Review: Uncommon Courage: Breakout At Chosin

Smithsonian Channel Debuts Korean War Special On Memorial Day

By Kent Gibbons -- Multichannel News, 5/24/2010 12:01:00 AM

On Memorial Day, Smithsonian Channel present s a one-hour special, Uncommon Courage: Breakout at Chosin, about a remarkable and unlikely hero of the Korean War.

Few may know the story of U.S. Marine Lt. Chew-Een Lee, who led 500 troops in an incredible overnight march to protect a key pass and guard 8,000 Marines retreating from overwhelming force at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in late 1950. That makes him a little-known hero from “The Forgotten War.” After seeing this documentary, though, few would argue with the film’s contention that Lee should be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his leadership at Chosin.

Lee, the film tells us, was the first commissioned U.S. Marine regular officer of Chinese descent. His ethnicity was a barrier early in his career: As a young recruit, he was assigned to Japanese-language school instead of a combat post in the Pacific during World War II. When the Korean conflict came, as a first lieutenant, he insisted on being at the front.

In battle against Chinese forces, his knowledge of Mandarin helped him deceive the enemy on occasion, including during a one-man raid against a machine-gun bunker that won him the Navy Cross.

His bravery, and the discipline and respect he instilled in his men going back to training in Camp Pendleton, got them through their daring mission at frozen Chosin — and got them home.

Smithsonian Channel premieres Uncommon Courage: Breakout at Chosin on May 31 at 8 p.m.