"Frozen Chosin" M1 Garand Match

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  • Last Post 24 November 2011
Wally Enga posted this 06 February 2011

After a long spell of sub zero temps here in the Dakotas, we got a break and it warmed up to a balmy 28F or so just in time for our annual “Frozen Chosin” M1 Garand match.

The bad part of the warmup was that it came with freezing rain and snow --- made seeing the bullet holes at 200 yards a challenge.

Still we had a great turnout of about a dozen die hard Garand shooters plus a few Mod Scope entries and some respectable scores shot for the conditions.

Jeff has the results posted on the CBA Web Site now at:

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/military/2011/pdf/dakota/dakota02052011_web.pdf>http://www.castbulletassoc.org/military/2011/pdf/dakota/dakota02052011web.pdf

Wally

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Wally Enga posted this 06 February 2011

A real winter wonder land. ;)

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JeffinNZ posted this 06 February 2011

You people or just plain nuts! LOL. Good on you all.

Cheers from New Zealand

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cityboy posted this 06 February 2011

I agree with JeffinNZ.

Jim

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LWesthoff posted this 06 February 2011

Sheesh!!! One look at that picture of the range with the target frames out there and I had to go in the living room and back up to the wood stove for a while. One thing, tho; it'd be pretty hard to overheat a barrel under those conditions....

But I'm afraid I agree with Jeff. You guys are crazy.

Wes

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Wally Enga posted this 06 February 2011

No Wes --- I don't believe that.  An old Battle Rifle shooter that can still shoot scores with iron sights like you do would be out there with us. :)

Actually, this is probably the most enjoyable, pure fun match we shoot all year ---gets us out of the Cabin Fever mode and out shooting.

Take Care

Wally

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tturner53 posted this 07 February 2011

Sounds like fun. I'm sure I'd last long enough to get off one shot. Here it is 70 today, shorts and t-shirts. I suspect I'm behind the curve on the story behind this match, but by the spelling I'd guess there's a connection to the Korean War. If I got that right and there's vets among you, thankyou and well done. What little I know about that valley is from tv, but it sure looked like hell to me. I have a very late M1 Garand, possibly a Korean vet, and I am proud to have it. I wish it could talk.

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raytear posted this 07 February 2011

To all you guys who shoot in the Frozen Chosin Match

To many folks such an exercise may sound a bit nuts. It certainly has a bit of whimsy attached no matter how we might try to change that.   However, for whatever personal reasons you each may have for participating, I salute you all for keeping alive the memory of one of the most grueling and magnificent feats of US arms ever performed by any generation of our troops. The movement from the Chosin Reservoir was truly a case of “attacking in a different direction.” While many lives and much equipment was lost, the mere fact that as many lives were saved, as much equipment brought out, and so many of the dead recovered stands as its own testimony to the courage and pure grit of those who actually did the deed.

Company, ATTENTION!

Present ARMS!   (15 count) Order ARMS!

Dismissed!

Good shooting! Ray Tear

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Wally Enga posted this 07 February 2011

Thanks Ray

Considering what has been taught in our Govt school system the last few decades --- I would bet that the average high school or college student not only has never heard of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir but probably even the Korean War.

In the 1980's, I flew a number of Commercial & MAC Charter flights into Kimpo and Osan Air Bases near Seoul.  I was astounded to see thousands of Korean students protesting on the streets the US Military presence there.

How soon they have forgotten that it was because of the sacrifices of this Military that they aren't also starving and sitting in the dark as they do in the North under some tyrant like Kim Jong-IL.

Wally

 

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MKastning posted this 07 February 2011

This shoot was wonderful! I think the end of the winter shooting hibernation is here.

Thanks to Tom Knadel for educating me about the battle. No way I as going to gripe about the conditions at the match after hearing a bit about Korea. (The dates of the war missed me by a generation or so.)

Thanks again for the great shoot, Wally. Next year, I am going to go with a fatter bullet and see if I can wrestle that trophy from you!

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Tom Acheson posted this 07 February 2011

Wally,

We have our version of this up here in warm sunny Minnesota on 19 Feb. There are no cast bullets being used (that I'm aware of) and its a 60-round multi-position match. But...they don't make us old farts start each stage from a standiing position. We get to get situated before the whistle blows and the timer starts. Everything is at 100-yards. This will be my 5th consecutive participation.

Can't wait....

Tom

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mustangt7 posted this 27 February 2011

If our boys could do it when it was 40 below what would 28 have felt like to them then? We had our Korean War Memorial shoot last weekend here where I live. I just got my own Garand and was wringing her out last weekend on the 100 yd range. Next year I will compete in that match.

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Wally Enga posted this 28 February 2011

mustang7 ”€œ I'm sure you will really enjoy shooting your Garand --- probably the greatest battle rifle of all time.

Yep, we lucked out and got some pretty warm temps for South Dakota in early Feb.

At the risk of turning this into a political thread ---  I would like to comment  a little more on what Ray Tear so aptly stated above:

“ I salute you all for keeping alive the memory of one of the most grueling and magnificent feats of US arms ever performed by any generation of our troops. The movement from the Chosin Reservoir was truly a case of “attacking in a different direction.” While many lives and much equipment was lost, the mere fact that as many lives were saved, as much equipment brought out, and so many of the dead recovered stands as its own testimony to the courage and pure grit of those who actually did the deed.”

When a 100,000 or so Chinese troops surrounded the US / UN forces at the Chosin Reservoir it ---began in an incredible effort --- the longest retreat in US Army history under just brutal weather, terrain and combat conditions and ultimately resulted in the cease fire at the 38th Parallel. When you look at a satellite night view of the Korean Peninsula now --- over 60 years later you can still see the results of this battle. The bright glob of lights just to the South of the 38Th Parallel is Seoul --- and to the North is tens of millions sitting in the dark and starving. 

Wally 

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frank l jr posted this 28 February 2011

hey guys, you certainly have a large set of very insulated cods. i'm setting in s e texas, 76 f wind blowing 23=30 mph, sun shining, marvelous, but i think i would pass on your match, thanks anyway!!!!most folks of today don't even know of choisin, i was only 12=13 but remember it like yesterday. had people envoled. guess that qualifys me as an old fart.i've been practicing for a long time. keep the faith frank l jr see ya        :fire:fire:fire

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mustangt7 posted this 28 February 2011

Wow!!! Wally, that is a slap in the face to wake you up. I knew those poor people were in the dark but that is as stark an example as you can get. That lone light must be Kim Jong Il's pad there. As an aside my dad served in Korea and when I showed him my “new girlfriend” well all I have to say is the look on his face was worth every penny I paid for that rifle. He lit up with tears in his eyes and told me how he could tear her down and put her back together in the dark and had memeorized her serial number from when it was first issued to him. Now I can hardly wait to take him to the range so he can get reaquainted with her. And no, I won't get jealous!!!

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tturner53 posted this 01 March 2011

Like I said, what little I know about it is from TV, but I did see some things that made me wonder. What do you think of McAurthr's decisions? Did he go too far? Hang his men out in the wind? Should we have nuked 'em? We sure as hell could have. What's that mean for our troops now? Only way we could stop the Chinese army if they came down again. But now they're pretty sure we won't risk it.

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mustangt7 posted this 01 March 2011

It seemed to me that McArthur was blinded by his own brilliance. He claimed the Chinese would never enter the war. He seemed to think that he should have the power to conduct foreign policy as he saw fit and that the duly elected civilian authority should be ignored. I think Truman made the right decision to relieve him of command or we could have had a much worse situation than we did. At that time the Russians had just gotten the bomb in 1949 and there could have been a serious escalation of the conflict. I think he hung the troops out to dry from the stand point of not taking seriously all the intel reports that the Chinese were in the conflict even though he believed they weren't. That could have put a whole different spin on things as far as getting enough troops and material to combat the situation as it existed at the time. Today we are seen as weak as the communists thought we were then. Peace through strength is a good policy to have though it seems lost on the current administration.

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Uncle Russ posted this 24 November 2011

I have shot in the “Frozen Chosin” in Kennewick a couple times and really had a “BLAST"! Really, Greg puts on one heck of a match and his prizes of cans of .30 cal ammo are really cool. Some to the winner for winning----some to the low man for practice. Way “COOL". Greg also gives a little dissertation on the history of the day which helps make it special. Showing up for the second day of fun in the cold and wind is almost like the real deal As I can only imagine. My war was a few hundred miles to the south with a little more balmy weather. Sorry Greg your last name escapes me but you and your wife did one hell of a job. The individual pictures of everyone were a nice touch also. Thank you again.:thumbsup:

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