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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Oct '89
David Bartholomew Spellman NO. 15922 CLASS OF 1946
Died 4 February 1951 near Chechon, Korea, aged 25 years. Interment:
Seattle, Washington |
DAVE WAS GENETICALLY endowed with those qualities of personality,
intelligence, leadership, and athletic ability which were mentioned
in the 1946 Howitzer, as well as with personal integrity and
an ability to function well under pressure. These endowments
were carefully, nourished while he was growing up in the Seattle
area as evidenced by this account of his early years in the words
of his brother, John, former governor of the state of Washington.
"My brother David was the second of three children, including
our sister Mary (now Mary Tully) and me, the younger brother.
Our parents, Bart and Lela Spellman, moved us out of Seattle
during the depression of the 1930's into a rural area. David
and the family resided there throughout his life. We settled
on Hunts Point, a penninsula in Lake Washington across the lake
from Seattle. The Hunts Point school had six grades in three
classrooms in an area of' vegetable, berry, bulb, and horse farms,
and residences on the lake. Growing tip on the lakeshore, Dave
was a strong, swimmer. He also skippered our 18 foot sailboat
in weekend races throughout the summer, with me as the crew,
and was an avid competitor in pick up games of football, baseball,
and track events. He and I were altar boys at the small mission
church in nearby Bellevue. Our father raised some of the first
Labrador retrievers in the northwest as a hobby, and David and
I participated in the raising, feeding, training, showing, and
field trial competitions of hundreds of Labs, while growing up."
"After two years at Kirkland Junior High, about six miles
away, David began high school in 1939 at Seattle Prep, a Jesuit
school. We took a small passenger steamer across the lake to
get to and from high school. Despite the lengthy commute, David
competed in football and boxing, and was a star debater and public
speaker. Our father having been a University of Washington football
coach, we avidly followed all sports."
"When my appendix ruptured in class and I was alone, lying
in pain in the athletic equipment room, Dave had the presence
of mind to call a taxi and take me to the doctor's office across
from the hospital where I underwent emergency surgery. Always
a take charge person, David probably saved my life.
"Dave took an honors classical course, studying Latin and
Greek, and was salutatorian of Seattle Prep's class of 1943."
From this background Dave arrived at West Point on 1 July
1943, and, like the rest of us, was subjected to the trauma of
Beast Barracks. I doubt if anyone could be said to thrive in
this environment, nor did Dave, but he came close. He seemed
able to draw upon some inner strength which enabled him not only
to survive, but to grow from the experience. He emerged from
plebe year as a most capable and confident cadet. This inner
strength also helped greatly in sustaining and even buoying up
the spirits of his classmates who had the privilege of associating
with him during this period.
As an upperclassman Dave was involved in a multitude of nonacademic
activities, which may have adversely affected his class standing,
but this was more than compensated for by the further development
of his character and natural leadership abilities. Not all of
Dave's extracurricular activities were those which were officially
sanctioned. many long hours were spent in extended bull sessions
where Dave could be depended upon to defend Roman Catholicism,
conservative Republican politics, and the State of Washington.
Also, during first class year, many other long hours were spent
playing bridge, another endeavor in which Dave was especially
skilled.
After graduation Dave went to the basic course at Fort Benning.
Afterwards he finished jump school and, on 23 June 1947, was
assigned as a platoon leader to D Company of the 187th Airborne
Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, in Japan. D Company would have
been the Heavy Weapons Company of the 1st Battalion. Dave was
to serve with this company until his death almost four years
later.
In April of 1949 the division was ordered back to Fort Campbell,
Kentucky. En route to the States Dave had a few days in which
to renew acquaintances with a great many classmates who were
in the Tokyo Yokohama area. At this time Dave was executive officer
of D Company. At Fort Campbell Dave met and married Bonnie Tressell.
Less than a year later, the Korean War began; the regiment
returned to Japan and was subsequently ordered to Korea, where
the first elements arrived on 24 September 1950. It became part
of the Eighth Army reserve with a mission of defending Kimpo
Airfield near Seoul.
These were the glory days for our forces in Korea; the Inchon
landing took place about ten days earlier, the recapture of Seoul
was imminent, and the North Korean army was everywhere in retreat
from the Pusan Perimeter. The rout continued with Pyongyang falling
on 20 October, and by late November, United Nations forces were
nearing the Yalu River.
Simultaneously with the capture of Pyongyang, General MacArthur
decided to employ the 187th in a vertical assault on two locations
about 30 miles north of Pyongyang. Dave's battalion would drop
on Sukchon, about 10 miles from the west coast. The mission was
to cut off escaping enemy forces and rescue American prisoners.
The regiment at Kimpo turned out in a heavy rain for reveille
at 0230 hours on 20 October, then waited in the downpour for
the weather to clear, which it finally did about noon. One can
imagine Dave's anxious impatience during this wait. The regiment
loaded into 113 planes, C119's and C47's. The drop took place
at about 1400 hours with a minimum of casualties and damaged
equipment. Dave's battalion proceeded to seize the dominant terrain
and clear the town of Sukchon. All-in-all, it was in General
MacArthur's words "an expert performance."
On 23 October, the regiment returned to Pyongyang and reverted
once again to reserve status with the mission of protecting the
road from Pyongyang to Seoul. At this time, I believe that Dave
was in command of D Company. Two days later the Chinese Communists
made their first real contact with United nations forces, and,
by late November, the long withdrawal began. Pyongyang was abandoned,
Seoul was abandoned, and by 24 January, the front lines extended
from Pyongtaek (about 40 miles south of Seoul) on the west to
Samchok on the east. Here the lines seemed to stabilize. During
this withdrawal, Dave's regiment remained in reserve, covering
the withdrawal of IX Corps units.
In early February 1951, the regiment was ordered to relieve
the 8th Republic of Korea (ROK) Division, so as to enable that
division to move about 20 miles to the northwest, where it would
be properly positioned for a new offensive. The front occupied
by the 8th ROK division was obscure, consisting of loosely connected
defensive positions; in short, a condition particularly vulnerable
to enemy guerrilla and sniper activity. The line was generally
considered to run from about Chechon due south to the Han River.
This relief was to have been accomplished by noon on 3 February.
The operation was completed successfully, but almost as soon
as the regiment was in its new position, Dave was killed on 4
February, apparently by sniper fire.
What can be said at this point, almost 38 years later? Dave
certainly exemplified, in his life and death, the ideals of Duty,
Honor, and Country instilled in him at West Point. But so did
many others who did not die in combat. I think Dave, himself,
with his strong religious convictions and Jesuit training would
simply say it was God's will.
A Classmate and Friend
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