Page 59 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine
P. 59
Alvin Hollingsworth An Outstanding arMY
Soldier Korean War
by Larry Williams
Hollingsworth I can’t swim. I think the Lord was
was inducted in looking out for me.”
Amarillo and
sent to Ft. Sill, Al moved inland and was soon
Oklahoma where attached to the 27th Infantry
he received Field (Wolfhounds), 25th Division.
Artillery Training. Recalling his difficult first
At Ft. Hood, he assignment, Al said, “We were
was assigned to advancing north when the
the elite force commander said, ‘We have some
known as the snipers in a cave that I want you
Army Rangers. to eliminate.’ He picked up a
Their job during flame-thrower and asked, ‘Do
the Korean War you know how to use this?’ I
was to probe, filled up the tank and strapped
scout, attack, it on ... I snuck up around one
and destroy side so the enemy could not fire
North Koreans on me. I stuck the nozzle in the
and Communist opening and pulled the trigger
Chinese. The until the flame-thrower was
Rangers had a empty. They ran out of the cave
reputation as on fire and finally slumped to
the best-trained the ground dead.” Recalling the
troops in the horrible scene, Al said, “I went
world. He was back to the commander and told
taught to handle him to never ask me to do that
ighty-nine-year-old any weapon, but again, and I didn’t!”
Korean War veteran Alvin “I had too many broken bones, so “My second time in combat was
EHollingsworth wants to be I didn’t go to Airborne training. when Company G had been
remembered as “a good soldier.” I was assigned to special forces, overrun. The North Koreans
Al was much more than a “good supporting Army infantry units.” had killed the commander. They
soldier”; he was a highly trained sent me and three other guys
Army Ranger who did his job After training, Al received orders out to find the enemy patrol
extremely well. to Korea. After a short leave, he
flew out to Camp Stoneman, and eliminate the threat. I had a
Alvin Pierson Hollingsworth’s California. “We were loaded carbine with an infrared scope.
story began on March 19, 1932. onto the U.S.S. E. T. Collins (AP- We found a ravine through the
He was the 9th of the ten boys 147). It took us 18 days, due to a mountains and figured that’s
and two girls born to Pierson storm at sea, before we landed in where the North Koreans were
and Annie in Denton, Texas. His Yokohama, Japan. We waited on coming through. I set the guys
father was a farmer who moved the water somewhere northwest up in the middle of the ravine. I
the family to numerous towns in of Seoul when some PT boats knew they would come in after
West Texas, eventually landing in came out to take us to the beach. dark. Sure enough, I saw the
Denver City where Al completed I prayed all the way to the beach! enemy, using my scope, coming
his schooling. After graduation in When we got close to the shore, down the ravine right at us. I told
1950, Al joined the Army. they said ‘Jump!’ I was in water the guys that I would take the
up to my neck. It’s a good thing; first shot and then they would
Lubbock Senior Link 59
