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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Mar '91
Peter Gerald Arend NO. 15809 CLASS OF 1946
Died 12 April 1951 near Uijongbu, Korea, aged 27 years. Interment:
West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY |
IT IS INDEPENDENCE DAY as we write about Pete Arend. John
Adams said, ". . . It ought to be commemorated as the day
of deliverance.... It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade,
with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations,
from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward
for evermore." Indeed it has been and is today with spectacular
fireworks lighting our neighboring skies. Solemnity—yes,
some think hard on how many times that freedom, that independence
has had to be won and re-won.
Pete took command of A Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, on
19 March 1951. As part of the 24th Division, IX Corps, they had
been engaged for about week in "Operation Ripper,"
whose ultimate objective was to re-establish the front lines
on or above the 38th parallel. The first phase, a qualified success,
ended about I April and the continuation, "Operation Rugged",
began on 3 April. For this operation and the one that followed
on 11 ApriI, "Operation Dauntless," Pete's division
was stretched to I Corps, whose sector was the extreme left flank
of Eighth Army, the 24th Division being the right flank of the
Corps, and the 19th Infantry the left of the division's two front-line
regiments. Progress was steady, but during the advance, Pete
was killed in action on 12 April 1951. The exact location is
unknown, but was probably 15 or 20 miles northeast of Uijongbu.
Pete's wife, Roberta Arend Ryan, confirms that Pete joined
the 19th on 19 March and that the details of Pete's death were
given to her a short time later by a GI of his company who saw
Pete go up the hill that last day. (That soldier had seen an
article about Pete in an AIbany, New York newspaper.)
Rollie Dessert recalls that Pete was in a HQ company of the 187th
in a non TO&E slot in the fall of 1950 waiting for reassignment
to a line company as platoon leader. "A TWX came in searching
for a company commander and Pete jumped at the chance, there
being no such vacancies available in our regiment." Rollie
heard the same information about Pete's death that was given
to Roberta and he never learned more details. He added his own
view: "I loved Pete like a brother. We soldiered together
at Fort Campbell for a year before the Korean War broke out.
We went overseas together on the same ship, landing at Moji,
Japan in mid-August 1950. We shipped out of there and went to
Fukuoka (Ashiya AFB) where we reorganized into battalion combat
teams. We were originally slated to jump into Kimpo, near Seoul,
on 20 September, and link back up with the Marines who had landed
at Inchon. Instead, at the last minute, the plan was changed
to an air-landing operation on 25 September. We linked up with
the Marines that night. They took Seoul and we cleared the Chinnampo
Peninsula northwest of Seoul during the latter part of September.
We went into a marshaling area at Kimpo in early October to prepare
for our 20 October jump at Sukchon, 20 miles north of Pyongyang.
That was the last time I saw Pete. He was in good spirits as
always, but frustrated because he wasn't in a line company.
"Pete possessed soldierly qualities to an outstanding degree
-- [he was] knowledgeable, loyal, enthusiastic, hard-working,
and idealistic; he lived and breathed Duty, Honor, Country most
conscientiously. He was the epitome of the Christian gentleman
that few truly become. He loved his wife dearly, loved his Roman
Catholic faith with all his heart, loved people, and was always
positive about everything. If Pete had any vices, I am not aware
of them. Any E-2 file will tell you that Pete was loved and respected
as a cadet and as a commissioned officer."
Tom McMinn confirms: "Pete was indeed, a good friend
of mine. I always admired him greatly --even at West Point. He
was always so humble and conscientious and forthright that, at
times, it even hurt. I remember in the 187th that Pete served
in Company D, the battalion weapons company under Captain Hugh
Hendrickson (who was not a USMA graduate but a mighty fine officer);
I recall his saying one time that Pete was THE FINEST OFFlCER
IN THE ARMY."
Pete was made principal of the De pendent School at Camp Crawford,
Japan for several months while the school waited for a person
to come from the States. Later, during this first tour, he spent
hours at night, writing all the lesson plans for an NCO school
a Crawford.
There was much to be learned from the early deaths of
some classmates, particularly companymates whom we knew well;
and in looking back there are still lessons in living and dying.
Ray McCullen writes poignantly of the beginnings: "In long
life we can find the whole measure of a person, but most of our
traits, methods, fashioned and fixed in youth. "Pete, E.
R Van Deusen and I were roommates for three years. We were assigned
as plebes and remained together until graduation. Once we left
West Point, however, each went his own way and we didn't keep
up. I don't know that any of us heard from the other after graduation—at
least not for any length of time."
Pete was one of six children of Mr. And Mrs. Eugene F. Arend
of Aurora, Missouri. Two of his older brothers were OCS officers
in World War II. Their experience and Pete's admiration of them
were strong influences in his striving for West Point. Ray
continues: "Pete was the salt-of-the earth type. He had
a strong will to succeed. He struggled and worked to achieve
excellence -- and persevere he did. He had a good sense of humor;
he was a good friend and a good roommate. To me, he epitomized
'Duty, Honor, Country.' He was true blue to alI. I think he was
completely dedicated to his job and career. If I were in a critical
battlefield situation, I don't know anyone I would rather have
beside or backing me up, or looking over shoulder, than Pete.
I think he would give up his life in a second for his duty, his
honor, his country, or his friend. He was that kind of person.
While I don't know his whole life, this is my best and early
recollection of Pete."
Ed Van Deusen expands upon the roommates' strong impressions.
'Most cadets studied, but Pete spent his life in the sinks after
"lights out.' It is impossible not to respect a man who
knew each day would bring a new and more complex adversity, but
Pete was able to maintain a smile, a pleasant attitude, and belief
in his ability because of his strong religious faith and confidence
in the West Point system. He never blamed anyone else for anything.
He believed in himself, hard work, and being pleasant. "As
a firstclassman, Pete would frequently enter the division door,
draw an imaginary sword, yell 'Charge!' and run up the stairs.
For some reason, I see that same glint, determination, dedication,
and sense of humor, as he led his company up that hill in Korea,
the hill from which he never returned "
Tom McMinn referred to Pete's association with Chaplain (CPT)
Francis Sampson. Monsignor and Major General Sampson (Ret) recalls:
"I remember Peter Arend very well. I gave him instruction
in the Catholic faith and baptized one of his two children. He
was patriotic to the hurting point, intensely devout, and always
helped me when I asked. "Frankly, I wept when I learned
he was killed in Korea. Pete was one of those who answered when
his country called and died [courageously]. Requiet in Pace."
Roberta Anne Donehue of Albany, New York and Pete married
at West Point in the Catholic Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity
on 17April 1948. Their daughter, Victoria Johnson (born in Sapporo,
Hokkaido), lives in New York, City and is assistant to the director
of the National Association for Advancement of Psychotherapy.
Son Peter (born at Fort Campbell) is manager of the Realty Management
Branch of the Northeast Region of the United States Postal Service
at Windsor, Connecticut. Roberta married Thomas E Ryan (deceased
1983) several years after Pete's death and now teaches at Hackett
Middle School, AIbany, New York.
1946 Memorial Article Project and his wife Roberta
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