MT Thoughts - A Christmas Memory

A Christmas Wish for Our Soldiers

By Michael Twitty
For the Beacon

As I was eating my lunch and reading the paper in a local restaurant, the song, “I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas” began playing in the background. The words were the same but the style and rhythm was not as I first learned it. A snapshot of a “White Christmas” past diverted my thoughts.

I cannot remember all the names or even their faces but I remember the Christmas.

I was serving in Korea stationed at JSA the Joint Security Area in Panmunjon, Korea. That Christmas a South Korean Soldier Sgt. Bang K.S. and I were manning Checkpoint 5. This was the security gate to The Neutral Nations Compound, home for the Swiss and Swedish officers assigned there. A similar compound existed on the North Korean side for officers from Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Part of our responsibility was to keep a log of all movement into or out of the checkpoint. Between the two compounds there was freedom of movement so it was not unusual that there were Czech and Polish officers in the Swiss and Swedish compound and vice versa. The only contact we made with each other was that of an enlisted man towards an officer. We saluted, passed them through and logged it.

That day there was quite a bit of traffic as the Swiss were hosting a holiday feast for the four nations. That evening Mr. Overle, the Swiss Warrant Officer who was also the compound Chef, approached our checkpoint. He brought with him some “leftovers” from their dinner. Not a huge portion but was it ever tasty. He came into the checkpoint and we carried on some small conversation about our homes and Christmas as we ate. After we were finished he took the plates and we thanked him. We wished each other a Merry Christmas and he left.

Shortly after, a couple of officers from Sweden appeared with some sort of holiday bread that I cannot remember the name of but was yellow and so unique in its flavor. As we ate the bread we learned that Sweden actually celebrates Christmas on the 17th of December but they also have a seasonal celebration that goes on for several days. This was traditional bread from their home.

During this season Sgt. Bang and I had received various Christmas treats cookies and fudge from home. Whatever we still had we had brought with us to the checkpoint to eat. We offered these homemade treats to our visitors and told them about our traditional holiday snacks. For the next two hours officers in groups of two or three from all four countries stopped and wished us a holiday greeting and offered us a sample of their home. Until we ran out we offered the same.

To say it seemed a little awkward the first time I found myself conversing with an officer from Poland or Czechoslovakia is an understatement. After all, according to doctrine at the time they represented a communist country. Yet, each conversation was about home and the holidays. We were wearing different uniforms but we shared the same duty, and that duty had sent us far from home at a time of family gatherings. We all shared the feeling that the source of this duty was the love of our home. Sharing some memory or tidbit from a past Christmas brought smiles to both the teller and the listener.

When we were relieved and returned to the main guardhouse Armed Forces Radio was playing Christmas carols. One song that I had heard many times before came on just as I was lying down to catch some sleep.

“I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love…Even more than I usually do…And although it is a long road back I promise you… I'll be home for Christmas… You can count on me… Please have snow and mistletoe… And presents on the tree… Christmas Eve will find me… Where the love light gleams… I'll be home for Christmas… If only in my dreams”.

I remember thinking how true. I thought of all the memories of Christmas I had just shared at the checkpoint. I had also listened to many other stories of the holidays from every other member of my platoon. I dropped off with a smile.

Today we have gotten involved here at home with all sorts of political bickering about holiday wishes and what is a proper greeting or display. It appears to me we are too busy taking offense at some action or thinking we are being targeted by some special interest that we fail to remember the meaning of the holiday season.

Over thirty years ago soldiers wearing the uniform of six different countries celebrated a “White Christmas”. We were not looking at motive. We just shared the wish that this would be the last one away from home. Not just for ourselves but for every one of us. To this day I still wish that no soldier should have to spend Christmas away from home. Unfortunately that is not the reality of world politics.

To all of us here at home I wish you peace on earth and goodwill toward all men. To our soldiers around the world I wish you sweet dreams.