One lesson that America has been trying to teach people for a couple hundred years is simple. If you fuck around, you will almost certainly find out. FAFO.
On August 18, 1976, a group of US Soldiers as well as some South Korean soldiers made their way to the Joint Security Area inside the Demilitarized Zone or, DMZ. This is the area that separates North Korea and South Korea. It was established just after the Korean War to prevent any direct military conflict. Their purpose for this soon to be bloody adventure was to cut down a tree. Yes, you read that correctly. These soldiers made their way to a tree with axes and saws in hand, but no firearms. The DMZ did not permit soldiers to be armed while in the area. The reason this working party was tasked to cut down a tree was simply because it was blocking the view of a United Nations checkpoint and observation post. Now, the North Koreans didn’t like this because supposedly Kim Il Sung planted this tree. But they also insisted he invented the hamburger so I don’t believe that bullshit. And neither did the tree trimming troops.
After being told to stop by the North Korean troops, the US soldiers ignored their commands and began chopping. The North Koreans decided to beat the troops for disobeying these orders and while doing such, they killed two US Army Officers. Captain Arthur Bonifas and 1st LT. Mark Barrett.
Within the next few days, the US decided to do some awesome shit. Instead of starting an all out war with North Korea, it was decided there would be a big show of force to intimidate to the North Koreans. But that damn tree still needed to go.
On August 21, 1976- 23 American and South Korean troops ventured back to the tree. But this time with a little bit of help. Of course they had their axes and chainsaws but they also had… a tank. Not only was there a tank but there were roughly 800 more troops on standby in the area just in case. The USS Midway (CV-41) was positioned off the North Korean coast. The Air Force supplied multiple F-4 Phantom II and B-52 Stratofortresses. There were AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters also providing support in case things got out of hand on the ground. With all these assets in the place the mission was still the same. Chop down the fucking tree. Within minutes, the tree was chopped down successfully.
The North Koreans fucked around and ultimately got lucky. Things could’ve ended a lot worse since there were two American soldiers killed. But the projection of badassery to chop down a tree proves that the American military will do just about anything to get the FAFO lesson across.
-Brayden “Sheriff” Stinnett
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