We'll Meet Again

ANN CURRY: A YOUNG MARINE THROWN INTO THE CHAOS OF THE KOREAN WAR... MAN: WE REALIZED WE WERE IN THE WAR, AND EVERYBODY'S SCARED TO DEATH.

ANN: YEARNING TO FIND THE HEROIC OFFICERS WHO BECAME LIFELONG INSPIRATIONS... MAN: IF THEY'RE STILL LIVING, THEY WOULD NOT THINK OF THEMSELVES AS A HERO.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK OF IT.

ANN: AND THE YOUNG MEDICAL ASSISTANT IN THE SAME WAR STATIONED ON A HOSPITAL SHIP.

ANN: WERE YOU PREPARED FOR WHAT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SEE ABOARD THAT SHIP?

MAN: NO.

YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE HOW HORRIBLY INJURED THEY WERE.

ANN: SEARCHING FOR HIS BEST FRIEND WHO GAVE HIM THE COURAGE TO CARRY ON.

ANY TIME THAT I NEEDED ANYTHING, HE WAS THERE.

CHARLIE PUTH: WE'VE COME A LONG WAY... ANN: THE TIDES OF HISTORY HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... OH, I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN... AND TORN LOVED ONES APART... WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN NOW THE SEARCH IS ON... TALK ABOUT WOW!

COME HERE, SIR.

TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

OH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU!

WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN AFTER WORLD WAR II, A NEW STRUGGLE EMERGED AGAINST COMMUNISM, AND IT STARTED WARS BOTH COLD AND HOT, INCLUDING THE SO-CALLED "FORGOTTEN WAR" IN KOREA.

[EXPLOSIONS] BEGINNING IN 1950, MORE THAN 1,300,000 U.S. SERVICEMEN WERE SENT TO KOREA, INCLUDING TWO VETERANS WHO WELL REMEMBER THE MEN WHO HELPED THEM SURVIVE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: 87-YEAR-OLD JIM OWEN LIVES IN PEARLAND, TEXAS, WITH HIS WIFE MARY.

ANN: LOOK AT THAT.

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL!

JIM: ISN'T THAT SOMETHING?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ALTHOUGH HIS TIME FIGHTING IN KOREA IS NOW MORE THAN 6 DECADES IN THE PAST, THE SENSE OF BROTHERHOOD AND LOYALTY JIM EXPERIENCED ON THE BATTLEFIELD HAS SHAPED THE MAN HE'S BECOME.

WHO IS THIS KID?

THAT KID IS ME.

JIMINY CRICKETS!

HOW OLD ARE YOU THERE?

20.

YOU WERE 20, BUT STILL!

SKINNY KID.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK, THE SON OF A WOMAN WHOSE FAMILY WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE HIM, JIM SPENT THE FIRST YEARS OF HIS LIFE SEPARATED FROM HIS MOTHER CAROLYN.

THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER, OF COURSE, IS BEING IN AN ORPHANAGE IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AT THE AGE OF 7, HE WAS REUNITED WITH HIS MOTHER, BUT IT WAS NOT TO LAST.

ON HIS 14TH BIRTHDAY, CAROLYN JOINED THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS AND DISAPPEARED AGAIN, LEAVING HIM THIS TIME TO SERVE IN JAPAN TOWARDS THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

THIS IS YOUR MOTHER.

YEAH, THAT'S MY MOTHER.

SHE'S SO YOUNG-LOOKING THERE.

YEAH, SHE IS.

WOW.

SHE HAD JUST GOTTEN INTO THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS THERE.

JIM: HERE I WAS WITHOUT MY MOTHER.

I WAS WITHOUT ROOTS AGAIN.

MY FEELING OF REAL LONELINESS AND NO ROOTS, THAT LEFT A SCAR OR SOMETHING ON ME THAT I HAD TO HANDLE FOR MANY YEARS.

ANN: YOU TELL A STORY OF A BOY WHO GREW UP WITH AN UNSTABLE BEGINNING.

JIM: I WAS VERY INSECURE, TREMENDOUSLY INSECURE.

WHO WAS MY FATHER?

'CAUSE I NEVER KNEW MY FATHER AT ALL.

NEVER MET HIM.

AFTER MY MOTHER LEFT, I WAS BOUNCING AROUND.

WELL, I WANTED TO BE SOMEBODY.

MAN: HUT!

TIME!

HUT!

HUT!

TIME!

HUT!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN AUGUST OF 1950, JIM, JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, MADE A DECISION THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY SHAPE HIS LIFE-- HE JOINED THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.

JIM: THE MARINES, AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, WAS AN ELITE OUTFIT, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO BE.

IT'S A SMALL UNIT...AND TO ME THAT'S WHERE HEROES ARE MADE.

THIS WAS LIKE BEING A PART OF SOMETHING, BEING A PART OF SOMETHING-- YEAH.

WHERE YOU WEREN'T ALONE ANYMORE.

YEAH.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT I THINK THAT'S TRUE.

JIM: WE WERE A PART OF MEN AT ARMS AT THE TIME WHEN OUR NATION NEEDED US.

WE REALLY CREATED A BOND THAT IS JUST AS STRONG TODAY AS IT WAS NEARLY 70 YEARS AGO.

I'D DO ANYTHING FOR THOSE MEN, AND THEY'D DO ANYTHING FOR ME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: JUST AS JIM WAS SIGNING UP, AMERICA ENTERED A MAJOR CONFLICT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.

HARRY S TRUMAN: KOREA IS A SMALL COUNTRY THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE IS IMPORTANT TO EVERY AMERICAN.

YOU JOINED KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A WAR GOING ON?

OH, YEAH.

A YOUNG MAN, ESPECIALLY THAT AGE, IS INVINCIBLE.

THEY THINK THEY CAN DO ANYTHING.

I LOVE MY NATION, AND SO I WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN IT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN THE WAKE OF WORLD WAR II, KOREA, FORMERLY PART OF THE JAPANESE EMPIRE, WAS SPLIT INTO TWO SOVEREIGN STATES, WITH AMERICA CONTROLLING THE SOUTH AND THE SOVIET AUTHORITIES THE NORTH.

A DIVIDING BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO ZONES WAS ESTABLISHED-- THE 38TH PARALLEL.

WITH THE ONSET OF THE COLD WAR, RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES BEGAN TO BREAK DOWN.

AND ON JUNE 25, 1950, THE NORTH KOREAN PEOPLE'S ARMY, SUPPORTED BY THE SOVIET UNION, POURED INTO SOUTH KOREA.

THE UNITED NATIONS, WITH THE U.S. AS ITS PRINCIPAL FORCE, SPRANG INTO ACTION.

TRUMAN: WE ARE UNITED IN DETESTING COMMUNIST SLAVERY.

WE KNOW THAT THE COST OF FREEDOM IS HIGH, BUT WE ARE DETERMINED TO PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST.

[GUNFIRE] ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE WAR IN KOREA HAD BEGUN.

JIM WENT TO FIGHT A FEW MONTHS LATER IN JANUARY 1951.

HE WAS ASSIGNED TO "L" OR LOVE BATTERY, 4TH BATTALION OF THE 11TH MARINE REGIMENT AS A GUNNER.

OH, MY GOODNESS!

THIS IS THE GUN!

YEAH.

THAT IS A SERIOUS PIECE OF MACHINERY.

YEAH.

HOW MANY MEN WERE ON THE CREW?

HAD 10 MEN.

AND THIS IS YOU?

THAT'S ME.

YOU'RE THE GUY WHO WOULD ACTUALLY PULL THE TRIGGER?

YEAH.

WOW.

AND HERE, WE'RE ON MESS DUTY.

IS THAT A MOTLEY-LOOKING CREW?

VERY MOTLEY.

THIS IS NOT YOU, IS IT?

AND THAT'S ME!

WOW!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ENTERING THE CONFLICT AS BROTHERS IN ARMS, MORALE WAS HIGH FOR JIM AND LOVE BATTERY.

JIM: MOST OF US WERE YOUNGER MEN.

WE LIKED ACTION.

AND WE REALLY FELT LIKE WE WERE GONNA WIN THE WAR, WE WERE GONNA PUT A STOP TO ALL OF THIS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: JIM WAS AMONG THE 60,000 MEN SENT TO BOLSTER U.S.

TROOPS.

[GUNFIRE] THE CHINESE HAD JOINED THE CONFLICT IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNIST NORTH KOREA, CAUSING A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WORE.

THOSE OLD SHOE PACKS WERE ALMOST USELESS.

YOUR FEET JUST STAYED COLD AND THEY GOT WET.

[EXPLOSIONS] ANN, VOICE-OVER: JIM ARRIVED IN THE AFTERMATH OF ONE OF THE WORST BATTLES IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

ON NOVEMBER 26, 1950, U.S. MARINES HAD BEEN AMBUSHED BY 80,000 CHINESE TROOPS IN A SURPRISE ATTACK AT THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR.

NOW, I MUST SAY, THIS IS... UP THERE IN THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT WAS COLD.

[GUNFIRE] ANN, VOICE-OVER: ENDURING SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES IN A 17-DAY SIEGE, THE AMERICANS AND THEIR ALLIES WERE FORCED TO RETREAT.

ALMOST 4,500 U.S. MARINES DIED OR WERE INJURED IN THE BATTLE, WHILE ANOTHER 7,000 SUFFERED INJURIES DUE TO THE EXTREME WEATHER.

JIM JOINED THE CONFLICT THAT SAME WINTER, WHEN MEMORIES OF THIS MASSACRE WERE STILL RAW.

JIM: AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING, AND IT WAS 20 BELOW ZERO.

NOW THAT IS COLD!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AS LOVE BATTERY WAS BEING PUSHED TO THE FRONT LINE, JIM STARTED TO FACE THE HARSH REALITIES OF WAR.

JIM: SO WE WOULD GO THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT LITTLE TOWNS, AND THEY WOULD BE JUST LEVELED.

YOU WOULD SEE THE BODY AND BODY PARTS.

SEEING THE CARNAGE, SEEING THE DESTRUCTION, WE REALIZED WE WERE IN THE WAR, AND EVERYBODY'S SCARED TO DEATH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN 1951, THE WAR IN KOREA SEEMED FAR AWAY FOR 21-YEAR-OLD TONY YBARRA, WHO WAS ENJOYING THE CALIFORNIA DREAM.

3 YEARS EARLIER, THE NAVAL RESERVIST HAD MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE DURING TRAINING NEAR LONG BEACH.

TONY: I RAN ACROSS THESE GIRLS PLAYING VOLLEYBALL ON THE BEACH.

AND I GOT INTERESTED.

ONE OF THEM WAS PRETTY.

HA HA HA!

REALLY PRETTY.

WOMAN: HE WAS A SAILOR, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, "STAY AWAY FROM THE SAILORS," YOU KNOW, BUT...NO.

HE KIND OF HUNG AROUND A LOT AND I STARTED TALKING TO HIM.

AND I SAID, "HE SEEMS PRETTY NICE."

I TOOK HER HOME.

I RODE WITH HER ON THE BUS.

HE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I LIVE SO HE'LL GET MY ADDRESS.

HA HA HA!

SO HE DID...

I GAVE HIM MY ADDRESS, YOU KNOW.

I SAID YOU CAN WRITE TO ME WHENEVER, SO WE STARTED WRITING TO EACH OTHER.... [PROJECTOR CLICKING] WOMAN: AH, THERE WE ARE.

I LIKE THAT ONE.

OH, I LIKE THAT PICTURE.

[PROJECTOR ADVANCES] WHERE... OH, YOUR MODELING DAYS IN SAN JOSE, RIGHT?

YEAH.

WOW!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BEING A RESERVIST IN THE NAVY WAS JUST ONE OF THE MANY JOBS TONY HAD TAKEN TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.

BUT AS THE WAR IN KOREA ESCALATED, TONY KNEW HIS CHANCES OF KEEPING OUT OF IT WERE SLIM, AND THAT WOULD MEAN BEING SEPARATED FROM BILLIE.

TONY: IN THE NAVAL RESERVE, WE WERE TOLD THAT "YOU'RE GOING TO BE ACTIVATED SOON BECAUSE YOU'RE NEEDED."

I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A GUNNER.

I DIDN'T WANT TO SHOOT AT PEOPLE.

SO I ASKED THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE NAVAL RESERVISTS, "IF I JOIN THE REGULAR NAVY, WOULD I GET A CHOICE OF WHAT I COULD DO WHILE IN THE NAVY?"

AND HE SAYS, "ABSOLUTELY.

SIGN UP FOR REGULAR NAVY."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: INITIALLY HOPING TO BECOME A U.S.-BASED NAVAL PHOTOGRAPHER, TONY WAS INSTEAD ENCOURAGED TO TRAIN AS A MEDICAL ASSISTANT OR CORPSMAN.

AND SOON AFTER HIS 9 WEEKS OF TRAINING FINISHED, ONE JULY MORNING IN 1951, A LETTER ARRIVED BEARING BAD NEWS.

AND SO YOU OPENED THE PAPER AND WHAT DID IT SAY?

THERE IT WAS.

KOREAN DUTY.

AND WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOSH.

I WON'T BE ANYWHERE NEAR MY GIRLFRIEND," YOU KNOW.

SO I CALLED HER.

"I'M BEING SENT TO KOREA, AND WE NEED TO SEE EACH OTHER."

WE DECIDED WE'LL GO UP AND GET OUR MARR--WE GOT OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE.

WOW!

SO, IT WAS LIKE THAT--BOOM BOOM.

JUST LIKE THAT, BOOM BOOM, RIGHT.

YOU'RE MARRIED.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ON AUGUST 19, 1951, JUST 9 DAYS AFTER TONY AND BILLIE GOT MARRIED, TONY LEFT FOR KOREA.

THAT GOOD-BYE MUST HAVE BEEN VERY INTENSE.

VERY INTENSE, YEAH.

'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

NO.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

NO.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: HAVING ONLY COMPLETED MINIMAL TRAINING, TONY HAD LITTLE IDEA OF THE TRAUMA HE WAS ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE.

[GUNFIRE] WHILE TONY WAS ON HIS WAY TO KOREA, JIM OWEN AND HIS UNIT WERE CAUGHT UP IN THE BRUTAL REALITY OF WAR ON A DAILY BASIS.

[GUNFIRE] THEY FOUGHT THE GRUELING CHINESE SPRING OFFENSIVE, AND NOW LOVE BATTERY WAS FIGHTING A DEFENSIVE CAMPAIGN NEAR THE 38TH PARALLEL.

JIM: THEY HAD WAVES, HUMAN WAVES, COMING AT MEN IN THE ARMY AND THE MARINES.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER OFFENSIVE.

YEAH.

THEY'D BLOW THESE BUGLES, AND THEY'D YELL AND START CHARGING.

IT WAS AWFUL.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AND FOR JIM, THINGS WERE ABOUT TO GET MUCH WORSE.

ON JULY 1, 1951, LOVE BATTERY FOUND ITSELF MAROONED UNDER HEAVY ARTILLERY BARRAGE.

[GUNFIRE] AND THE FIRST THING WE KNEW, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION RIGHT OVER TO OUR RIGHT... [EXPLOSION] AND WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

[EXPLOSIONS] WE WERE GETTING SO MUCH INCOMING.

[EXPLOSIONS] WE HAD TO BE OUT THERE SHOOTING BACK AT THE ENEMY WHEN THEY WERE SHOOTING AT US.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: INCREASING THE DANGER, THE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT BY ENEMY FIRE, LEAVING EACH GUNNER OPERATING BLIND, WITH NO CONTACT WITH COMMAND.

I HAD TO PUT THE NEW PRIMER IN, HAD TO GET READY TO FIRE THIS GUN.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT THE IMMEDIATE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER 3 DAYS OF ONSLAUGHT, JIM'S UNIT SUFFERED THE LOSS OF 2 OF ITS 6 GUNS, AND THE CASUALTIES STARTED TO MOUNT.

LOVE BATTERY WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE HOPE.

I WAS SCARED BECAUSE YOU COULD GET KILLED AT ANY TIME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT ALL WAS LOST, JIM WITNESSED AN ACT OF BRAVERY THAT HE HASN'T FORGOTTEN.

I LOOKED OVER IN THE MIDST OF THIS, AND I SAW THESE TWO... TWO LIEUTENANTS.

THEY WERE OUT THERE WALKING AROUND TO EACH GUN, ENCOURAGING THE MEN, SEEING WHAT THEY NEEDED.

WHATEVER PROTECTION I HAD...

THEY HAD NONE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MOVING FEARLESSLY FROM GUN CREW TO GUN CREW, THE LIEUTENANTS PERSONALLY RELAYED COMMANDS AND CALMED THEIR MEN, ENCOURAGING THEM INDIVIDUALLY TO NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT.

THEY TOOK TREMENDOUS RISKS.

THEY COULD'VE BEEN HIT.

THEY WERE FAITHFUL TO THEIR JOB, FAITHFUL TO THE MEN.

BUT IT WAS SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO SEE THOSE MEN COMING AROUND AND DOING THEIR JOB, EVEN THOUGH IT MEANT GETTING OUT THERE WHERE THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED AT ANY MOMENT.

[GUNFIRE] IF THEY'RE STILL LIVING, THEY WOULD NOT THINK OF THEMSELVES AS A HERO, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK OF IT BECAUSE THEY HELPED ONE YOUNG MAN WHOSE LIFE NEEDED SOMEBODY, SOME OTHER MAN, TO INSPIRE HIM AND LEAD HIM.

THEY INSPIRED YOU.

GREATLY.

I GUESS WITHOUT KNOWING IT... JUST THOSE TIMES, A FEW FLEETING MOMENTS THAT I SAW THEM SET THE MOLD FOR WHAT I WANT TO BE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 67 YEARS SINCE THAT DAY, BUT JIM SAYS THE HEROIC ACTIONS OF THE TWO BRAVE OFFICERS GAVE HIM THE COURAGE TO CARRY ON AND INSPIRE HIM TO THIS DAY.

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE GUYS?

I MEAN, DID YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES?

HAD YOU MET THEM BEFORE?

I KNOW THAT ONE OF THEM WAS NAMED RICE.

THE OTHER, I THINK IT WAS COFFEEN.

AND THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

YOU MEANT TO ME THE WORLD.

YOU SHOWED ME WHAT...

I WANTED TO BE, AS I GROW OLDER.

AND I'M ETERNALLY THANKFUL.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BY OCTOBER 1951, THE REALITY OF WAR WAS ALSO HITTING CORPSMAN TONY YBARRA, STATIONED OFF THE COAST OF PUSAN, ON THE USS "CONSOLATION," THE FIRST-EVER HOSPITAL SHIP WITH A HELIPAD ON BOARD.

NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER: LANDING A HELICOPTER AMBULANCE DIRECTLY ON A HOSPITAL SHIP.

PREVIOUSLY, CASUALTIES WHO HAVE BEING EVACUATED FROM BATTLE BY AIR, NOW PATIENTS CAN BE FLOWN RIGHT FROM THE FRONT TO THE OPERATING ROOM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SERIOUSLY INJURED MARINES COULD NOW BE IN SURGERY WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF BEING WOUNDED.

IT MEANT THAT MEN WHO WOULD HAVE DIED ON THE BATTLEFIELD HAD A GREATER CHANCE TO SURVIVE.

BUT IT ALSO MEANT THAT THE MEN THEY TREATED ONBOARD WERE MUCH MORE SEVERELY WOUNDED.

AND FOR TONY, DEALING WITH SUCH VAST NUMBERS OF TERRIBLE INJURIES SOON BEGAN TO TAKE ITS TOLL.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION WHEN YOU GOT ABOARD SHIP?

CHAOS.

OH, MY GOSH.

YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE HOW HORRIBLY INJURED THEY WERE.

YOU KNOW, JUST LITERALLY PIECES OF BODY WHEN WE GOT THEM ABOARD.

WE HAD ONE PATIENT THAT LOST ALL OF HIS LIMBS AT THE ELBOW AND AT THE HIP, AND ALL IT WAS THE TORSO AND HIS HEAD.

HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THE TIME?

21.

21 YEARS OLD.

MM-HMM.

WAS THIS HAPPENING EVERY DAY?

WAS THE HELICOPTER COMING IN EVERY DAY WITH WOUNDED?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE SHIP COULD ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN 780 PATIENTS AT A TIME.

IT WAS NEVER ENDING TO ME.

IT WAS JUST EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHEN DID YOU SLEEP?

WHEN WE COULD ON THE FLOOR, IN A CLOSET, WHEREVER WHERE WE COULD TAKE A NAP SO WE COULD KEEP UP.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER WEEKS DEALING WITH THE UNRELENTING HORROR, TONY GREW TO RELY ON A FELLOW CORPSMAN, T.J. WILKES.

TONY: YOU KNOW, I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER WE CAN GO ON WITH THIS KIND OF--WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE."

AND HE WOULD TALK TO ME.

IT WOULD HELP ME GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: DESPERATELY MISSING HIS NEW WIFE AND BATTLING DAILY TO SAVE LIVES, TONY BECAME OVERWHELMED AND BEGAN TO THINK THE UNTHINKABLE.

I WAS LEANING OVER THE RAILING LOOKING DOWN AT THE OCEAN AT THE WATER BELOW ME, FEELING LIKE I'D--TO JUMP, YOU KNOW, JUST DIVE OVER.

ANN: BECAUSE YOU WERE THAT TRAUMATIZED?

TONY: YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AT HIS LOWEST POINT, IT WAS T.J. WHO CAME TO HIS RESCUE.

AND HE SAID TO ME "WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, TONY?"

AND I SAID, "DON'T FEEL WELL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO EVERY DAY."

HE WAS THE ONE WHO SAID, "YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA FALL APART.

YOU'RE GONNA STICK WITH IT.

YOU'RE HELPING TO SAVE LIVES."

SO HE RESCUED YOU EMOTIONALLY?

YES, YES, YES.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WORKING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER AND SHARING LIVING QUARTERS, TONY AND T.J.

FORMED A SOLID FRIENDSHIP, GIVING EACH OTHER THE STRENGTH TO CARRY ON.

ANY TIME THAT I NEEDED ANYTHING, HE WAS THERE.

HE WAS FROM GEORGIA.

HE HAD A SOUTHERN DRAWL THAT, TO ME, WAS UNIQUE.

HE WAS A GOOD PERSON.

HE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY, NEVER SAD OR ANYTHING.

I FELT THAT HE WAS A PERSON THAT I COULD RELY ON NOT TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE HOW I FELT, BUT HELP ME OUT WHENEVER I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I FELT THAT I WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO MANAGE MY EMOTIONS OVER SOME PATIENT NOT MAKING IT, DYING ON THE TABLE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BOTH MEN SERVED ABOARD THE HOSPITAL SHIP UNTIL JULY 27, 1953, THE LAST DAY OF THE KOREAN WAR.

AFTER MORE THAN 3 YEARS OF FIGHTING, AN ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED.

A 2 1/2-MILE WIDE DEMILITARIZED ZONE WAS ESTABLISHED NEAR THE 38TH PARALLEL TO BE A BUFFER BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA, A DIVIDE THAT STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY.

BUT THE END OF THE WAR MEANT T.J. AND TONY WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

WHAT WAS YOUR LAST MEMORY OF HIM AND WHAT DID YOU SAY TO EACH OTHER?

WE SHOOK HANDS.

WE HUGGED EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS...

I SAID, "I'M GOING-- I'M GOING HOME."

THAT WAS GOOD-BYE?

THAT WAS GOOD-BYE.

LAST TIME I SAW HIM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER TWO LONG YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY IN KOREA, TONY RETURNED HOME TO HIS WIFE BILLIE, AND TOGETHER THEY RAISED 3 SONS.

BUT THE TRAUMA OF THE WAR HAD LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK.

LIKE MANY OTHER KOREAN VETERANS, TONY BURIED THE MEMORIES OF A WAR THAT MANY AT HOME WOULD QUICKLY FORGET-- A WAR THAT CLAIMED MORE THAN 36,000 AMERICAN LIVES.

BILLIE: HE NEVER REALLY SAID MUCH ABOUT IT.

IT WAS LIKE HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I USED TO FILL IN THE GAPS MYSELF.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT AMIDST THE TRAUMA HE EXPERIENCED, TONY CHERISHES THE MEMORY OF THE FRIEND WHO GOT HIM THROUGH HIS WORST MOMENTS.

THERE WE ARE!

HO HO!

THERE WE ARE!

OH, MY GOSH.

NEVER FORGET THAT YOUNG MAN.

HE WAS WISE BEYOND HIS AGE.

HE WAS A GOOD PERSON.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW TONY'S SEARCH IS ON TO FIND T.J., TO THANK HIM, AND TO PICK UP THE FRIENDSHIP WHERE IT LEFT OFF.

MARINE JIM OWEN IS HOPING TO FIND THE TWO BRAVE OFFICERS WHO RISKED THEIR OWN LIVES AND INSPIRED HIM IN THE HEAT OF HIS MOST TRAUMATIC BATTLE.

WHAT DID THEY INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME?

TO BE FAITHFUL.

I WANTED TO BE THAT TYPE OF MAN.

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

THEY WOULD NOT REMEMBER ME.

THEY WOULD NOT KNOW ME, I'M SURE, EVEN THOUGH I TOOK A PICTURE OF THEM.

THIS IS RICE.

THAT'S RICE!

LOOK AT HIM!

WOW... AND THIS IS COFFEEN.

THIS IS THE CO. AND I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HIS NAME.

THAT'S COFFEEN AGAIN, I BELIEVE.

YOU TOOK A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS.

YEAH, I TOOK MORE THAN ONE.

YOU WANTED TO HAVE THIS MEMORY OF THEM.

MM-HMM.

I LOOKED UP TO 'EM.

WOW.

LOOK AT THAT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE TWO LIEUTENANTS, COFFEEN ON THE LEFT AND RICE ON THE RIGHT, BOTH INSTILLED IN JIM A SENSE OF DUTY AND LOYALTY HE HAS TRIED TO LIVE UP TO EVER SINCE.

AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM KOREA IN FEBRUARY 1952, JIM SPENT TWO MORE YEARS IN THE MARINES BEFORE GOING ON TO BECOME A PASTOR.

JIM AND HIS CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART MARY HAD 3 CHILDREN, DANIEL, CANDI, AND JIM JR., WHO, INSPIRED BY HIS FATHER, ALSO SERVED IN THE MARINES.

YOU WOULD NOT TELL A LOT OF STORIES, BUT THE STORY OF YOU ALL GETTING SHELLED, YOU HAD YOUR TWO LIEUTENANTS CAME OVER AND WERE JUST COOL AND CALM UNDER FIRE AND HOW THAT IMPRESSED YOU, AND THAT STUCK WITH ME.

AND SO I KIND OF EARLY ON THOUGHT, "YEAH, SOMEDAY I'M GONNA BE A MARINE..." "AND IF I EVER BECOME AN OFFICER, THAT'S THE KIND OF OFFICER I WANT TO BE."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW, AFTER 67 YEARS, JIM WANTS TO BE REUNITED WITH THE TWO LIEUTENANTS WHO NOT ONLY BECAME AN INSPIRATION TO HIM BUT ALSO TO HIS SON.

WHY NOW?

AS YOU GET OLDER, A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU NEVER EVEN GAVE A THOUGHT TO BECOME VERY IMPORTANT ONCE YOU BEGIN TO THINK OF IT.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE?

I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHILE I'M HERE, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY ALONG THE WAY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: A LIFETIME HAS PASSED SINCE THE KOREAN WAR, AND ALL JIM KNOWS ABOUT LIEUTENANTS COFFEEN AND RICE IS THEIR LAST NAMES.

ARMED WITH THIS INFORMATION, HE IS STARTING HIS SEARCH AT A BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES IN COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND.

JIM IS HOPING THAT CHIEF RESEARCHER ANN TREVOR MIGHT FIND SOME LEADS IN THE MILITARY RECORDS.

WHO IS THAT YOUNG MAN?

WHO IS THAT GOOD-LOOKING GUY?

GOODNESS!

SO THIS IS FROM YOUR PERSONNEL FILE FROM '52.

THIS IS YOUR FITNESS REPORT.

YOU WERE VERY FIT.

HA!

YEAH.

"HE'S AN EXCELLENT SECTION LEADER AND COULD EASILY HANDLE THE POSITION OF GUNNERY SERGEANT."

WHOA!

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS THAT GOOD.

THAT--THAT'S SOMETHING.

THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

THAT IS IMPRESSIVE.

NOW I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE ON MICROFILM THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YET.

ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

GREAT.

THIS IS A COPY OF THE MONTHLY PERSONNEL ROSTER, MUSTER ROLLS.

LET'S LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND YOU ON HERE FIRST.

IS THAT YOU?

YEAH, THAT'S ME.

AND THIS IS YOUR WHOLE UNIT.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

NOW WHAT WERE THE TWO--YOUR TWO PALS THAT YOU-- WHAT WERE THEIR NAMES?

WELL, ONE WAS COFFEEN OR-- AND THE OTHER ONE WAS?

AND THE OTHER ONE WAS RICE.

RICE?

OK.

I DON'T SEE HIS NAME.

I DON'T SEE IT EITHER.

AND THE OTHER-- LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THE OTHER ONE.

WHAT IS IT?

COFFEEN--"I" AND "E" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT HERE.

SO WE HAD NEITHER ONE OF THEM?

LET'S JUST SEE IF IT'S-- LET'S GO TO THE-- LET'S GO.

OH!

IS THAT HIM?

THAT'S COFFEEN, ISN'T IT?

HOW ABOUT THAT?

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I EVER KNEW HOW YOU SPELLED HIS NAME, AND I NEVER KNEW HIS FIRST NAME.

ALBERT.

ALBERT.

NOW YOU KNOW.

IS THAT RICE?

THERE THEY ARE.

THAT IS AMAZING!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, JIM FINALLY KNOWS THE FULL NAMES OF THE TWO LIEUTENANTS HE'S LOOKING FOR-- ALBERT COFFEEN AND KENNETH RICE.

SO, JIM, NOW WE'VE GOT THE INFORMATION ON THESE TWO LIEUTENANTS.

THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO VISIT THE MARINE MUSEUM IN VIRGINIA WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT A LOT MORE ABOUT THEM-- REALLY?

AND MORE RECORDS ABOUT YOU, TOO.

OH, GREAT!

JIM: I'LL TELL YOU, I LEARNED SOME THINGS ABOUT MYSELF THAT EITHER I HAD FORGOTTEN OR DIDN'T KNOW.

AND THEN TO FIND THOSE TWO MEN, TO SEE THEIR NAMES THERE, I WAS SO PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: FORMER CORPSMAN TONY YBARRA IS STARTING THE SEARCH FOR HIS LONG-LOST BEST FRIEND AND FELLOW CORPSMAN, T.J. WILKES IN SAN DIEGO.

TONY: WE WERE LIKE BROTHERS.

I DON'T REMEMBER THANKING HIM FOR HELPING ME OUT EMOTIONALLY, FOR HELPING ME GOING THROUGH THE STRESSFUL TIMES THAT WE BOTH-- WE WERE BOTH IN.

ANN: WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN ABLE TO FIND T.J.?

HAVE YOU SEARCHED FOR HIM?

I PUT HIS NAME IN, JUST LIKE I DO WHENEVER I'M SEARCHING FOR SOMEBODY.

THEY'VE GOT DOZENS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME NAME.

CAN'T FIND HIM.

I JUST CAN'T FIND HIM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TONY HAS COME TO MEET CAPTAIN SHELDON MARGOLIS AT THE VETERANS MUSEUM TO TRY TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT T.J. ALL TONY KNOWS IS THAT T.J. WAS ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS HE WAS AND ORIGINALLY FROM GEORGIA.

WELL, WHY DON'T YOU PULL UP A CHAIR?

BUT HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE INITIALS T.J. COULD EVEN STAND FOR.

SO, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LOOK THROUGH AND SEE IF-- YES!

THERE ARE ANY FACES IN HERE THAT YOU SEE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: CAPTAIN MARGOLIS HAS MANAGED TO FIND A SERVICE RECORD FOR THE USS "CONSOLATION," THE HOSPITAL SHIP TONY AND T.J.

SERVED ABOARD.

YEAH, 25TH DECEMBER 1951, AND I WAS THERE.

I WAS THERE THEN.

MY GOSH!

I SHOULD BE IN THERE.

HA HA!

NO.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THIS BOOK CONTAINS A LIST OF PERSONNEL ON BOARD THE SHIP, WHERE 15,300 PATIENTS WERE TREATED AND 480 GALLONS OF BLOOD WERE USED DURING THE KOREAN WAR.

LET'S START AT THE BOTTOM, SEE IF WE HAVE A WHITAKER.

THESE ARE ALL CORPSMEN.

"WAGNER, WALTER..." OH, WHITAKER'S NOT ON THERE.

AND I'M NOT THERE!

I SHOULD BE ON THIS!

WE GOT A COUPLE MORE PIECES OF PAPER WE'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

OK. OK.

SO, LET'S SEE IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANY NAMES ON THESE.

YES.

FRANK RUTKOWSKI.

I KNOW HIM.

I KNOW HIM.

FRANK RUTKOWSKI.

OH, MY GOSH.

AND THERE I AM!

I'M THERE!

OH HO!

WOW!

HERE'S T.J. WILKES!

THERE HE IS!

HO HO!

HE'S ON THE LIST!

YES.

T.J. WILKES, MY BEST FRIEND.

WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT?

YES, HE'S THERE.

"TALMADGE"?

HIS NAME IS TALMADGE.

OH, GOSH!

WOW!

I AM IMPRESSED.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WITH T.J.'S FIRST NAME FINALLY REVEALED, TONY HAS THE VITAL CLUE HE NEEDS TO CARRY ON HIS SEARCH.

OH, MY GOSH.

I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY SEEING HIM AGAIN.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MARINE JIM OWEN HAS ALSO BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE FIRST NAMES OF THE TWO BRAVE LIEUTENANTS WHO INSPIRED HIM IN KOREA.

JIM: WELL, OF COURSE, I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THESE MEN THAT I SO ADMIRED.

BE NICE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT THEY ARE DOING, OR IF THEY HAVE DIED.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: HE HAS TRAVELED TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS IN TRIANGLE, VIRGINIA.

HE'S HOPING TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALBERT COFFEEN AND KENNETH RICE.

MY NAME'S MIKE WESTERMEIER.

I'M A HISTORIAN WITH THE MARINE CORPS HISTORY DIVISION.

WELL, MIKE, I'M GLAD TO MEET YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MIKE HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL HE WANTS TO SHARE WITH JIM-- A DETAILED REPORT DOCUMENTING THE VERY BATTLE WHERE HIS HERO LIEUTENANTS PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR THEIR MEN.

AND THIS IS THE HISTORICAL DIARY FOR JULY 1951, FOR 4TH BATTALION, 11TH MARINES.

THEY RECORDED ALL THE ROUNDS EXPENDED-- REALLY?

TYPES OF MISSIONS.

A DAY-BY-DAY RECORD OF THE TIME WHEN I WAS THERE.

JULY 3RD.

SAYS, "MISSION UNCHANGED.

"AT APPROXIMATELY 13:15, 4TH BATTALION BEGAN RECEIVING--" OH!

"76-MILLIMETER ENEMY ARTILLERY.

HEAVY FIRE FELL IN THE VICINITY OF LOVE."

OK. YEP.

"COMMUNICATIONS LINES WERE KNOCKED OUT TEMPORARILY BY ENEMY FIRE.

13 MEN OF THE FIRING BATTERIES WERE WOUNDED, 6 IN LOVE."

WE HAD 6 GUYS.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT MANY GOT WOUNDED.

IT'S SO INTERESTING.

I NOW HAVE THE DATE, I HAVE THE REPORT, AND MORE DETAIL.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I CAN VERIFY THAT THIS, IN FACT, IS WHAT HAPPENED, AND IT WAS EVEN WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.

HAVING THE RECORD OF THE TIME WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDST OF COMBAT, TO THINK THAT I WAS A PART OF IT JUST HUMBLES ME, AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT INFORMATION WRITTEN DOWN.

AND SO I'VE GOT IT FROM NOW ON, I'LL TAKE IT HOME WITH ME, AND I'LL PORE OVER IT AND ENJOY IT ALL THE TIME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT JIM STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS TWO HEROES OR EVEN IF THEY'RE STILL ALIVE.

HE'S HOPING THAT THE MARINES ARCHIVE MAY HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THEM BEYOND KOREA.

UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER LOOKING UP--LOOKING THEM UP, WE DETERMINED THAT THEY ARE BOTH DECEASED.

OH, ARE THEY?

YES, SIR.

HMM... COFFEEN IS...

PASSED AWAY NOVEMBER 1983.

WELL!

HE'S BEEN GONE A LONG TIME AND...

BUT RICE LIVED A NICE LONG LIFE, DIDN'T HE?

YES, SIR.

90 YEARS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: COFFEEN HAS BEEN GONE FOR 35 YEARS, BUT RICE ONLY PASSED AWAY IN 2011.

IT'S KIND OF SADDENING.

I DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO BE ALIVE, 'CAUSE I FELT LIKE THEY WERE PROBABLY SECOND WORLD WAR MEN, BUT IF NOT ONE OF THEM, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET ONE OF THEIR SONS OR DAUGHTERS AND SAY, "I REMEMBER YOUR FATHER WHEN HE WAS A HERO."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN CALIFORNIA, TONY YBARRA IS ALSO SEARCHING FOR A VETERAN WHOSE FRIENDSHIP HE WILL NEVER FORGET.

I WANT TO MEET HIM AGAIN.

I WOULD LIKE TO TALK PERSON TO PERSON TO HIM.

HI, TONY I'M EXCITED TO TALK WITH YOU TODAY.

SO AM I. ANN, VOICE-OVER: TONY HAS COME TO MEET PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST KIMBERLIE GUERRIERI, HOPING SHE CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON T.J.'S MOVEMENTS AFTER THE WAR.

THIS IS A PAGE FROM A YEARBOOK IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA... ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW THAT TONY HAS DISCOVERED T.J.'S FULL NAME AND HAS CONFIRMED HE WAS FROM GEORGIA, KIMBERLIE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIG UP MORE INFORMATION.

KIMBERLIE: THIS IS HIS SENIOR, 1949.

OH, MY.

AND I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANYONE ON THAT PAGE.

THERE HE IS!

HA HA!

WOW!

YES, THAT'S HIM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: KIMBERLIE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT AFTER THE WAR, T.J.

MOVED BACK TO HIS HOMETOWN OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, WHERE HE WENT TO WORK FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY.

4 YEARS AFTER RETURNING HOME, T.J. MARRIED HIS WIFE CAROLYN.

THEY WERE TOGETHER FOR 40 YEARS, BUT SADLY, IN 1997, T.J. FELL ILL.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID PASS.

HE DID?

WE DID FIND HERE IN THE DEATH INDEX IN GEORGIA.

OH, MY GOSH!

OH, MY GOD!

HERE WE FIND HIM PASSING IN 1998.

1998.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

SO-- YEAH, IT WAS A WHILE-- HE WAS 67 YEARS OF AGE.

YES, YES.

HE'S BURIED IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

MM-HMM.

WOW.

IT IS SAD THAT HE'S GONE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: PERHAPS CONNECTING WITH T.J.'S WIFE CAROLYN AND THEIR FAMILY COULD PROVIDE SOME COMFORT.

I'LL TRY TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO, YOU KNOW.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER RECEIVING THE SAD NEWS THAT LIEUTENANTS COFFEEN AND RICE HAVE PASSED AWAY, JIM OWEN WENT BACK TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVE IN THE HOPE OF FINDING THEIR SURVIVING FAMILIES.

ALTHOUGH CHIEF RESEARCHER ANN TREVOR WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE COFFEEN'S FAMILY MEMBERS, SHE DID FIND A NUMBER FOR ONE OF LIEUTENANT RICE'S FAMILY-- HIS DAUGHTER CATHERINE.

[PHONE RINGING] CATHERINE'S VOICE: PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE TONE.

THANK YOU.

HELLO, CATHERINE.

THIS IS JIM OWEN.

I SERVED WITH YOUR FATHER IN KOREA MANY YEARS AGO.

I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AND GIVE YOU A MESSAGE THAT'S BEEN ON MY HEART FOR MANY YEARS.

SO I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I AM TOO.

WHAT A BLESSING.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER DISCOVERING THAT HIS SHIPMATE T.J. WILKES PASSED AWAY 20 YEARS AGO, TONY HAS TRAVELED TO COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, TO SAY A FINAL GOOD-BYE TO HIS LOST BEST FRIEND.

TONY: T.J., I WANTED TO SEE YOU.

AS LONG AS I LIVE, I'LL NEVER FORGET 'CAUSE YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND, MY SHIPMATE...

THE PERSON WHO HELPED ME KEEP MY SANITY.

THANK YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TONY'S VISIT TO T.J.'S GRAVE HAS BROUGHT SOME CLOSURE, BUT THE STORY OF THESE TWO WARTIME FRIENDS ISN'T OVER.

PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST KIMBERLIE GUERRIERI HAS FOUND CONTACT DETAILS FOR T.J.'S WIDOW CAROLYN WILKES.

JIM OWEN HAS HAD AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT IN HIS SEARCH.

HE HAS HEARD BACK FROM CATHERINE RICE, THE DAUGHTER OF ONE OF THE TWO MARINE LIEUTENANTS WHO BECAME LIFELONG EXAMPLES TO HIM.

JIM: I HAD THESE MODELS.

I MAY NOT HAVE HAD THEM IN A FATHER, BUT I HAD THEM IN OTHER MEN, AND THESE TWO MEN IN PARTICULAR.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW HE IS ON HIS WAY TO THE 8TH AND I MARINE BARRACKS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE OLDEST MARINE POST IN THE UNITED STATES, TO MEET HER.

THEIR FAMILIES NEED TO BE AS PROUD OF THEM... AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NEARLY 70 YEARS AGO, JIM WAS GREATLY INSPIRED BY THE HEROISM OF CATHERINE'S FATHER.

THIS IS HIS CHANCE TO SHARE THE STORY OF HER FATHER'S BRAVERY.

OH, THIS MUST BE THE DAUGHTER.

[CRYING] OH, IT'S SO GOOD TO MEET YOU AND HUG YOU!

WELL, I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU.

OH, LISTEN, IT'S ALL GOOD.

I WAS REALLY...DISAPPOINTED I COULD NOT TALK TO YOUR FATHER.

WELL, TALK AWAY AND YOU'LL BE TALKING TO HIM.

OH, GOOD.

YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN?

YES, THANK YOU.

UNTIL RECENTLY, I ONLY HAD A MEMORY OF YOUR DEAR FATHER.

AND HE WAS TOGETHER WITH ANOTHER FIRST LIEUTENANT IN OUR UNIT IN KOREA.

YES.

ONE TIME WHEN WE HAD A LOT OF INCOMING ARTILLERY FIRE, AND I LOOKED UP, AND HERE WAS YOUR FATHER JUST WALKING AROUND FROM GUN TO GUN.

AND IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO ME.

YES.

CAUSE HE HAD NO PLACE TO HIDE.

YOUR FATHER, TO A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS JUST A PRIVATE BUT I HAD NOBODY TO LOOK UP TO AS FAR AS A FATHER GOES, BUT TO ME HE WAS A HERO.

OH.

YOUR FATHER WAS A HERO.

I'M...

IT'S JUST WONDERFUL TO HEAR THIS.

I MEAN, IT MEANS A LOT, JIM.

IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.

CATHERINE: TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE WHO'S STILL ALIVE, "THIS IS WHAT YOUR DAD WAS LIKE IN THE FORGOTTEN WAR," IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO KNOW THAT YOUR FATHER WAS THAT KIND OF PERSON FOR OTHERS, AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HIM IN MY LIFE ALMOST EVERY DAY.

AFTER HE DIED, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PUT ON HIS GRAVE.

AND WE ENDED UP PUTTING "ALWAYS A SMILE."

BUT WHAT MY HUSBAND SAID IS, "ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD HAVE PUT 'ALWAYS PROTECTING.'"

AHH...

ALWAYS PROTECTING.

DAD WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS 20 YEARS AND, OF COURSE, WAS ALWAYS PROTECTING US.

SO I THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU FELT, TOO, AND... THAT'S RIGHT.

HE DID IT LIKE A MARINE SHOULD.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BY THE TIME KENNETH RICE RETIRED IN 1965, HE HAD REACHED THE RANK OF MAJOR.

HE SPENT THE REST OF HIS LIFE WORKING FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY IN MICHIGAN AND IS SURVIVED BY 3 CHILDREN.

IF HE WAS TO PICK A PICTURE, HE WOULD PICK THIS ONE TO SAY HELLO.

HE WOULD HOLD A DRINK UP TO YOU LIKE THAT AND HE WOULD SAY, "HELLO, JIM, COME ON IN."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: CATHERINE HAS FOUND SOMETHING SHE WANTS TO SHARE WITH JIM-- A MILITARY DECORATION SHE DISCOVERED AMONG HER FATHER'S PAPERS.

THIS IS THE BRONZE STAR, WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE HAD.

IT SAYS, "THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA "HAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL TO FIRST LIEUTENANT KENNETH E. RICE, "UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FOR SERVICE IN KOREA ON JULY 3, 1951."

IT WAS FOR WHAT YOU SAW.

THAT IS AMAZING!

HERE'S THE CITATION.

OHH!

AND IT DESCRIBES WHAT TOOK PLACE.

YEAH, WHAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT DAY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: "MOVING COOLY FROM GUN CREW TO GUN CREW THROUGHOUT THE BARRAGE, HE CALMED THE MEN AND ENCOURAGED THEM."

NOW JIM HAS OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THAT THE SHORT BUT DEFINING MOMENT OF BRAVERY HE WITNESSED THAT DAY NOT ONLY INSPIRED HIM BUT ALSO THE MOST SENIOR MARINE COMMAND.

JIM: IT'S BEEN SO WONDERFUL BECAUSE I FIND HER TO BE SUCH A CREDIT TO HER FATHER.

[CATHERINE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] CATHERINE: IT'S BEEN A GIFT, JUST A HUGE GIFT TO ACTUALLY MEET JIM AND TO HEAR THE STORIES THAT I NEVER HEARD BEFORE BECAUSE MY FATHER WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT THE WAR BECAUSE OF HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS.

JIM: IT TAKES ME BACK 67 YEARS AGO TO A TIME WHEN I REMEMBER SO WELL, AND THEY'VE GOT IT WRITTEN UP IN HISTORY, AND HE RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR BECAUSE OF THAT DAY!

I MEAN, IT'S ASTOUNDING TO ME.

IT'S REALLY ALMOST MIRACULOUS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN GEORGIA, TONY YBARRA FINALLY HAS SOME GOOD NEWS IN HIS SEARCH FOR T.J. WILKES.

CAROLYN WILKES, T.J.'S WIDOW, HAS WRITTEN BACK, INVITING TONY TO MEET.

TONY: "DEAR TONY, THERE IS NO WAY TO EXPRESS THE SHOCK AND THE JOY "YOUR LETTER BROUGHT ME.

SOMEWHERE IN HEAVEN, T.J. IS JUMPING UP AND DOWN."

CAROLYN: I KNEW THE NAME "TONY," AND FOR SOMEONE THAT SHARED THAT HORRIBLE TIME WITH SOMEBODY, THEY'VE GOT TO BE SPECIAL.

TONY: I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING HER, 'CAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TELL HER WHAT A NICE PERSON HE WAS.

[WATER SPLASHING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: MORE THAN 65 YEARS SINCE HE LAST SAW T.J.

ONBOARD THE USS "CONSOLATION," IT IS NOW TIME FOR TONY TO CELEBRATE WITH CAROLYN THE MEMORY OF HIS LOST FRIEND.

CAROLYN?

AND YOU'RE TONY.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR.

COME ON UP HERE.

YEAH.

HOW ARE YOU?

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME YOU'RE WELCOME.

HAVE A SEAT DOWN.

HA HA HA!

HOW ARE YOU?

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

YOUR PICTURES HAVE DONE YOU JUSTICE.

YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED EXCEPT RIGHT HERE.

HA HA!

RIGHT.

WE BOTH GOT-- YOU HAVE PICTURES ALSO?

[PATTING] OH, OK.

I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED, DID T.J. KEEP ANY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT-- HE DID, HE DID.

HE TALKED ABOUT GUYS, AND YOU WERE ONE OF THEM.

[CONTINUING INDISTINCTLY] TONY: I WAS SURPRISED.

HA HA HA!

YOU KNOW, SHE KNEW WHO I WAS EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE.

SHE KNEW WHO I WAS... HA HA HA!

THAT I WAS SOMEONE IN HER HUSBAND'S LIFE.

HE WAS A GOOD MAN.

HE TURNED-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS LIKE IN THE NAVY, BUT HE TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD GUY.

FOR ME, HE SAVED MY SANITY.

AND HE WAS A GREAT HELP TO US IN SURGERY, BECAUSE HE BECAME THE LEADING CORPSMAN IN OUR SURGERY DEPARTMENT.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

WE WERE IN NEED OF HELP.

WE WERE SHORTHANDED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE.

IN MORE THAN ONE WAY HE HELPED.

HE WOULD BE THAT WAY.

HE WOULD BE THAT WAY.

CAROLYN: THE FACT THAT HE SAW T.J. AS A YOUNG PERSON, AS A VERY CARING AND THOUGHTFUL PERSON THAT LOOKED AFTER OTHER PEOPLE IMPRESSED ME BECAUSE AS HE GOT OLDER, HE STILL MAINTAINED THAT THING, THAT SAME PERSONALITY AND CARING FOR PEOPLE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BY THE TIME T.J.

PASSED AWAY IN 1998, HE AND CAROLYN HAD BUILT A THRIVING FAMILY.

CAROLYN: THIS IS MY FAMILY.

THIS IS T.J.'S FAMILY.

JIM: WOW!

MARK?

HOW ARE YOU?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TOGETHER THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN, DENISE AND MARK... OH, YOU ARE?

5 GRANDCHILDREN, AND EVEN A GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER... ALL GATHERED TODAY TO MEET TONY IN LOVING MEMORY OF T.J. WE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS, AND HE--I KEEP SAYING-- HE SAVED MY SANITY.

MARK: WELL, YOU SAVED HIS SANITY.

Y'ALL FED OFF EACH OTHER, WHICH IS WHY Y'ALL WERE DESTINED TO MEET.

TONY: THIS IS T.J.

RIGHT HERE TALKING TO ONE OF THE PATIENTS.

YES.

HE WAS ALWAYS OUT THERE FOR THEM.

T.J. WILKES.

YES!

MARK: SEE, HE LOOKS HAPPY TO ME.

HE LOOKS FULFILLED.

HE HAS PURPOSE.

OH, WOW!

TONY: WONDERFUL DAY.

A WONDERFUL DAY TODAY.

I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT I WOULD GET ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND I APPRECIATED THAT.

I REALLY DID.

CAROLYN: NOT ONLY DID T.J.'S FRIENDSHIP HELP TONY.

TONY'S FRIENDSHIP HELPED T.J.

SO IT WAS A MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY SO TO SPEAK.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A BROTHER.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THROUGH THE HORRORS OF WAR, TWO MEN FOUND THE COURAGE TO CARRY ON THANKS TO THE FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THEIR BROTHERS IN ARMS, MEN WHOSE LEGACIES STILL INSPIRE THEM EVEN TODAY.

NEXT TIME, A CUBAN EXILE SEARCHES FOR THE HEROIC BOAT CAPTAIN WHO SAVED HIS LIFE.

MAN: IT WAS VERY SCARY BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA DROWN.

I REALLY FELT LIKE, "THIS IS IT."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AND A CHILD REFUGEE LOOKING FOR THE FAMILY THAT GAVE HIM A HOME.

MAN: COME ON IN.

MAN: THERE ISN'T ANY TIME THAT I DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM.

I MEAN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO.

ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.

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SHARE YOUR STORY AT PBS.ORG/MEETAGAIN.