Focus on Your Job

Heroes Remember

Focus on Your Job

Transcript

Well the focus was on our job really, let’s face it. We didn’t have much time to look around. There was no looking around. Once we joined, once we arrived in Korea we knew we were committed and the focus was get there, get to your battalion and once you get there, get to your job and get adjusted as quickly as possible. That was part of it. We didn’t have time really to communicate with the local population. I am talking about our case. Some people previous to us, our battalion for instance, arrived in Pusan and from Pusan worked their way up to beyond the 38th parallel. That was very different and they did this on foot, in vehicles and whatnot which was very, very different in their case. They could see a lot more of it, in fact, part of their mission at the time was to wipe out what was left behind after the Americans had done their landing in Inchon and so on. But our group did not have to live through that except that the focus was to get there and do your job and get integrated as soon as possible. And by that time, the time we arrived there in January, brigade was in reserve, battalion was in reserve, that was a good time to arrive. The war had become static.

Description

Although the war had become static upon arrival in Korea, Mr. Charland shares the role and responsibilities he had with his troop.

Claude Charland

Mr. Claude Charland was born February 27, 1929 in Montreal, Quebec. As an only child and born during the Great Depression, Mr. Charland was placed in a boarding school in hopes of experiencing a better life. After obtaining a high level of education, he made the choice to join the military. In 1948, he took part in the Canadian Officer Training Corp and underwent infantry training in Camp Borden followed by additional training in Val Cartier. In 1950 the Korean War started and Mr. Charland became an instructor for francophone officer recruits. In 1951, joining as a callout, Mr. Charland chose to be part of the Korean War. He joined with the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment and upon retirement held rank of Lieutenant. Mr. Charland holds great pride for his service during Korean War. In 2018 during the Korean Olympics, Mr. Charland had the great honour and privilege to be the torch bearer as part of Team Canada and carried the torch 100 metres through the rink grounds where he had served and played hockey many years before. Mr. Charland retired from the military in 1982 and remains very active in his community.

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