US Army tank platoon commander in 1980s Cold War Korea (301)

Cold War Conversations

Tom Sullivan was a tank platoon commander in Korea in the early 1980s responsible for six tanks and their crew

We hear why he joined the US Army, his training, and his first impressions of Korea in the Winter of 1982.

He is assigned to Second Platoon, C Company, 1-72 Armor under the toughest Company Commander in the Brigade who had very high standards, no humour, and was a rigid disciplinarian with an uncompromising approach.

Tom shares details of his fellow soldiers, including Vietnam veterans, the living conditions

He explains the challenges of operating armour where the winter weather is brutal, and the majority of the terrain is hills, mountains, rice paddies, and dirt roads

We discuss the threat the North Koreans posed and the scarce hope that reinforcements would arrive in sufficient time should the North Koreans decide to attack.

0:00 Introduction and background of Tom Sullivan

4:56 Training to become an armored officer and the role of international instructors

14:12 Arrival in Korea, transfer to Camp Casey and introduction to the unit

20:35 Initial challenges and observations in Korea

27:57 Exercise with Korean army units: Team Spirit and deployment experience

32:00 Living conditions and navigating the difficult Korean terrain

39:00 Proximity to the DMZ and observing cross border fire and incursions

43:38 Using the M48 tank in Korea and facing the North Korean armored threat

51:08 Being within North Korean artillery range and potential infiltration threats

57:22 Acknowledgement of financial supporters and podcast extras

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