Korea winter weather

Media

Part of The Philippine Educator

Title: Korea winter weather
Language: English
Year: 1953
Rights
Fulltext: ( By Captain RO~ERT ANSTEY QMC, U. S. Army HE winter weather in Korea is an e1oerr.y, and it must be fought constantly in order to avoid injuries or casualties. Cold weathe1 injuries can cause crippling or even amputation if troops are not adeqtately protect6d against them. The remarkable record of Pl-.ilippine contingents to United Nations Forces in Korea in regard to avoiding cold weather injuries is well known. This record, however, was the result of careful training, and diligent fqllow-up action on the part of the officers and men of these battalion combat teams. It has been proven that cold weather injuries are a result of carel()ssness, lack of knowledge of how to use winter clothing, and unfamiliarity · with cold weather conditions. If one United Nations commander in Korea in November, 1951, had made the correct estimate of the situation in regard to the potential weather and ground surface conditions, he would not have subjected his troops to falling temperature and wet ground while wearing leather combat boots when the already issued shoepacs had been left in rear areas in his regimental supply train. This example of misjudgment plus a second in another unit, contributed one-third of the total number of cases of frostbite for the winter of 1951-52. Because inother commander did not authorize a rest halt during a six hour motor march in February, 1951, one battalion in Korea contracted 110 cases of frostbite. In one highly trained combat outfit, the cold weather casualtie!. ran to 42 percent of the frontline infantrymen, in another highly trained combat outfit the 8 casualties due t(; cold weather were practically nil. Why is there such a difference in two units fighting under similar conditions and trained for combat? , Lhe - answer is that on~ outfit knew about Korean weather and how to live under• cold conditions - the other outfit didn't have cold weather training. The following discussi.an is intended as background information for unit commanders who will serve in •Korea, or in a similar type of climate, in order to familiarize them with expected winter weather conditions and how to 'Protect their troops against these conditions. Climatic Synopsis - The Korean climate is one of great ranges and 1-aplli r changes in temperature. This is especially true in the winter season when the monsoon winds bring cold air masses out of the Asiatic (landmass. In Korea, wintrr weather ~sually begins with freezing night time temperatures during October. In · some years, however, freezing temperatures may be experienced in mountainous areas during the latter part of September. During these months the lowest temperatures are usually recorded just before daWJ\, The days continue to be warm. As the season advances the length of the cold period increases each day, and the temperatures continue to drop. The first snows usually fall in November, but the lower· ing temperatures and wet ground conditions from September to December can be described as COLD-WET climate, and requires the use of some or all of the Cold-Wet uniform. Beginning · usually in December, but. sometimes in November, the extreme low temperatures, especially at night, require . 11:· KOREA WINTER WEATHER 9 ~ · the· full use of cold weather clothing in\ most parts of 'Korea. This requirement is continuous thr01fgh January and Feb· ruary. During this time snow drifts accumulate on the northerv slopes of mountains and in shaded valleys. Cold north winds blow through the valleys, and temperatures frequently fall below zero. These are COLD-DRY conditions, but they do not occur for sufficiently lontf periods of time to warrant the use of the) Cllmplete Cold-Dry uniform. The Cold-Wet uniform ha~ h1en supplemented by the parks and liner from the ColdDry uniform to protect the troops in this extremely cold weather. · .,Some snow may fall as late as the , middle of March, and freezing temperatures have been recorded in mountainous areas as late as the first week in May even though there are frequent rains and the ground is u'sually wet. The climate from March to May can be described as COLD-WET.' In the area between the thirty-eighth " ') - .. . , ' I and thirty-ninth parallels in Korea the average of day-time temperatures during November is 50°F, but at night the average is only 280F. In December average day temperatures 0:-op to 35°F and night time averages are between 1 13°F ,and 18°F. It should be noted that the lowest temperature ever recorded at Kumwha in December was 22°F. In January, the coldest month, the a;yerage of day-time temperatures is only 299F, while those at night drop to 8°F. A low of 309F was recoTded at Chunyang in January, but such low temperatures do not occur every year. February is much like December in regard to temperatures, and succeeding months are prog1·essively milder. The above nverage temperatur'es must be considered as mid-point condi.tions. Half of the temperatures actually experienced during the month will be lower than these figures, and half will be higher. Daily fluctuations in temperature and highly irregular "~old snaps" Ac:c:us.ioniea to warm weather, Filipino tropps found Korea's winter painfully, cold. 10 PHILIPPINE ARMED FORCES JOURNAL must be expected througliout the winter. 'I'emperatures much lower than those given above have been recorded in the northern part of Korea, especially in mountainous areas. A low of 460F was recorded at Chungjin • near the Choshin Res\.1·voir, and 47°F was recorded at Chungganjin on the Yalu River. South of the thirty-eighth parellel the temperatures are higher, but even south of Pusan some statio!L have reported temperatures of zero degrees during January. The unevenness of temperature conditions may cause a false sense of security, in that troops on the south-facing slopes of an area, protected from the wind, will find that they are dressed too warmly and may want to throw away some of their clothing - but if the same troops would move to the north-facing slopes of the same area they would find much lower temperatures, necessitating employment of all cold weather precautions. Weather is especially critical in mountainous areas. While winter weather conditions are extremely cold throughout the season on the peaks, conditions in valley areas habitually alternate between Cold-Wet and Cold-Dry types of climate. Mountain weather is usually erratic and unpredictable. Mountain stations are the first to experience winter weather in the fall, and the last to be rid of it in the spring. Temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero may be expected anytime from the middle of November to the middle of February. Mountain temperatures are frequently 15 to 20 degrees lower than those in neighboring valleys, and temperatures of successive nights t may fluctuate as much as 20 degrees up or down. Also, there is a great change between the air temperatures in the sun on the mountains and in the shaded valleys. Temperatures normally rise fast after sunris~ and drop quickly after sunset, but some valleys are cut off from the sun during winter and remain cold all day. High peaks are more exposed to chilling winds than lower areas; this wind greatly reduces the effect of the sun's heat. Snowfall is a common winter phenomena in all parts of Korea. While snow usually melts after one or two days in most places, it will accumulate on the north-facirg slopes and in protected valleys throughout the winter. Snow will be lseen on the highest peaks early in November, and will stay there until March. The average snowjall per storm is less than two inches, but ,in January, 1953, a six feet snow fellton the island of Ullong off the east coast of Korea. In some instances snow will melt as it falls through the air - the troops stationed <m the higher peaks will report that it is snowing, but those in the valleys below will merely be ex~eriencing a cold r~i~. When the ground IS colder than the air, as it frequently tis in Korea, the precipitation will freeze as it hits covering everything with a layer of ice. Aso, when precipitation freezes as it falls t!-..e result is sleet, a hard granular type of ice. The result of all types of precipita- ' tion is wet ground conditions which is one of the greatest sources of cold weather injuries. . '' , Cold winds can also be a cause of injuries. By reducing the effective temperature of our surroundings, cold winds can conduct body heat away rapidly, and can flatten insulation to a point where it is na longer adequate to keep the body warm. The cooling effect of the wind is clf1le<l'- ' windchill. It is a resultant of low temperatures and high wind - but higher winds and lower temperatures do not have to be applied ii' the same proportion to arrive at a critical windchill factor. A 20 mile per hour wind with a temperature of 59F is more effective in cooling the bare skin than a 2 mile per hour wind with a temperature of 409F. If we would drive at a speed of 20 miles p,er hour in an open jeep when air temperatures were 329F, the effect of the air on ou~· body would be the same as that of a 109F temperature. , There are other weather phenomena that can be considered but it is of an academic interest rather than for practical application. The above mentioned conditions were selected because of their importance to the soldier - things that he should know about in order to prevent cold weather casualties. Cold Weather InjurieB - Injuries contracted from cold weather conditions have often caused the defeat of, or have impeded, mili[.ary ~xpeditions in the past. Napoleon's expedition into Russia( in 1812 f;!.!• ~:e C) J , , 1fur' ~ To combat the cold weather "enemy" in Korea, a new insul~ted rubber boot (above) has been issued to troops oin Korea. Replacing the shoe-pac, the rubber boot operates on the principle cJ sealed insulation, similar to a thermos bottle. It has been acclaimed by experts in Artie exploration a' the best protection against wet-cold such as found in Korea. (USA Photo) fc. is one of the best known defeats by cold weather. Valley Forge nearly became the grave of the American Army in 1778 be, • ca1~e of frostbite. In World War II the American Forces in Europe incurred over 55,000 cold weather casualties. Many of these were trenchfoot contracted during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1!>44-45 when ter~peratures averaged just below freezing, and wet ground conditions were common. During the winter of 1950-51 in Korea the Eighth Army reported approximately 5,100 cold weather casualties of which only 320 were trenchfoot cases. A large major,ity were frostbite cases. The extreme low temperatures in the Korean mountains produce arctic conditions and frequently cause frostbite. A vigorous program of cold weather training, including the proper use of cold weather clothing and equipment, and the introduction of the insulated rubber comhat boot, substantially reduced the number of cold weather injuries during the winter of 1951-52. At the close of the critical weather period - March 15th - a total of only 1011 cases had been received at the hospital designated to treat such injuries. The numb&r of these casualties was further rE'duced , during the winter 9f i952-53. Cold weather injuries inclu"de'\frosteite, chilblains, snow blindness, trenchfoot and immersion foot. In general, all of these eventually can cause similar disab!Ong injuries. Trenchfoot and fro~tbite can cause permanent crippling and amputation. Frostbite. When a person's skin is exposed to the cold, the small blood vessels of the skin contract and cut down the flow of blood to the chilled tissues. If the exposure is sudden and the external cold severe, the result may be frostbite. The local circulation of the blood stops and the exposed area turns blue as the oxygen supply is shut off. The skin • becomes white, the flesh hard, and the area numb. Activity within the cells ceases and ice crystals may form. The final stage is a hard freezing of the area. This process may take on!y a few minutes in low temperatures. The best treatment is to stop the freezing at the earliest stages. If you feel cold and suspect that your feet or hands are freezing apply wannth in anyway possible, by placing your hand over the area to warm it or to ask a friend to place the freezing member inside his clothing or under his arms to warm it with the heat from his body. I~ the member is not yet frozen, exerciSE\ it to iml . 12 PHILIPPINE ARMED FORCES JOURNAL prove circulation of the blood. If the part is actually frozen, handle it very carefully. Do not rub a frozen area or try to walk on frozen feet sjnce that will cause a breakdown of 11 the frozen tissue. Massage around the frozen area. Warming t'tie body with both external heat and hot liquids taken internally will relieve the condition. Often frostbite can be seen on the face or ears before it is felt. It first appears as a small white spot, which continues to grow. If it is stopped at this stage, no harmful effects will be experienced. In freezing weather you should ask your friends to inspect your face and ears for signs of frostbite. Since frostbite is the most common type of cold weather injur~ in Korea, unit commanders should be especially active in its control ami prevention. Frostbite can be prevented by wearing adequate clothing, and using this clothing in the most efficient manner. Special attention should be given to covering the ears, nose, l\ands, and feet, because these are the areas where frostbite is the most prevalent. If clothing is used for purposes .other than that for which it was designed, or if any item is not properly fitted or fastened, the individual may be subject to cold weather injury. Chilblain. In some instances when a part of the body becomes cold it may itch or feel sore. This is chilblain, and should not be confused with frostbite. The color of the chilled area may be red, or it may appear white. The soreness or itch usually goes away when the part is warmed, massaged or exercised. Indivi• duals who have experienced frostbite will often. have chilblains in the previously frozen part whenever the weather becomes cold or damp. Snow blindness. Sun burn of the eyeballs is called snow blindness. Vision be. comes blurred, the eyes itch and may become extremely painful. It can be prevented by wearing sun goggles or slittype goggles to reduce the glare of snow and reflected light rays. Snow blindness is rarely experienced in Ko:-ea because of the normal absence of great expanses of uninterrutped anow fields. Trenchfoot. In Cold-Wet weather the most common cold injury is trenchfoot. It is esp'rcially prevalent when troops I are immobilized, and cannot get dry socks Jr cannot dry-out their bo.ots, such as in trench-type warfare. Soldiers with poor circulation of blood jn their feet, or those who have constricted . the circulation of blood by tight fohtgear, belts or rubber bands around their legs, are most susceptible. Prolonged standing or Ion~ hours spent in an upright or crouching p~sition in Cold-Wet weather is also a contributing factor. Trenchfoot can develop in only twenty to thirty-six hours, depending on physical differences of ~ndividuals and environmental conditions at the time of the injury. The presence of cold moisture causes a contraction of the small blE><X! vessels of the foot, as in frostbite. Wet, chilled feet slowly become numb, the ' soles of the feet sting at first and anklesache; finally, the feet have no feeling at all. During this time tl'le feet appear white, puffy, and deeply wrinkled, similar to the way they would look 'if you had been swimming all day. In this condition the skin is easily broken, especially if a person attempts to walk. Even if infection does not set in, the macerated foot will swell and become red and painful when the blood vessels<. di· late after becoming warm and dry to allow the return of blood to the part. Gan· grene may set in. The amount of dead tissue depends on tll:l length of time the cold moisture has caused constricting of the small blood vessels and blocking of the oxygen supply to the tissues of the foot. When this condition has existed for several days the part may have to be amputated, just as in frostbiti!: Trenchfoot can be prevented by following few simple rules. You must 'try to keep your feet dry as possible by avoid· ing needless walking or standing in water. If your feet become wet, you must remember to change to dry socks at least once a day, use foot powder, dry out your boots, and wear waterproof footgear if it is available. Restore circulation by massaging the feet. A void tightness in your clothing and footgear. Remember to exercise your feet. You will not contract trenchfoot if you are on the move. If you become immobilized move )'Qur toes, twist your ankles back and forth, arch your i?Ot, al\d try to ball Y.our toes in order to keep up circulation. of the ~, ·~ t.~r :Ill d ~ illlo Otl .:q II m~ ~~ rr.IIlur! ~ WI\ frt & gat pill li!ar ul ~!· ia!Jy til !nd l'iioalG~n· iciJ !Iii g ,, , ~ 'tU iJ'.d ~~ ~· 111 rcit n· ::11 IIIli ~ I~ ~~ ~ "" ~ - ~ !til •ibl " ... KOREA WINTER WEATHER 13 blood in your feet. Do not expect you,r clothing and · footgear to give you full protection. You must help yourself. Immersion foot. The appearance of immersion foot in .any one of its stages is much like trenchfoot! The chief difference between the two is the temperature lit which the injury occurs. Trenchfoot is contracted when the moisture around the feet is near freezing, but immersi_,n foot occurs at higher temperatures within th)e Cold-Wet range. The treatment and precaution!! against these injuries are the (j same. Remember to keep your mind thawed out and you can protect yourself against ttese effects of the winter weather in such places as Korea. In addition to the specific points mentioned above, there are a few general rules that should be remembered when operating in cold areas: Wear your clothing in layers in order to obtain the maximum amount of insulation. wear your clothing loosely so as to keep from constricting the flow of blood to your extremities where it is needed in cold weather. Keep the closures on your clothing fastened to retain body heat, but open to ventilate your clothing to prevent perspiration that may freeze in your clothing. Keep your clothing dry, both insjde and outside because moisture is a source of trouble in cold climates. Dry clothing is usually -l,.arm clothing. Troops from areas that have cold winters will instinctively know how to take care of themselves \)hen the temperature drops below zero, but for others a period of training is necessary to acquaint them with these fundamentals. Even men who have lived in areas with cold winters have difficulty keeping warm when they are faced with field conditions, living in the open, and being deprived of the many comforts of home and civil life. NoUody can afford to take chances in cold climates. Commanders of units destined to serve in such places as Korea should make sure that their men are adequately trained to know what kind of weather to expect, and how to take proper precautions in order to prevent ~old weather injuries. A PEFT(,)K off:~er in Korea has some frolic with ice blocks. .. .. The production4:1ine layout of the AFP ordnance and Engineer Base Shop will be similar to that of the Fuchu Ordnance Shop in Tokyo, Japan which the AFP-JUSMAG ordnance team visited last June. The plans for the proposed AFP Base Shop were finally approved on August 22, 1953 by Major General Robert Milchrist Cannon, chief of the Joint United States Military Advisory Group in the Philippines. The approval was communicated to Lt Col Bias A Alejandre by Col Denver Wilson, G-4 advisor; Lt Col William Stanford, ordnance advisor; and Lt Col Philemon Dusault, engineer advisor to the Armed Forces. This paves the way to an early realization of tpe base project. The aforementioned JUSMA.G offi.cers have been . 14 inc;trumental in the planning of the proposed military installation . . &!rd lalienl n~l Jtsll ~~~ tmol !IIIJII u~ ~~I l'i~ u lllt:t "aOO ~~! the , f!ll~ ~~ey,l ng IO II'~W! Ut<t-1 - Wi~ Ar11ie lUSH! h~H L!Co1 ~Co Al~oi B~.\ llrt ~ n~t l4iif ~~ .\ IAFFE ron tQ -~~. ~~It r~: ttr(~ ·~(.