure of the horrible plight many of these people are in. Really awful."

He went on to describe the great number of "old, broken down, dirty, filthy, foul-smelling" women who approached him on the street begging for food. "In any alleyway or the street, for that matter, are women sitting, naked babies in their arms or laying on the ground, and past the point of even asking for food. They just raise their hands toward their mouth if you look for a minute."

Children along the railroad tracks ask soldiers for candy and money in the spring of 1952. Robert Neff Collection

He was badly shaken by the experience which he described as being "very depressing and inhuman to my own feelings." He lamented that there were so many desperate people that even if he had a million dollars it would not be enough to ease their suffering. "I am afraid one [eventually] becomes quite cold and indifferent to the sufferings of others." Concluding his description of Seoul, he wrote: "I don't believe I'll ever forget these people."

He was glad to leave Seoul and return to his unit in the Gapyeong area where, despite being so close to the front lines, there was a degree of serenity. He took many pictures of children with runny noses and dirty clothing playing with their siblings in the village streets ― the images of their innocence juxtaposing with the horrors he witnessed in Seoul.

A mother nurses her baby in the street in Gapyeong or Chuncheon City in 1952. Robert Neff Collection

A mother carries her child through the streets of Chuncheon in 1952. Robert Neff Collection

A young boy is delighted with having his picture taken in Chuncheon in 1952. Robert Neff Collection

Children study Frederic H. Dustin as he takes their picture in Chuncheon in 1952. Robert Neff Collection

The village children swarmed the American soldiers they encountered in the streets and, using their very limited English, asked for chocolates and other candies. Many decades later, Dustin recalled fondly, "God knows how much gum, chocolate and Chuckles [a jelly-like candy that came in five flavors] were handed out [but] we always had our field-jacket pockets stuffed with those commodities."

These were not the only children the soldiers encountered ― there were also the houseboys. Houseboys were usually young teenage boys hired to perform general housekeeping, boot-shining and arrange laundry service. They were paid between $10 and $15 a month ― a fairly substantial amount of money.

Dustin described the houseboys as being much cleaner than the teenagers they encountered on the streets and, as "most of them have had a little schooling," they were more intelligent. Perhaps one of the smartest houseboys was You-soon who, according to Dustin, was "the most educated of the lot, understanding a little written English and able to read the newspaper [Dustin had received in the mail] although not able to understand the words." Dustin took it upon himself to try improving You-soon's English ― how successful he was is unknown.

Dustin described the houseboys as relatively good kids who went everywhere the unit went (sometimes the soldiers had to smuggle their houseboys past the checkpoints).

While You-soon may have been the smartest houseboy, he was not the most popular ― that honor belonged to Cha Sang-gyu. Cha was about 15 years old when he became one of the camp's houseboys. With his ever-present mischievous smile and friendly personality, he quickly won the hearts of all of the soldiers who showered him with gifts of clothing and even an air rifle for his birthday. Cha was different from many of the houseboys ― not because of his webbed fingers, but because he enjoyed being around the soldiers and often acted as their guide when they received R&R and even invited some of the soldiers to his home and introduced them to his parents and siblings.

After the war, Dustin returned to Korea in 1955 to teach English. He offered to help Cha further his education by paying his tuition but Cha declined claiming he was not ready to return to school. Within a couple of years, Cha was dead ― as Dustin somewhat hazily recalled, a victim of random violence.

As mentioned above, Dustin returned to Korea after the war and spent ― for the most part ― the rest of his life in Seoul or on Jeju Island. As a young soldier, he swore he would never forget the desperate people he encountered in Seoul in the summer of 1952. He never did. Over the years, Dustin donated large sums of money to various organizations on Jeju Island ― perhaps it was an effort to make amends for not being able to help as a soldier.

A boy and his mother in Gapyeong in 1952 Robert Neff Collection

In 2010, when asked about the Korean War, Dustin confided that it was the children he remembered the most. They are "still in my mind … [their] smiles and cuteness," he declared and then added, "I guess the young are cute all over the world in peace or war."

Dustin died on May 5, 2018 ― Children's Day. He was 88 years old. I hope that his final moments of life were filled with the memories of smiling children and the comfort of knowing he had fulfilled his promises to make Korea a better place than it was when he first arrived.

Rest in peace old friend.

Not everyone liked having their picture taken (Chuncheon 1952). Robert Neff Collection

Some of the houseboys at the camp near Gapyeong in 1952. You-soon, on the far left, was described as being the best houseboy in the camp. Little Kim, sitting, stayed with the unit for only a short time before he quit ― possibly because he "was tired of G.I.s" or because of Big Kim (far right). Big Kim spoke English fairly well but apparently tended to get into trouble and left shortly after Little Kim. Robert Neff Collection

Frederic H Dustin, Cha Sang-gyu (houseboy) and Tripper (a puppy adopted by the squad) in Gapyeong in 1953 Robert Neff Collection

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.