The Frozen Pond

Carlos stared across the frozen pond observing the movement in the hills and thinking about home. Carlos was a long way from home, where the weather was always warm and tropical. He had never seen snow before he left his Island, and now, he could not escape the snow and the terrible cold. He looked around and saw the misery in everyone’s eyes.

Carlos saw Juan fumbling to light a cigarette. The weather was so cold that Juan’s lighter struggled to light up the cigarette.

Carlos reached and over said, “Hey, let me help you with that.” Carlos grabbed the lighter and lit the cigarette, and Juan inhaled quickly to ensure it did not go out.

Juan handed over the cigarette to Carlos so that they could share in this small delight.

Juan asked, “can you believe this place?” “A year ago, I was fishing for a living and complained how hot the days were, and now I say I am a fool for complaining.”

Carlos smirked as he inhaled the cigarette and gave it back to Juan. Carlos said, “you are not the only one complaining.” “Not only am I missing the weather from back home, but I am missing the food.”

Juan laughed and said, “I could go for a nice plate of rice and beans and some pork.” “The food here is terrible, and we are lucky to have anything warm to eat.”

Carlos replied that it would be impossible to find plantains here. Carlos said, “I miss my grandmother’s maduros (sweet-tasting fried plantains).” Juan smiled and said, “Me too, brother!”

As Carlos and Juan were talking about food, gunfire erupted in the hillside. The Chinese were attacking again. Carlos looked down towards the frozen pond and saw the Marines turn to fire in the direction they were being attacked.

At that moment, Carlos heard his commanding officer yell at the men to gather their weapons and gear. They needed to move to another position to help cover the movement of the Marines away from the frozen pond.

Carlos and his fellow soldiers rushed to grab their gear and proceeded to move to another position where they would be in a better position to protect the Marines and block the movement of the Chinese.

Carlos rushed to a spot overlooking the hills and took a position. Juan was next to him doing the same thing. While getting settled in, the air erupted all around them as the Chinese opened fire on their position.

Fear gripped Carlos, but he knew he had a job to do. All the men of the 65th Regiment knew they had a job to do and began shooting back at the Chinese. Carlos aimed his rifle and fired across the valley to where the Chinese were located.

The fighting was intense. Carlos observed as some men struggled with their weapons that had frozen during the night. Some struggled to move as the bitterly cold wind made things worse, and their bare skin turned purple and black.

Carlos turned to Juan and asked, “are you ok?” Juan replied to him he was ok, but at that moment, a blast struck nearby, and neither Carlos nor Juan could hear what happened. The Chinese had fired a rocket in their direction, and it landed a few meters behind them. As their hearing return, they could hear the scream of wounded men.

Carlos looked at Juan and told him they needed to stay focused. The fighting was intense as the members of the 65th Infantry fought and pinned the Chinese on their side. Carlos could see that the Marines below in the valley were making their way out as this was happening.

Overhead, Carlos heard the sound of planes coming in low. He looked up and saw the F-86s strafe the hillside where the Chinese were positioned. Immediately after, more planes came in and dropped their bombs.

Carlos kept shooting his rifle until he heard a scream. He looked over and saw that Juan had been shot. Carlos rushed over to provide first aid. Juan had been shot in the shoulder and arm and bleeding profusely. Carlos could not find anything to bandage Juan’s wounds, so he decided to pack the wounds with frozen snow. He hoped that the extreme cold would help stop the bleeding.

Juan looked up and asked, “am I going to be ok?” Shock was setting in, and Carlos was trying to comfort his friend. Carlos knew he had to move Juan to get treatment. Carlos lifted Juan and began to move. At that moment, Carlos realized that his legs and feet were stiff and frozen. Despite the bullets flying nearby, Carlos pressed on despite the pain he felt in his feet. His boots were worn and exposed his left toes to the cold.

Carlos made it to the medic and laid Juan down. Despite his best efforts, Carlos saw that Juan had died. Carlos did not hear Juan’s last words as he struggled to carry him through the deep snow. Carlos felt helpless knowing that Juan would never feel the warmth of their home island and instead agonize over the fact that his friend died near the hellish frozen pond.

Carlos looked around, trying to determine where to go next. After what seemed liked hours, the fighting had subsided. It appeared the Chinese had pulled back from their position.

Carlos noticed that a lot of men from his regiment had been wounded and killed. As he stood there, Carlos’s commanding officer walked up and asked if he was ok. Carlos replied, “yes, Sir!” Carlos’s commander, a West Point graduate, looked at him and said, “the regiment did well and that everyone should be proud.”

Carlos was proud. He knew that the Boriqueeners were tough. The 65th Infantry was America’s all-Hispanic regiment composed of men from Puerto Rico. The Regiment had recently been re-assigned to the Marines and serve as the rear guard during the breakout.

Carlos realized that the intense fighting the 65th Regiment had just fought succeeded as the Marines completed the breakout. He felt sad his friend Juan did not make it, but he knew they would be leaving the area he cold the frozen pond.

Carlos realized that he mischaracterized the frozen pond. It was more than a mere frozen pond; it was a large reservoir. Where artillery rounds landed created small ponds in the icy surface and later refroze at night. Carlos looked at his map and saw the name of the reservoir. According to the map, Carlos and the Boriqueeners had fought in the Chosin Reservoir.

The Boriqueeners were ordered to move from their position and head south. They were to remain behind the Marines to ensure the Chinese did not attack them as they departed the Chosin Reservoir.

As Carlos moved through the cold and snow, he thought about home in Puerto Rico and the young family he was hoping to see again. A letter from his wife told him he was having another baby girl. Carlos prayed that he could get away from the frozen pond and the cold hellish land and see his new baby. The thought of his new baby gave Carlos the willpower to overcome the pain of the cold and the frostbite setting in his feet. As he walked, Carlos told himself, “I never want to see that frozen pond ever again in my life.”

By the next day, Carlos and his unit were miles away from the Chosin Reservoir and prepared for their next mission of helping secure the route to the harbor. Soldiers, Marines, and Korean civilians were making their way to the waiting ships that would take them to safer ground further south.

At that moment, Carlos thought about his friend Juan and their conversation about wanting rice and beans, grilled pork, and fried sweet plantains. At that moment, Carlos knew that the frozen pond would become a distant memory for the men of the 65th Infantry Regiment; however, in due time, the nation would remember and honor them for their bravery.