~Soldier named Jinkins?

I think his pleas for sympathy will fall on deaf ears, especially among veterans. You'd have to have blind eyes not open ones not to see this guy for what he really is.
 
DTOP+Missileer

I agree with you. However remember the Jenkins was imprisoned in North Korea for the next 39 years of his life. My feeling was that it was punishment enough. I have more sympathy for Jenkins that for Slovik.

When Jenkins deserted the Korean War was already over, Slovik abandoned his comrades right on the front line during a German attack. Slovik was a bad character, he was a petty criminal in civilian life, a thief and a deserter as a soldier. Slovik was given every chance to go back to his unit with an amnesty and not face the firing squad. Ike personally begged him to do so, Slovik thought the Army would never execute him and that he'd be sent home 4F, be basically 'dared' the army to shoot him. He guessed wrong.
 
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mmarsh said:
DTOP+Missileer

I agree with you. However remember the Jenkins was imprisoned in North Korea for the next 39 years of his life. My feeling was that it was punishment enough. I have more sympathy for Jenkins that for Slovik.

When Jenkins deserted the Korean War was already over, Slovik abandoned his comrades right on the front line during a German attack. Slovik was a bad character, he was a petty criminal in civilian life, a thief and a deserter as a soldier. Slovik was given every chance to go back to his unit with an amnesty and not face the firing squad. Ike personally begged him to do so, Slovik thought the Army would never execute him and that he'd be sent home 4F, be basically 'dared' the army to shoot him. He guessed wrong.
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As for both men, they knew what could happen if they did what they respectively did. The soldiers on the DMZ are and were well schooled on life in North Korea. They both schemed to get out of the duty that they had sworn to perform. If that includes deserting your post, all who were in the military know that is the unpardonable sin. In war, execution is possible and imprisonment is a sure thing. Being imprisoned by the enemy doesn't count unless you are captured in battle.
 
men... I totally agree, but I for one, think that he has indeed seen enough... He was ordered to have sex?!?? messed up his tattoo without antiseptic?? and even more!
He regrets it, and turned himself up. US didnt punish him as how they should and I guess we all know why..
If the man asks for true forgiveness and regret from his heart, what more can he do?? He is nearly dead now.. he learned his lesson in Nk...
 
Don't care what he asks for. If he wants forgiveness he needs to see a priest or minister and maybe God will forgive him. He brought it all on himself. I think all those years of brainwashing really got to him. He deserves all he got and all he will get.
 
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I think what Jinkins did was wrong. US Forces were actually getting in clashes with N. Keorean Patrols. There was a Un-Offical Second Korean War. And it was during that period of time. The chance of a second Koroean War happening was very real. Both the USA and S. Korea lost some good troops to N. Korean action. Infact, serving on the DMZ counted for combat action and for a time. US Soldiers were awarded a CIB (Combat Infantry Badge) and a National Defense Medal if I remember correctly.

What Jinkins did is wrong. Is he a coward? Yes. Is he a traitor? Yes. Did he serve his time. Yes and No.

North Korea is one crappy communist country. And he sure did live on really crappy life in N. Korea. But it was his choice. Did the US Military punish him. Yes. but they gave him a slap on the wrist for two reasons. One, we was a wonderful source of information about living in North Korea and also because he is a old man.

In the end, God will choose what to do with him. And his fellow soldiers and squadmates will be his jury in the after life.

Luis

PS - He was a Sgt and a Squad Leader. He left his men, betrayed them in the line of duty and combat. He wasn't some dumb private. But a trusted NCO.
 
mmarsh said:
However remember the Jenkins was imprisoned in North Korea for the next 39 years of his life.
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Where the h*ll did you get that from? He deserted. He wasn't in a North Korean prison. It may have seemed like prison to some given the living conditions in North Korea, but as far as I know He wasn't officially in a North Korean prison. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Anyone?
:-|
 
Tomtom, he sure wasn't busting rocks or on the chain gang. And being forced to have sex? That's horrible, where is amnesty International when you need them?
 
PRISON!!!!!! My hide Prison. He went there on his own accord. He was never captured as a POW. He says he surreneder to a N. Korean Soldeir. BULL SH##. He deserted the US Army. HE'S A FREAKING TRAITOR!
 
5.56X45mm said:
PRISON!!!!!! My hide Prison. He went there on his own accord. He was never captured as a POW. He says he surreneder to a N. Korean Soldeir. BULL SH##. He deserted the US Army. HE'S A FREAKING TRAITOR!
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Someone tripped Luis's wire... :horsie:

I agree with Missileer here, Amnesty International needs to mount a worldwide campaign and by god Jenkins should seek compensation from his former buddies, erm captors, no he wasn't captured, hmmm... oh I got it... he should seek damages from his former keepers for forcing him to have sex with a Japanese woman. Those bastards, nothing pisses me off more than Americans being forced to have sex.
:dive:

On the serious side I think Luis nailed it with the fact this man was an NCO, entrusted by the Army and trusted by his soldiers in his command and he deserted not just the Army but them. I think its interesting that in all of this media attention he's getting no one has interviewed the members of his squad he deserted that night when there was a very real chance they could get into a firefight. The silence is deafening.
 
I just hate how the media is covering this guy.

"Ohhh, I was held captive, I'm not a traitor, it's not my fault, etc..."

Freaking commie pinko traitor is what he is. He left his men for dead. I could never do that to my squad. I would never even dream about doing that to MY MEN! As a NCO and a soldier, you take an oath. And in that Oath you swear to the good Lord that you will protect you country and protect those that you are appointed over. He's damn lucky that I wasn't in his squad. If I was, I would've done two things.

1) I would of gone with him to check out what ever he heard.

Why? Because that is what a squad member does. He follows and helps his fellow squad members.

2) If I followed him and found out what he was trying to do. I would of killed the N Korean Soldier and than tackle his ass and make sure that he was tried and punish for what he did.

This is just another reason why I hae the media. They are making it look like he the damn victim. HE WENT THERE ON HIS OWN ACCORD! The media is not interviewing any of those that were put under his charge that night. Because if they did, and when those people found out what he did. they more than likely would have told him to get FU##ED OVER!

'Nuff Said...

Luis

PS - Forced to have sex. Please I know folks that haven't gotten any action in over a year.
 
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well... I get you all. I agree that he has done wrong. I agree that he has seen sh**, done sh** and should have deserved sh**.. I dont really care much bout the media and what they say coz thats just another piece of sh**.. And true what Dtop said, about God being judge and his squad jury, but also, as I said, I think the man was clearly aware of his mistake after all those years. He "woke up" , and finally turned himself, thus calling himself not a traitor, but not really.. I mean the betrayal has occured..
And what if he is truly sad bout it..
 
nasa88 said:
I think surrender is reasonable in some circs.or else he will be tortured untill died.
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There is a huge and obvious difference between surrender in the face of overwhelming odds in a hopeless situation and sneaking away while on a patrol, deserting your squad and country by turning yourself over to an enemy to be used as they see fit.
 
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tomtom22 said:
Where the h*ll did you get that from? He deserted. He wasn't in a North Korean prison. It may have seemed like prison to some given the living conditions in North Korea, but as far as I know He wasn't officially in a North Korean prison. Please correct me if I am wrong here. Anyone?

Tomtom

You forget N.Korea is one of the most backward countries in the world. I saw a documentary done by the BBC when they were undercover in North Korea. What they reported was shocking. Most of the country has no heat, no electricity, no running water, no medical care, no food, no contact with the outside world, not to mention you living in a country that based itself on Stalins Soviet Union, secret police, gulags, the works. Jenkins would have had a better conditions in a US prison, and thats not an exaggeration.
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Still, he deserved far worse than what happened. After what he did. A good twenty years at Fort Leavenworth Military Prison would dot he job.
 
Violation of trust (In the face of the enemy)

I commented about this subject ONCE before but here goes:

I don't know what military some of you put your time in (but) the military I served in has an itty bitty set of regulations called "Military Code of Justice" which states (unequivocally) that it is a capital offense to desert in the face of the enemy during war.

:m16shoot: :m16shoot: :m16shoot: :m16shoot: :m16shoot: :m16shoot: :m16shoot: (Firing Squad)
_______Capital offense = death sentence________

This turncoat was in a position of trust (a Sergeant, a Squad Leader, a Non-commissioned Officer) and had other men looking to him for leadership at a time of great danger. The Ceasefire Accords had just been signed a short time and the North Koreans were still agitating to try and force Allied Forces to leave South Korea. This often took the form of light skirmishes where Allied soldiers were still coming under heavy fire from North Korean soldiers. Death and battlefield wounded were still occurring.

This traitor who had sworn "to protect and defend" chose to desert when his squad was in the greatest of danger (in the face of the enemy) and basically left them exposed to attack by North Korean forces. If there were ever a deserter that deserved the firing squad it would be Jinkins. The only difference between Jinkins and Slovic was that Slovic was a Private and was NOT in charge of other soldiers.

As far as having second thoughts, it makes no difference whether it is the next day or forty years later, once you have deserted in the face of the enemy and violated the trust placed in you as a leader of men, there is no going back.

ONCE A TRAITOR AND DESERTER ALWAYS A TRAITOR AND DESERTER.

When Jinkins returned from North Korea, our government CHOSE to treat Jinkins a lot more lightly than he deserved. Jinkins was NEVER a POW, he was watched very closely and was allowed as much freedom as any non-North Korean was ever allowed. He voluntarily participated in propaganda (created by the North Korean government) which was critical of the United States which did have some adverse effect on troops serving in South Korea. Any information he MAY have supplied about conditions in North Korea will NEVER repay the violation of trust he committed.

If Jinkins wants forgiveness then I suggest he seek it from the men he deserted. I personally don't believe it will EVER happen - he knows as do you that the best he should expect from them is to be shunned and the worst is a knife in the heart.

AFTER ALL - HE'S A COWARD AND WILL NEVER FACE HIS SQUAD TO ANSWER FOR HIS DESERTION.
 
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