We had superior fire power, including magnificent air support. We had good logistic support. We had better communications and control than the Chinese, enabling us to employ our lesser number of forces better. We had better cold weather gear.

But those are all material things. It takes more than good equipment to turn the tide of a situation like the one we found ourselves in at the Reservoir. I like to think -- indeed I know -- that we were better professional soldiers than the Chinese. We also had a burning desire not only to survive, but to prove to each of our shipmates and to the world that we could survive against all the odds that were thrown our way. And we did!

The night before the division attacked to the south from Koto-ri, our last big push down the mountain, I walked out of the command tent to see what the weather was like. Was it snowing? Clear? I was worried about the engineers getting the bridge down to and across the penstocks where the Chinese had blown the road at Funciliin Pass.

Just as I turned to back into the tent, I heard singing coming from a nearby tent. A group of guys were singing, "Bless the all, bless them all, the long the short and the tall."