The report of the butchery sped through the 1st Marine
Division unit by unit like a midsummer tornado ripping
over the Midwest plains. Only this was Korea, not
America, and it was the onset of winter 1952–1953. The
Chinese once again had stirred up a hornet’s nest among
the Gyrenes. Marines, along the line and off it were starting
to loose their cool. When the word got back to the
Flame Platoon in the tank park off the Changdan Road, Cpl
Tom Clawson, F-21’s tank commander, his loader Pfc. Jerry
Ravino, and F-33 Cpl. Elmer Betts were so angered that
they went to their commanding officer. “We wanted to take
three of our flame tanks out there,” Ravino said, “and get
those guys back where they belonged.”