History told by a hero

Published March 25, 2009
By Jennifer Chupko
Fort Dix Public Affairs staff

FORT DIX, N.J. -- "Poor is the nation that has no heroes, but beggared the nation that has them and forgets." -Anonymous

The United States is rich in heroes, and though it took 56 years, it remembered one of its own March 22 in an awards ceremony at Timmermann Center.

Tech. Sgt. (ret.) Charles E. Wentzell, age 86, of Salem, walked sharply down an aisle lined with veterans and civilian supporters holding American flags. He stood proudly on stage accompanied by Col. Giordano McMullen and Army Lt. Col. Michael Worth, Mobilization Readiness Battalion commander. As he accepted the numerous awards, Sergeant Wentzell said his toes still tingled from the frostbite he suffered during his escape from a Chinese prison camp almost 60 years ago.

It is the story behind those awards that matters the most. Sergeant Wentzell's story is the saga of a prisoner of war, a Soldier and Airman, a man who twice volunteered to serve his country.

Sergeant Wentzell joined the Army in 1942 and completed basic training at Fort Dix. A year later he volunteered to be a gunner in the Army Air Corp aboard a B-17 bomber with the 95th Bomb Group, 13th Combat Wing, 8th Air Force, England.

After flying more than 30 bombing missions over Germany, Sergeant Wentzell left the military. It was a decision that didn't last long. After just five years, he was drawn back into the military with a mission to serve in the Korean War. He enlisted in the Air Force to satisfy his taste for flight, but none of the conflicts he saw in World War II equaled what he would endure in Korea.

"We were all standing up for freedom," Sergeant Wentzell said. "This is what America is all about."

As hostilities escalated in Korea, the United Nations Security Council recommended a unified command of allied forces in Korea. President Harry Truman appointed Gen. Douglas MacArthur as commander in chief, United Nations Command.

The U.S. forces under General MacArthur's command included four divisions- Republic of Korea First Calvary Division, the 7th, 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions. As part of the 7th Division ROK, Sergeant Wentzell was a radio operator on a jeep directing air attacks.

The 7th Division was ordered to retrieve air-dropped supplies on a frozen, snow-covered spot in North Korea Oct. 24, 1950. Sergeant Wentzell had an essential role as the radio operator, serving as a spotter for direct air-attacks.

"We made it to the Manchu border when we were ambushed," Sergeant Wentzell said.

The 7th Division was surrounded by Chinese forces the next day, but the Soldiers fought their way out of the encirclement after suffering heavy casualties. Every Soldier in the division was either killed or wounded.

"The enemy closed in, and we had orders to fight back," Sergeant Wentzell said. "We fought them off as long as we could until the others made it back to safety."

The battle that began with uneven odds escalated into an overwhelming attack by the Chinese. Sergeant Wentzell and four others held off the enemy to allow the other men an opportunity to scramble to safety. Sergeant Wentzell was the last line of defense. Overpowered by the troops, he was taken prisoner.

"We tried the best we could, but they surrounded us," he said. "They took me to a farm house in a Chinese prison camp and interrogated me."

The POWs were given only frozen rice balls to eat and had to lay them in the sun to warm them so they could be eaten. For three months, Sergeant Wentzell braved the cold in the prison camp with other prisoners.

"At the farmhouse where they kept us, there were two gates on opposite ends, but one gate didn't have a guard for a short time at night every day," Sergeant Wentzell said. "After three months, one day I wrapped my shirt around my feet to use as shoes and ran."

Without food or water, Sergeant Wentzell was on the desperate run for safety for 13 days in mid-December.

"I ran for days and finally saw a troop," he said. "I took a fifty-fifty chance they were American."

Sergeant Wentzell was in luck, and the troops were American Soldiers.

"I don't remember which troop, but I was sure happy to see them," Sergeant Wentzell said.

Sergeant Wentzell ended up in Walter Reed Hospital. He was formally discharged from the service without his uniform, without any recognition.

After that discharge, Sergeant Wentzell was a truck driver for Cross Trucking. He is a widower with one son, Charles T. Wentzell, and a grandson who is in the Army.

Retired Civil Air Patrol Maj. Edward Rohan, who spends his life helping war veterans, became good friends with Sergeant Wentzell at a Christmas party at the Vineland Veterans Facility in 2007.

"I want everyone to be proud," Major Rohan said. "It is not the medals that are important."

"It is about this kind of recognition for all of the military, not just the Army and Air Force."

When Major Rohan submitted paperwork to get Sergeant Wentzell the awards to which he was entitled, a package full of medals arrived in the mail. Sergeant Wentzell was never formally presented with any awards, and Major Rohan decided it was time.

"Far too often we overlook those who deserve recognition. We must remember that some gave a lot, some gave a little and some gave it all," Major Rohan said. "We sleep well at night, yet forget to thank our deserving military heroes both past and present. That's why we are here. Tech Sgt. Charles E. Wentzell is one of those heroes. This recognition of his contribution to this country is far overdue."

Sergeant Wentzell was escorted to his medal ceremony by the Warriors Watch Motorcycle Riders and Department of Defense Police.

"This was the best day of my entire life," Sergeant Wentzell said.

(Reporter Jennifer Chupko may be reached for questions or comments about this story at jennifer.a.chupko@us.army.mil.)

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History told by a hero