Co-incidences from 1958
Almost 60 years later, two GIs find out their mystery photos are looking right at each other; one from Itaewon and the other from Hannamdong. "I'm looking at you right now!"
Here are the email trails between George Breen, Paul Black, and Nam Sang-so in May 2017 moderated by Coco Cugat, Yongsan Legacy Team.
From: coco cugat garcia
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2017
To: George Breen
Subject: check this photo
Hello George
I just saw this photo from Paul Black and I am wondering if the military area shown in the background is the 570th Ordenance CO (Niblo Barracks).
It may be my eyes wanting to see what seems to be drawn in the sketch you did from your memory of the area of 570th
It is as if this photo was taken from very near where Marie's room was. I will ask Paul if he remembers where he took this photo from.
From: George Breen
Sent: Thu, May 11, 2017
To: coco cugat garcia
Subject: check this photo
Dear Coco, I must admit, this photo has much similarity to the 570th ord co! And this may be the 570th.!! Mabey a different year than when I was there.? The Niblo barracks, both buildings do look correct! The dirt road circle around the jeeps and trucks in the center, all look correct. I think I can identify shop one and shop two buildings, the sedan shop and the shop office. I am not positive of this, and as I remember things, there seem to be too many buildings. I will continue to study this photo. And also, I see that the weapons and ammo storage is in the correct location.
The village is very close to how I remember where Marie lived. But I am not 100 percent sure this is the village. I has been such a long time!
Remember Me telling you about the “house” across the street that had a wall around it, with broken glass on top of the wall? Well, look at the 2nd building on the left of the street! It has a wall and is in the correct location to be directly across the street from Marie’s one room! And the 3rd building on the right of the street could be the store!
I am only guessing at some of this as I try to think back.
Coco, you and Daniel certainly know how to get my “old” heart pumping!!!............I will look at all this many more times!
From: coco cugat garcia
Date: 11 May 2017
To: Paul Black
Subject: 570th-Ordenance Co
Paul
I just looked at the photos from your website and I found these 2 photos that I am attaching to the email
I think both photos were taken from what today is Itaewon-ro in the neighborhood of Itaewon. In the second photo I can identify the Han River at the back, UN village area to the left and Hannamdong area to the right hill. Currently on top of this hill to the right of the photo there is the largest mosque of Seoul (Seoul Central Mosque).
The flat area in the middle with military trucks and barracks seems to me that It is what was called 570th Ordenance Co. The team that did all the maintenance for SAC (Seoul Area Command).
Do you recall walking along Itaewon main road or a bit upper from that?
I Am amazed because this is the first time that we see this area in photos from the same time that George Breen (veteran who served there and is looking for someone) was in Seoul too. he started his duty in July 1958.
Based on other conversations with other military people many of you thought that this was part of Yongsan Garrison even if it was on the other side of Hannam dong hill.
Do you remember when you took this photo? I guess all the housing for Koreans around this area was poor.
From: coco cugat garcia
Date: 11 May 2017
To: George Breen
Subject: Re: check this photo
George,
I really think that photo I sent you yesterday was 570th. I am sharing another photo also from the same person which is the area where today Hannam village sits.
As you can see this photo from a bit further also shows the military compound. The geography of the terrain is like what it still is today. I think these houses you see closer to the camera are towards the direction you would go to Seoul from Maries' place so I guess Marie's room was a bit more towards the left of this photo.
Believe it or not Paul Black was in Seoul from May 1958 till 1959 so almost same time as you. You could have perfectly been there at the background working on your Willys while he took the photo. Isn't it amazing??????????
From: Coco Cugat
Date: 11 May 2017
To: Sangso Nam
Subject: Potential Hannam village military facilities area photo
Mr. Nam
I got this photo from veteran Paul Black. He was stationed in SAC from 1958 to 1959. He explained that He took this photo when he was going to the 8096 orderly room
He was for a while stationed in barracks # T 1620 inside Yongsan Garrison.
He thought this was part of the Yongsan Garrison (Yongsan base as He called it).
We think that the right-hand side is the area of Hannam dong towards where the mosque is, to the left of the photo you see the UN village area and the flat area in the middle is what used to be 570th Ordinance Co. Niblo barracks, and later on Hannam Village military housing facilities.
Does our guess make sense to you?
Things have changed sooooo much but then the geography remains the same!
George Breen, the veteran that is looking for Marie was stationed in here and the map and photos he sent looks like this could be Niblo Barracks. He said everything he can see inside the compound matches what he remembers but then it has been so many years ago.
I was wondering if you could help with identifying it and confirming what we are assuming.
From: Sangso Nam
Date: Fri, May 12, 2017
To: Coco Cugat Garcia
Subject: Paul Black's Hannam-dong photo, plus...
It's a beautiful color photo showing the lower part of Hannam-dong.
I've marked it with shading to show the panorama vision his camera had taken. (See the shaded cone on the attached map)
The photo is so old that it doesn't show even the Hannam-bridge.
Mr. Black must have stood with his camera on the top edge of the current road from Itaewon where the transformer station of the Korea Electric Power Company used to be located.
Yes, the hill on the right-hand side leads to the current Mosque in Bokwang-dong, which reminds me that TAE was asked (because Architect Kyu Lee, or Prince Lee, was with us then) to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of the Mosque.
The Hannam village rental housings are (were) located in the middle of the low ground surrounded by hills on three sides making it a valley-like basin so that polluted air and street noises coming from the Hannam thoroughfare stagnated.
Nam, May 12
From: Coco cugat garcia
Date: 12 May 2017 at 20:48:11 GMT+9
To: George Breen
Subject: confirmation
George
I got a confirmation from Mr.Nam that the photo shows the area in Hannam-dong where Niblo barracks (570th ord co) used to be. So we finally have 2 semi aerial photos from the days you were there!
The photos were taken from Itaewon Road so provably Marie's house would be off from the photo but not by too much!
From: George Breen
Sent: 12 May 2017
To: coco cugat garcia
Subject: confirmation
Dear Coco, this is exciting! First of all, I like the name written on the picture! Halomdong village! If you remember, I would ask Marie the name of the village, and she would say what sounded to me like, “Hylumdun.” And I would answer her saying, Hylumdun, and Marie would say this was correct! Halomdong as what Paul Black writes would be close. I never saw it written.
I remember standing in the 570th, looking towards the Han River, and the view did look much the same as this picture. But I don’t remember the area being this populated. I do need to study the photo more.
I do remember watching an old train run along the Han River, going in the opposite direction from Seoul.
Soon, I will send you a picture that I think was taken inside the 570th, looking at the Han River.
Paul Black did take many pictures. And it seems that everyone traveled to places that I didn’t go!
I am so excited about you matching up the pictures that I have sent to you!
Coco, let’s do talk soon! Is it okay if Mike helps set everything up for me?
George
From: Coco cugat garcia
Date: Wed 17 May 2017
To: George Breen, Paul Black
Subject: coincidences from 1958-59
George and Paul,
What an amazing coincidence!
You both were in Korea for almost the same period of time (2 months off). Paul was stationed (working) in Camp Kim and George in 570th Ordenance Co. (see the map where I have shown the 2 locations with circles)
What surprised me a lot was that you both took a photo almost looking at each other.
Both photos show some exact buildings but from different angles/locations. See the photos below. The left one is by Paul and the right one is by George. Paul took it from Itaewon-Ro and George took it from Niblo Barracks.
Amazing how with bits of information from different people you can put a whole picture together of the story! :)
What shocked me is that you both live in Florida! will we find more coincidences?
I am taking this opportunity to introduce you to each other.
Thank you for all you share with the Yongsan legacy. You allow me and many other people to see what it was like in the past. Beautiful
Coco
Very interesting! I have a question. I've learned about the OEC's housing project named "Han River Hills Housing Project," which began around 1957-1958 with the aim of constructing two to three-bedroom houses for single families. I'm eager to know if this project was associated with either the Hannam-dong area or the UN Village. Could you clarify this for me?