Glenn Dohrmann: The extraordinary journey from an orphaned farm boy to a highly decorated hero

EXPLORING KOREA: Stories from Milwaukee to the DMZ and across a divided Peninsula. This special series explores historical sites and cultural traditions from across the Korean Peninsula, building a bridge back to the search for identity in Milwaukee. From the occupation of Korea at the end of World War II, to Korean War veterans in Milwaukee, veterans from Milwaukee who served in later years at the DMZ, adopted South Korean children who grew up in Milwaukee, different waves of the South Korean diaspora who moved to Milwaukee to raise their families, and even a defector from North Korea, their stories share generations of Korean and American experiences. https://mkeind.com/koreanstories

School books often focus on broad events and significant figures, presenting a general narrative that overlooks individual voices. That is why intimate accounts like Glenn Dohrmann’s are so valuable. He was a witness to parts of history that never made the printed page.

Milwaukee Independent sat down with Dohrmann in his quiet home north of Milwaukee in Cedarburg to record stories about his service in Korea, and document a personal journey marked by hardship and heroism. Born in 1926, the 98-year-old veteran had already seen a lifetime of tragedies before turning 12.

At the age of almost two, his mother passed away during childbirth, leaving his father to care for five children. The strain proved too much and within 15 months Dohrmann’s father suffered a nervous breakdown. His siblings were split up and sent off to live with relatives. A young Dohrmann found himself with an aunt and uncle on their farm.

“I was only three years old then, and my aunt and uncle already had five kids of their own. But I stayed with them until I was 12 years old,” said Dohrmann. “I learned the value of hard work from a young age. So by the time I was 13, I was able to go off on my own and support myself. I was in demand to work for other farmers because I was raised on a farm.”

Dohrmann later excelled in high school sports, and balanced learning at school with long hours of agricultural labor. While he got by with his studies, basketball became an outlet of joy for him amid the struggles of his youth.

His coach recognized his talent and encouraged him to keep playing, even paying him to stay involved in the sport so he did not need so many part-time jobs.

“One year there was a farmer who was in really bad shape,” said Dohrmann. “I had to do all his hard physical work, and all while I’m still attending my classes.”

Growing up amid the Great Depression, Dohrmann saw the long shadow it cast over the day-to-day lives of people in his community. But he personally remained mostly unaffected by it. He always had work to provide income, and the remainder of his attention was dedicated to sports or study. He had little time for anything else, so felt content and comfortable in the structured environments he was immersed.

That isolation would be a core part of his life, allowing him a refuge from the troubled world he was surrounded by. It also provided Dohrmann a lot of contentment, as he was shielded from many situations that should have provided only hardship.

“When Pearl Harbor happened in 1941, I heard about it like everyone did. When local soldiers came home on leave, the school had them talk to us. The soldiers would be there on stage with the whole assembly,” said Dohrmann. “We didn’t have to be too smart to know what was going on. So that was a pure introduction to what war was.”

Dohrmann was still in high school in those days, and too young to enlist. So he retreated into farm work and basketball. For the early years of World War II, the conflict was very distant and rarely touched his life.

“Being an orphan, my life was entirely different from other kids. I never had the chance to go to the movies until I got older in high school. My experience was that way about a lot of things because I was out of the mainstream,” said Dohrmann. “So I never got to see newsreels about the world and the war, but I knew what was going on.”

Dohrmann said the main reason he stayed working on farms for so long was because farmers could not find help. Men were off fighting the war, and most boys did not have the skills to manage farming. So he was paid very well at the time because other farmers were trying to hire him.

But as his 18th birthday approached in 1944, Dohrmann was motivated by a sense of duty and the desire for a better life. He volunteered for military service, and quickly found himself far removed from the farm experience he had known.

“I went right into basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas. From there I attended Officer Candidate Training. I had 17 months of that at Fort Benning, Georgia,” said Dohrmann. “I came out of OCS as a Second Lieutenant, but by then World War II was pretty well over. I graduated on October 31 and by January 15, 1946, I was in a newly divided Korea.”

By the time Dohrmann arrived in South Korea in early 1946, people were still reeling from years of Japanese Colonialism. As part of the U.S. occupation force, he witnessed the stark realities of a nation recovering from decades of foreign subjugation. Dohrmann’s role in the U.S. Army included interacting with local civilians and managing logistics. The insight he gained deepened his understanding of the complexities that the Korean people were experiencing.

“The Japanese Empire had ruled Korea for close to four decades. Their country was left broken, and not what it had been,” said Dohrmann. “The people seemed sad, like they were just going through the motions of life. When shopping at a grocery store, the clerks didn’t smile. The shoppers didn’t smile. It felt bleak as people just did their thing. So I realized right away what the situation was like for them.”

Dohrmann found himself stationed rather far from the capital of Seoul, in the eastern coastal town of Goseong (고성) about about 10 miles south of the 38th Parallel, which had split Korea in half. He was there for almost two years, in a remote area that had a familiar feeling of isolation.

“I had volunteered, but at that time the war was winding down. And when that happened, they didn’t pay too much attention to me,” said Dohrmann. “I just sat there and did my job. It was not hard, but not as fulfilling as I would have liked. At least it was a beautiful area, and I enjoyed the beaches as often as I could.”

At 22 years old, Dohrmann was sent back to the United States in 1948 and stationed at Fort Ord, California as an instructor. Tensions in Korea escalated over another two years and Dohrmann’s peacetime service quickly transitioned into a more active role. When North Korea invaded the South in 1950, he was deployed back to Korea.

Now a First Lieutenant, Dohrmann soon found himself in the thick of combat by January 1951. He remembered the chaos and confusion that marked the early days of the conflict, and thought that the only way he would be able to leave the country again was if he got shot.

“One of the most harrowing aspects of my experience was the relentless nature of the combat,” said Dohrmann. “What stands out the most in my memory was just the fact that you knew there was no way out. When the Chinese came in, we were constantly on the move. It seemed like we fought every day, and we knew there was no end until either we died or somehow got transferred back home.”

The psychological impact of war cannot be completely understood by anyone who has not experienced it. Dohrmann’s calm demeanor and unwavering faith were critical in managing his stress of combat. The constant threat of death, the loss of comrades, and the brutality of hand-to-hand combat left scars that extended beyond physical wounds.

For many soldiers, faith and a strong sense of duty provided a lifeline through the fog of war. For Dohrmann, his faith was the cornerstone of his resilience.

“What did faith mean to me? It meant I could speak to God at any time, whatever the condition. I absolutely put all my trust in the Lord,” said Dohrmann. “I do not talk much about my beliefs, but they connect every aspect of my life. And people seem to know that, even though I never share my faith openly. I don’t swear, I don’t use bad words, which can really stand out. I think people see me by the example that I set.”

After being wounded three times during the Battle for Hill 266, a position also referred to as “Old Baldy,” he was awarded the Silver Star and a Purple Heart. But along with the honors for his valor came the end of the Korean War for Dohrmann. He spent months healing, but the return home presented him with a new set of challenges.

The switch from an active soldier to a civilian was a complex and often difficult process. However, the strong work ethic which was ingrained during his youth on the farm, helped him navigate the difficult transition.

Dohrmann remained active in the U.S. Army Reserve. He ultimately retired after 24 years of service as a Major. The skills and discipline acquired during his military service were instrumental in his building a successful post-war life.

In 2015, Dohrmann participated in a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, a long-running series of trips and events designed to celebrate veterans by taking them to military memorial sites in Washington DC at no charge. He also helped host a book club event for Honor Flight for the book Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice.

Dohrmann did not participate in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir but was deeply moved by the actions of aviators like Lt. Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown. His own experiences in the Korean War also provided a powerful perspective during the discussion.

The book event aimed to increase public awareness of “The Forgotten War,” and honor the contributions of Korean War veterans who were overshadowed by other conflicts.

“My life has been a journey of overcoming challenges and staying true to my values. I have always been a man of faith, and that has guided me through the toughest times,” Dohrmann added. “The Korean War was a significant part of my life, and I hope people remember the sacrifices made by veterans like me. I’ve always believed in setting a good example and living a life of integrity.”