Ken Blose in Japan, 1950

Kenneth (Ken) M. Blose of Vandergrift loved playing drums in the band while in High School. After graduating in 1949 he joined the United States Army and when he completed basic training at Fort Knox he was assigned to the Army Band Training Unit. The band training lasted sixteen weeks. He was then assigned to the 7th Division in Japan and boarded a troop ship to make the ten day trip. Little did Ken know that before the trip was over his whole life would change.

Five days out to sea news came that the United States was entering the Korean Conflict. Landing in Japan, Ken was immediately reassigned to the Infantry in Baker Company, 7th Cavalry of the 1st Calvary Division. He was shipped out again five days later on a troop carrier for the one day trip to Korea. To make matters worse, they encountered a typhoon as the neared Korea.

Landing in Korea during the storm proved to be as dangerous as the upcoming battles. Ken said the ship rose and sunk 12 feet or better with the swells from the typhoon. They had to climb down a rope ladder in between the swells to avoid being swept away.

North Korea had attacked South Korea with massive forces and under the United Nations, United States entered the conflict that was to become an all out war. After landing the troops were immediately sent into battle. It happened so fast, Ken said the troops were poorly equipped. To get a full complement of troops, the Army released prisoners serving time for crimes. One of them serving with Ken was a BAR rifleman who had killed a taxi driver! After a short time in Korea Ken said they were ordered to conscript Korean men from the villages. Over 8,600 were made to serve side by side of our soldiers. Ken said they didn’t speak English and weren’t really prepared. They had only five days training. Later, those Koreans serving in Ken’s unit ran away.

Weapons were another problem. Carrying 2.36 rocket launchers that couldn’t pierce heavy armor put them at a disadvantage with the North Korean T34 tank force. They had to strike the rear of the tanks where it was vulnerable with weaker armor. Sent to a position to do just that, the 15 former band members heard the roar of the T34’s coming. The tanks were firing, but it was over the heads at another target. The order came to pack up and get out. They were sent to the next position which was the Pusan Perimeter defensive line.

It was here his unit was set up in a horseshoe fashion and that night, as civilians began to walk through, the soldiers opposite them began firing. Ken’s side thinking it was the enemy opened fire and they shot at each other throughout the night. It turned out they were firing on each other! Ken said thank goodness no one got killed or wounded.

By now the U.S. had launched massive air attacks, the Army was bringing more troops in and the Marines had landed. The North Korean push began to weaken and then broke, retreating to the north with our military hot on their trail. Ken’s unit now pushed through to the North Korean capitol. There they did house to house searching for soldiers and weapons. While in the midst of this Ken found a Methodist Church! After this his unit then pushed further north and with the season changing, the bitter cold winter.

Ken said the military were totally unprepared for the North Korean winter. It got cold – 32 degrees below zero! Their clothing wasn’t adequate, C rations froze, boots weren’t warm enough and they literally froze. They couldn’t build fires because it gave their position away to the Chinese who had entered the war. History records how our army suffered through this bitter winter.

Ken Blose, May 2007

Out of this season and into the hot summer months led to mosquito’s becoming more of an enemy than the Chinese. That with the wet season spread malaria throughout the troops. Ken got ‘trench foot’, a condition of the foot resembling frostbite, caused by prolonged exposure to cold and dampness.

After serving 13 months in Korea, where he rose from Private to an E-5 Sergeant, Ken returned to Japan for rest and recreation. During that time he contracted malaria. He was sent to Fort Indiantown Gap in eastern Pennsylvania. He was assigned as a Training Sergeant. He began to handle administrative work and scheduling for three battalions. He did so well, his superior officer recommended him to Officer’s Candidate School (OCS). He applied and was accepted and promoted to First Sergeant. After completing OCS he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.

He was assigned to the Medical Service Corps at Fort Benning, Georgia, in an administrative position. It was his job to do all the medical logistics which led him to Germany, France, and Korea. He then was moved to the Combat Development Command at Ft. Houston, Texas, where he applied medical logistics to future war planning. During this time he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel and had served 23 years.

Ken received many awards during his military career. Some of these were the Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct, and Meritorious Service medal. As he neared the end of his service he applied to be Director Surgery at an Oregon hospital. This position was usually held by a nurse with a master’s Degree. He was the first person ever hired that was not a nurse! An interesting story behind this was the Doctor heading up the search went to school with Ken’s military superior (small world!) and when he called and leaned this, with the strong recommendation for Ken’s expertise, the job was his.

Unfortunately, it was during his six years service at the Oregon hospital that Ken’s wife died from cancer. Ken felt to leave after this and return home to his native area. Living in Washington Township for a while, he later loved to his mother’s house (inheriting it after her death) in Vandergrift where he lives today. He went back to college at Penn State in New Kensington and later graduated with a Master’s Degree in Administration. He then became Manager of the Compass Museum in Laughlintown, PA for seven years.

In 1951 he married Barbra Lynn Elswick from Vandergrift and had three sons, Todd, David and Kendall. Kendall is a missionary in Mexico; Todd is a retired Colonel and David a retired Lt. Colonel.

Ken Blose is a man that lives a full life. He has been named Citizen of the Year by the Victorian Vandergrift Museum & Historical Society (VVMHS) and Volunteer of the Year at Bushy Run Battlefield. He is a man filled with passion for history. As key writer and researcher of "Something Better Than The Best" Vandergrift history book, public speaker, tour guide, and other public contributions, Ken Blose is a true patriot that helps us understand our historical roots and what it means to us today.

Since returning to Vandergrift, Ken returned to his home church and became actively involved. He grew up as a Methodist at the First United Methodist Church of Vandergrift. He is now a lay speaker, Sunday school teacher and also on the board.