Cold War Conversations

Tom Sullivan was a tank platoon commander in Korea in the early 1980s responsible for six tanks and their crew We hear why he joined the US Army, his training, and his first impressions of Korea in the Winter of 1982. He is assigned to Second Platoon, C Company, 1-72 Armor under the toughest Company Commander in the Brigade who had very high standards, no humour, and was a rigid disciplinarian with an uncompromising approach. Tom shares details of his fellow soldiers, including Vietnam veterans, the living conditions He explains the challenges of operating armour where the winter weather is brutal, and the majority of the terrain is hills, mountains, rice paddies, and dirt roads We discuss the threat the North Koreans posed and the scarce hope that reinforcements would arrive in sufficient time should the North Koreans decide to attack.   0:00 Introduction and background of Tom Sullivan 4:56 Training to become an armored officer and the role of international instructors 14:12 Arrival in Korea, transfer to Cam