Dennis Dorman, Army Infantryman -Korean War

Dennis Eugene Dorman, born in Iowa in 1932, shares his experiences growing up during the Great Depression and leaving school early to escape an unstable home. As a teenager, he altered his records to enlist in the Marine Corps, where he learned discipline and resilience before returning briefly to civilian life. After the outbreak of the Korean War, Dorman joined the U.S. Army and was deployed to Korea, landing at Inchon in September 1950. He describes his first combat experience, the emotional shock of killing for the first time, and the constant dangers of frontline fighting, patrols, and mountain operations. Dorman later served as a basic training and weapons instructor in the United States before volunteering to return overseas, including a second deployment connected to Korea. His account reflects the brutality of war, the loss of life, and the mix of hardship, dark humor, and lasting lessons that shaped his life. The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum is a military history museum located on Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. Please enjoy our wide variety of videos chronicalling our nation's military history through the stories of our veterans. If you would like to learn more about us please visit our website at www.goldstarmuseum.iowa.gov