SGT. Wilfred “Bill” Lack
US Army
523rd Military Intelligence Group
Korea. 1950-1957
Bill was born in Meridian Mississippi on August 6, 1934. Bill’s dad served in WWII and he was very proud of him and learned as much as he could about the military. In high school at the age of 15 or 16 he and six friends joined the joined the Mississippi National Guard. He was called to active duty in December of 1950 and went to boot camp in Jackson North Carolina and then to Fort Knox where he went through Tank Leader and Advanced Tank Leader training. “I got promoted to Corporal because I did so well at Tank School.” Bill was discharged in October of 1952 without leaving the country.
When he returned home, he enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi, but he really wanted to go to Korea. He re-enlisted in December of 1952 and was expecting to go to Korea. He was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington and was transferred into an MP unit. During his time at Fort Lewis he was assigned to take US service men, that had committed minor offenses such as being AWOL and were being held as prisoners, and put them back on duty. They were place on ships headed to Korea. Bill complained that he really wanted to go to Korea and he was assured he was going. In March of 1953 he boarded a ship and headed for Korea via Japan.
When he arrived in Japan, he was sent to Camp Drake where he was assigned to the 500th Military Intelligence Group. He went through an interview process and was selected to attend a Prisoner of War Orientation training. He was now an NCO and an Intelligence Analyst in the Military Prisoner of War Command and was sent to Buson Korea. From there he was sent to Prisoner of War Camps 4 and 4A in Daegu South Korea.
In June of 1953, while he was in Camp 4A, the prisoners organized an escape and knocked down the fences. Bill thinks the escape was planned and the US allowed it to happen. A week later a cease fire was signed. After the cease fire Bill‘s responsibilities were changed to work on the prisoner exchanges to get the US soldiers back.
Bill was promoted and transferred to Japan and was part of a special project where he read through classified information. While in Japan he met his wife and they married. “We had a big wedding in Japan and six generals were there.” In 1957 Bill retired from the military and he and his wife returned to the US. He briefly went back to college and then started working with Sears. He was promoted multiple times and moved around the US opening new stores. He moved from Sears to Western Auto where he opened new stores until Western Auto was acquired by Sears. During this time Bill and his wife had five children.
Bill lives in North Carolina and is on the board of directors of the National Korean War Association where they work to bring awareness of the war.
“I got to travel all over the world and see 54 different countries. I’m very happy with my life and I hope I have made a difference.”
You certainly made a difference to all of those returning American GI’s held as POW’s when you welcomed them back and helped them get adjusted. Thank you for your service in a war that doesn’t get much attention.
When he returned home, he enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi, but he really wanted to go to Korea. He re-enlisted in December of 1952 and was expecting to go to Korea. He was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington and was transferred into an MP unit. During his time at Fort Lewis he was assigned to take US service men, that had committed minor offenses such as being AWOL and were being held as prisoners, and put them back on duty. They were place on ships headed to Korea. Bill complained that he really wanted to go to Korea and he was assured he was going. In March of 1953 he boarded a ship and headed for Korea via Japan.
When he arrived in Japan, he was sent to Camp Drake where he was assigned to the 500th Military Intelligence Group. He went through an interview process and was selected to attend a Prisoner of War Orientation training. He was now an NCO and an Intelligence Analyst in the Military Prisoner of War Command and was sent to Buson Korea. From there he was sent to Prisoner of War Camps 4 and 4A in Daegu South Korea.
In June of 1953, while he was in Camp 4A, the prisoners organized an escape and knocked down the fences. Bill thinks the escape was planned and the US allowed it to happen. A week later a cease fire was signed. After the cease fire Bill‘s responsibilities were changed to work on the prisoner exchanges to get the US soldiers back.
Bill was promoted and transferred to Japan and was part of a special project where he read through classified information. While in Japan he met his wife and they married. “We had a big wedding in Japan and six generals were there.” In 1957 Bill retired from the military and he and his wife returned to the US. He briefly went back to college and then started working with Sears. He was promoted multiple times and moved around the US opening new stores. He moved from Sears to Western Auto where he opened new stores until Western Auto was acquired by Sears. During this time Bill and his wife had five children.
Bill lives in North Carolina and is on the board of directors of the National Korean War Association where they work to bring awareness of the war.
“I got to travel all over the world and see 54 different countries. I’m very happy with my life and I hope I have made a difference.”
You certainly made a difference to all of those returning American GI’s held as POW’s when you welcomed them back and helped them get adjusted. Thank you for your service in a war that doesn’t get much attention.