Adapted from a Seabee Coverall article, 1967

American troops were fighting for the approaches to Seoul nine days after landing at Inchon. An air observer reported eight locomotives in a railroad yard a number of miles from Yong Dong Po. The engines were trapped by broken rail lines. Although useless to the North Koreans, 10 Seabees had a different idea.

Six Seabee chiefs and four petty officers, led by Chief Ernest A. Sidney, who had previous experience with steam engines volunteered to go and recapture the locomotives. All returned safely in spite of intense mortar and sniper fire. Three of the locomotives were at the Kirin Brewery. The Seabees "liberated" fifteen cases of beer and stacked it on the engines. The beer was not issued because it was condemned by the medical officer, but Sidney testified a healthy sampling of beer helped inspire the Seabees to an unusually notable performance.

About this time the North Korean infantry discovered the Seabees and became more than disgruntled. The began firing rifles and machine guns at the Seabees as they chugged down the track. A few minutes later, mortars began dropping shells around the engines and shrapnel spangled off the iron bulkheads of the engine cabs and boilers. Sidney and his men ducked down and held on as their captured locomotives rattled toward the US Marine line.

The men of the 1st Marine Division, oblivious to the above developments, were pushing inland when they saw one of the Seabee-operated engines, chugging its way towards them from the direction of the enemy lines.

Marines swiftly maneuvered into position and prepared a bazooka as the train bore down on them. To their astonishment they recognized the green fatigue uniforms of a strictly G.I. cut.

"Wait a second," someone said. "These guys aren’t North Koreans."

"Naw," said a sergeant. "It’s just them damned Seabees again."