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| North Korean refugees jam the decks of a South Korean Landing Ship, Tanks (LST) and numerous fishing boats in Heungnam, trying to escape to the South in December 1950. / Courtesy of U.S. Forces Korea |
US ‘Ship of Miracle’ Rescues 14,000 N. Korean Refugees in 1950
By Choi Yearn-hong
Korea Times Columnist
WASHINGTON ― One of my friends forwarded me a short essay written by a Korean journalist during the year-end holiday season. I appreciated it and converted it into a poem titled “A Miracle.” In the meantime, I would like to share the essay with The Korea Times’ readers.
This humanitarian mission has been described by Guinness Book of World Records as the greatest rescue operation by a single ship in world history.
Captain Leonard LaRue transported more than 14,000 Korean refugees from Heungnam Port, North Korea, to Geoje Island in South Korea on Christmas Eve, 1950.
His ship, Meredith Victory, was a 100,000-ton oil tanker and supposed to supply oil to the U.S. 10th Army Corps, but most of the American military was away from the port and under massive attack by the Chinese army during the Korean War.
He was asked whether he would volunteer to undertake the dangerous mission of taking his ship into the port to evacuate the huddled refugees seeking escape from communist forces circling the city of Heungnam. He could see thousands of refugees streaming toward the sea, their only access to freedom. He courageously responded that he would take his ship in and take as many refugees as he could.
They were threatened with annihilation by communist forces and had little protection, sincemost of the American military had been pulled out on December 10. The conditions under which Captain LaRue sailed into port were appalling: Many areas of the city were aflame, as his ship navigated through enemy minefields.
The weather was freezing and there was imminent danger of artillery attack. However, under Captain Larue’s confident orders, crew members allowed 14,000 men, women and children aboard, 17 of whom were wounded (Apostle of the Sea Star of the Sea Award to Captain LaRue, January 14, 2005).
He could not overlook the refugees, looking for lifeboats to the south. He was told not to overlook them and made the brave decision to save their lives.
It was December 21, 1950. They were standing on the tanker like sardines in a can, and that’s the way 14,000 men, women and children were brought to the South.
They could neither drink much water nor eat until they arrived at Pusan Port on Christmas Eve and listened to Christmas carols after arriving. During the voyage, five babies were born yet no one got hurt during this difficult voyage. They finally arrived at Geoje Island on Dec. 26. I could not believe what I read. The tanker was only meant for 30 to 40 crewmembers. I’m reminded of the miraculous story of Jesus Christ feeding 5000 people with two fish and five loaves. This story is a modern day miracle.
After the Korean War, Captain Leonard LaRue walked into a Boston monastery to become a monk known Brother Marinus. He spent the rest of his life at the Abbey of St. Paul in Newton, N.J.
The tanker was sold to China as scrap iron and Brother Marinus passed away years ago. I wish I’d met him and that the Ship of Miracles, as it came to be known, had been preserved. I still want to visit his grave. I read his story only around Christmas 2008. The Korean journalist who wrote this story regretted the fact that Captain LaRue and the tanker no longer exist.
I would like to propose that all Koreans, including the 14,000 refugees and their children, pay homage to Brother Marinus. We are all touched by his story. He made or wrote the following statement in 1958:
“I think often of that voyage. I think of how such a small vessel was able to hold so many persons and surmount endless perils without harm to a soul. And, as I think, the clear, unmistakable message comes to me that on that Christmastide, in the bleak and bitter waters off the shores of Korea, God’s own hand was at the helm of my ship.”
His obituary urged Bill Gilbert, the Washington Post reporter, write a book, Ship of Miracles, and filmmaker RJ McHatton has directed a documentary film of the same title. After searching Korean Web sites, I found a couple of short stories on this miraculous story.
There are many miracles we don’t know of. There are many great men and women living in this world but we don’t know them all. They sustain humanity and make human civilization decent. They make Earth the most beautiful star in the galaxy. I dedicate my poem, “A Miracle,” here.
| A Miracle The U.S. 10th Army Corps was already out of Port of Heungnam on December 10, 1950. The Korean refugees were coming to the port to get their boat to the South. Captain Leonard LaRue’s 100,000 ton oil tanker was ready to embark for the South Sea, but he could not disregard the refugees seeking the life boat. The tanker left the port with them and arrived at Koje Island on Christmas Eve safely. They sang Christmas carols. The 14,000 refugees were standing like anchovies in a small can in the tanker. They could neither drink nor eat during the voyage. The tanker was not supposed to carry any passengers other than 40 crew members. Five babies were born on the sea. No one got hurt when they disembarked at the Island. It was a miracle. Captain LaRue heard the words, “Don’t leave the refugees in the port!” when he was ready to leave the port. Those words made him Brother Marinus at the Abbey of St. Paul, Newton, NJ. A miracle was witnessed by Captain LaRue, 40 crew members, 14,000 refugees, and five new babies, collectively. The miracle still remains with waves of the winter sea; the miracle still shines with the stars in the blue and dark winter sky. The miracle still cleans my soul in the cold winternight, long after the tanker was dismantled, and even after Brother Marinus passed away to Heaven. |
[출처 : 코리아타임스]
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