Korean War Poems by Monte Manka
Ranked #477 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #22,791 overall
An Octogenarian Writes Poems about His Experiences in Korea
Monte Manka grew up on a Kansas farm in the 1930s/40s, then went off to Korea as part of the occupying forces. His experiences there triggered some poetry that's entertaining and insightful.
In his mid-eighties, Monte keeps writing those poems about being a Kansas farm boy and about adjusting to the very foreign culture of Korea and the restrictions of the military. Enjoy his poems and be sure to leave a comment for Monte.
(photo provided by Monte Manka)
In his mid-eighties, Monte keeps writing those poems about being a Kansas farm boy and about adjusting to the very foreign culture of Korea and the restrictions of the military. Enjoy his poems and be sure to leave a comment for Monte.
(photo provided by Monte Manka)
Contents at a Glance
- Maps of South and North Korea
- Army Training Camp Poetry
- Monte Manka's Korean Experience
- Korean Woman
- Poems about the Korean People and Cultur...
- Korean Women Washing Clothes in a Stream
- Poems about R and R - Taking a Break fro...
- A Sampling of Photos Showing the Korean...
- MASH - Complete Set of DVDs
Maps of South and North Korea
Army Training Camp Poetry
by Monte Manka
- Army Abbreviations
- Enjoy the humor of this poem about army abbreviations.
- My First Day with the Terror Squad
- Got off the troop train
I remember the March 1st1945 date
We arrived in Camp Fannin Texas
As I remember, mighty late. (click the title to read more of the poem) - Four Days into the Terror Squad
- Another narrative poem by Monte Manka about training camp in Texas.
- A Ton of Respect
- A buddy makes it through a grueling day of basic training.
Important!
Monte Manka's Korean Experience
Monte explains his role in Korea: World War II ended when I was headed for the invasion of Japan. We were called off the troop train in Kansas and told that Harry had dropped the bomb and the war was over. Can't take any credit for any battles, strictly Occupation of Korea. I was in Korea during the occupation, the "Police Action" started after I left for home.
Korean Woman
Photo by Monte Manka
Poems about the Korean People and Culture
by Monte Manka
- Little Nell Two-Ten-Yen
- If you ever bargained with a Korean (remember you Korean Vets this was 1946)
Over eggs, silk or hammered copper pans
The bidding always started
With a bid of Two Ten Yen (click the title of the poem to read the rest) - Hiking out in the Korean Boonies
- A poem with more adventures in meeting the Korean people. It has great photos with it.
- Buddha Intruder
- Another poem about exploring in Korea.
- Korean Wash Day
- Korean Wash Day - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1945.
- Stroll to a Mystery
- Three soldiers going for a Sunday stroll
Monte, Mac and Don
With Addie Dean, the Red Cross gal
Tagging along.
I carried Mom's
Kodak 116
Ready to take any photo
Of some pretty mountain scene (more) - Rice planting in Korea
- Facinating photos with this poem.
- Cruelty of The River Han
- The people build their huts
Close to the River Han
To do their laundry
And water for their cooking pan (click the title to read the rest of the poem) - Break Time at the Shrine
- Break Time at the Shrine - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
- To market To Market
- Photos and poem about an open air Korean market.
- Just another Korean Shrine???
- Just another Korean Shrine??? - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
- The Korean Cafe
- Eating oxen stew in a Korean cafe.
- Surprise ini 1946
- Seeing the sights in Korea.
- Walking on the Ancient Side
- Visiting a Korean shrine.
- Korean Farmer headed to Seoul
- Korean Farmer headed to Seoul - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
- Korean Kids and the Kansas Farmer
- If you had a camera
They were ready at the drop of a hat
Posing for us to take their picture
We took care of that. (click the title to read the rest of the poem) - Korea Plowing time
- Korea Plowing time - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1945.
- Rice Planting Time in Korea, 1945
- Two Korean neighbors
Hou Soong Yun and Hai Chon Lee
Had prepared their paddies
For rice planting doncha see, (click the title to see the whole poem) - The River "Han"
- Poem about the flooding of the River Han.
- My Laundry
- Primitive laundry methods is the subject of this poem, but it provides insight into the lives of the Korean families.
Korean Women Washing Clothes in a Stream
photo by Monte Manka
Poems about R and R - Taking a Break from the Military Occupation of Korea
by Monte Manka
- R and R to Tokyo
- After visiting the Ginza
After seeing a movie at the Ernie Pyle
After coupon dancing at the Medowland dance hall
We decided to visit the Imperial Palace for a while. (click to read more) - Tokyo Girls
- When I landed at Tachikawa, air base
Turned over the straight jacketed GI's
I had a room on the base
To where I could unwind. (click to read more) - The Emperor's Palace
- On the first of May
Went to the motor pool
Checked out a jeep
For a trip to Seoul
The street that passed by the Palace
Was six or eight lanes wide
The guard at the gate stopped me
He let me go inside (click to read more) - Rush Hour in Seoul, Korea
- Poem about the sights seen in "Rush Hour in Seoul, Korea."
- The Chosun Hotel, Seoul Korea
- The Chosun Hotel, Seoul Korea - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
- Korean Notions
- On the way to Seoul
To the 24th corps picture show
I had to pass right by the Bung Chung
Wouldn't you know? (click the title to read the whole poem) - Nights in Tokyo
- While in the supply office
The Captain was heard to say
Any one want to fly to Tokyo
On the nineteenth of May? (click the title to read the rest of the poem) - Picnic at Wolmi Do
- Excursion with some Army nurses.
- In The Summertime, in Korea
- Hiking to see the sights in Korea.
MASH - Complete Set of DVDs
Most people think of MASH when the Korean War is mentioned.
Korean Shrine
photo by Monte Manka
Korean War Poems and the Occupation
by Monte Manka
- Army Menu, Korea, Jul. 4, 1946
- Humorous poem about Army chow
- Places I Have Been, (Mom's Camera)
- A poem about the camera that Monte Manka used in Korea and other places.
- On the Road to Seoul, Korea
- A poem about the sights seen along the road in Korea.
- Sent on to Inchon
- I was happy to be on dry land
After four days at sea
On a flat bottomed Navy boat
Called an LST (click on the title to read the rest of the poem) - 29th Gen. Hosp, Korea
- That old mountain in the back
Looking like a sleeping giant, and at its feet
Sprinkled with sleepy little straw topped villages
Tucked together, ever so neat (click to read more of the poem) - A Tenting We Will Go
- A Tenting We Will Go compares childhood ideas of camping to the reality of Army camping. - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
- 29th. Gen. Hosp, CrewDecember 1945
- 29th. Gen. Hosp, CrewDecember 1945 - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1945.
- Panic in Medical Supply
- Panic in Medical Supply when the inventory doesn't match up. A wry look at military rigidity.
- Troop Transport, Cape Cleare
- A poem about shipping out to Korea.
- LST
- LST - Writer: Monte Leon Manka.
- Death at the Seoul, Korea R.R. Station
- Death at the Seoul, Korea R.R. Station - Writer: Monte Leon Manka.
- Korean Kleenup Krew
- That pipe smoking Sgt
And his Korean Kleenup Krew
Took care of the 29th. Gen. Hosp.
There's nothing they couldn't do. (click the title to read the rest of the poem) - Mac and Hai Chong Lee
- Mac and I were the first two replacements
To the 29th Gen. Hospital, in Nov. "45"
Since they moved from Guadalcanal
Those who survived. (click the title to read the rest of the poem) - Triip No. 2, to Kimpo, Korea
- Triip No. 2, to Kimpo, Korea - Writer: Monte Leon Manka. Year: 1946.
Korean Farmer Carrying a Heavy Load to Market
photo by Monte Manka
“I close my eyes
Seems like yesterday
When I was in Korea
Thousands of miles away.”
Learn More about the Korean War
books available from Amazon
Korean War Memorabilia on eBay
Get your bid in now
This changes regularly.
Leave a Message for Poet Monte Manka
in English, please
speakers korean asian letters pray by SexyGeekWithAttitude
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PatinKC
May 28, 2012 @ 1:24 pm | delete
- My dad was in the Navy in the Korean War.
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OhMe May 28, 2012 @ 1:20 pm | delete
- Poet Monte Manka, thank you for your service and for sharing you wonderful poems.
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alicecheryl
Sep 15, 2011 @ 5:51 am | delete
- good story of poem.
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joeldgreat
Sep 12, 2011 @ 9:46 pm | delete
- Germany was already united. but until now, Korea is still divided. I wonder when????
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boutiqueshops Sep 10, 2011 @ 3:35 pm | delete
- My Dad was in the Korean war too; in the Army. Thank you for your service, Monte & for the great poetry you've shared with us.
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GayleMcLaughlin Sep 10, 2011 @ 3:26 pm | delete
- Mr. Manka--I enjoyed your poems! I was too young to know very much about the Korean War but your poems gave me a personal insight into that time and war. Thanks for the real-life glimpse of how it was!
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MiddleSister
Sep 10, 2011 @ 3:17 pm | delete
- I have read only your first poem about the kind and creative leadership of your Captain Knight. "Little Nell Two Ten Yen" is a great story. I am sending a link to all these poems to my daughter in South Korea. She is there teaching English. Thank you. I look forward to reading the rest!
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