Change of squadrons...a few weeks ago I posted we were going to be part of the 79th Fighter Squadron once at Shaw. Well, I received confirmation yesterday in an email from the 77th Fighter Squardon Commander that I'll be a part of the Gamblers. The new motto...Double Down! The time is quickly approaching when I will leave Korea and the Pantons and head back to the USA. It's already less than 3 weeks away! Having been in Europe / Korea for the past 4 years, I may have a bit of a culture shock to get over once I'm back. I know Lana will, but we're looking forward to a new location and adventure as we get settled in a new place...it's God's plan for us and we're excited about it!
Where in the USA is it summer all year around, do you find both Spanish and Japanese influence in it's history and the locations of a major US military offensive during WWII? Yep, it's Guam! Lana and I just finished a week traveling around Guam...our last trip before leaving Korea. It was filled with both sun and rain (a typhoon had just passed the island a couple days prior to our arrival), but still was a very enjoyable and relaxing vacation for us both before the baby arrives! There are two US military bases on Guam, and we stayed on the US Naval Base since it is more centrally located on the island and because Andersen AFB would not guarantee room availability before arriving.
Our days usually started with a trip to the base gym and then making a determination on what we thought the weather would do. Thankfully we only had to wait one day for the sun and we were able to enjoy the beaches on both bases. Some of the nicest beaches on the island are located on the bases since they see less tourists and are in great locations...a few times Lana and I were the only ones enjoying the scenery. The Navy Base has Gab Gab Beach and a great lagoon at the bottom of old Spanish Steps (from sometime in the 1700s), while Andersen's most picturesque is Targue Beach. The lagoon reminded us of our time in the Philippines, and the best part was we had the whole place to ourselves during our time there! Both Gab Gab and the lagoon had great snorkeling! When we arrived at Targue Beach we could hardly believe we were on an Air Force Base...might be requesting an assignment there in the future when it's time for me to sit behind a desk for a few years. We finished our days with a nice meal, to include our favorite, Indian, a couple times!
The middle of the week was filled with clouds and rain, so Lana and I visited a few of the WWII memorial sites from the Battle of Guam, specifically where the Marines landed at Agat and Agana Beaches. I didn't realize Guam, or for that fact, most of the Mariana Islands were locations of major US battles against the Japanese during WWII. Probably one of the better known islands is Tinian, where the bombers took off to drop the Atomic bombs on mainland Japan. Apart from the memorial sites, there are many reminders of past war. On both bases, there are many Japanese pillboxes (or bunkers) cut into the sides of cliffs where soldiers waited for the coming attack from the USA. There are even remains of a US Marine Corps F-4U Corsair crash out in the jungle on the the Navy Base.
The last couple of days cleared up again, so naturally we spent the time at the beach snorkeling and enjoying the sun. Early Friday morning we took a boat out just of the west coast of the island and were soon surrounded by many dolphins. Had I been quicker with the camera, I'd have a picture of a couple of them jumping out of the water. Sadly, our enjoyable trip came to an end and now we're back in Korea wrapping up our last few weeks. Perfect timing...today was Korea's first snow fall of the winter. Can you say a drastic change of climate?!
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When a Panton leaves the 35th Fighter Squadron, we have a party to remember their year or two in the squadron and wish them the best as they move on to their next assignment. We call this party a Sweep, which has many traditions. One of these traditions is the Sweep shirt you see Lana and I in below. This past weekend we had a Sweep, and it's both exciting and sad to realize we'll be "swept" away at the next Sweep in December. As much as there is to dislike about Kunsan, Lana and I have come to enjoy our time here in Asia with the many new friends we have made over the past year on base and from our church. It's been MUCH better now that Lana is with me more due to the fact she's on maternity leave while pregnant.
We will be spending Thanksgiving with some good friends of ours who are stationed at Osan before enjoying a great week in Guam the following week. Upon our return, we'll have 3 weeks to pack up, outprocess the base and celebrate Christmas and New Years together. The 2nd of January we'll be wheels up on a plane bound for the USA...essentially 4 years after I left the USA bound for Italy. God has been good and we're looking forward to what He has for us in the years to come!
Lana and I spent Veteran's Day at Naejangsan National Park (내장산), which is about 1 hour from Kunsan. It was a perfect blue sky day for a hike in the park after the previous few had been filled with clouds and rain. The temperature was pleasant and some of the trees still had their colored leaves on them... shades of red, orange, and yellow. We had such a good time and are a little bummed we didn't do more hiking in the parks around over the past 10 months or so.
After parking, we entered the park and hiked about a mile to the gondola station which ran about 1000' up a small mountain where we had a nice view of the valley below. We also had lunch, even though there wasn't too much we found appetizing...would you like bugs for lunch, seriously?! Since it was such a nice day, we hiked down from the mountain to a temple complex. It was made up of many different buildings, most of which had a idol of Buddha inside and Koreans worshiping. It reminded me of Psalm 115 where is says, "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but they cannot feel; they have feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot make a sound with their throat. Those who make them will become like them, everyone who trusts in them."
It was a great day for Lana and I...it's these days together here in Korea where we appreciate the chance we've had to live in Asia. If the temperature doesn't drop too quickly and we have another spare weekend, we hope to do the same again. Six weeks and counting...
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Naejangsan National Park
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This past weekend Lana and I finally made it to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. The DMZ was established roughly along the 38th parallel at the end of the Korean War in 1953 and runs the entire width of the peninsula...155 miles. The DMZ is a 4km wide "zone" of land providing a 2km buffer on the north and south sides of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Each buffer line is marked by a tall fence with barbed wire and observation posts every now and then to sound the alarm in case of an attack from the north.
The main sites we visted were the Joint Security Area (JSA), Dorasan Station and Tunnel 3. The JSA is where high level talks used to take place between Generals of North and South Korea. It has also been the location of a few fights over the years at tensions always are high. Even though it has become a well known tourist attraction, we could even feel the tension in the air while there. Directly across the MDL in the JFA is a well known North Korean building where a lone soldier stands at the top of a set of steps and peers through a set of binoculars every now and then. From the JSA the "Propaganda Village" can also be seen...a town built to make viewers think everything is just fine in the North when in reality people outside the military have it very tough. Dorasan Station is the northern most railway station in South Korea. The tracks actually connect the two countries, but is rarely used. For some, it is a symbol of hope that one day the North and South will be reunited. Towards the end of our trip we visited a Tunnel 3 or the Third Tunnel of Aggression. In all, 4 tunnels have been found crossing underneath the DMZ from the North. It wasn't found until 25 years after the war ended, so it's unknown how many soldiers actually crossed through before it was found.
Touring the DMZ again reminded me of why we still have so many American troops in South Korea. I personally don't think North Korea will attack merely because the leadership isn't willing to give up their control (they would because we'd crush them if a war broke out), but it's not worth gambling with the lives of the South Koreans until they are fully able to take care of themselves.
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Change of squadrons...a few weeks ago I posted we were going to be part of the 79th Fighter Squadron once at Shaw. Well, I received confirmation yesterday in an email from the 77th Fighter Squardon Commander that I'll be a part of the Gamblers. The new motto...Double Down! The time is quickly approaching when I will leave Korea and the Pantons and head back to the USA. It's already less than 3 weeks away! Having been in Europe / Korea for the past 4 years, I may have a bit of a culture shock to get over once I'm back. I know Lana will, but we're looking forward to a new location and adventure as we get settled in a new place...it's God's plan for us and we're excited about it!
