This page opened in July of 2001 with two photos submitted by C-1-7 Marine Don Thomas of Hubbard, Ohio. Thomas’ company had passed through Hoensong and had just reached Hongchon when the photo of the pony was taken. As soon as they crossed the river, and before they went through the village, they were loading up with ammo and rations.
There was a pony there, and it was limping. The men tried to feed it some "C" rations and were in the process when an Associated Press photographer came driving up fast in a jeep. Thomas notes, "The guy told us to gather in a little closer around the pony and he took this photo. Well, about this time, we started getting a few rounds of mortar shells coming in on us and the AP man jumped in his jeep to get the hell out of there. I quickly hollered at him asking him if that picture was going to show up in the South Bend Tribune, South Bend, Indiana and he hollered back that it would be in the paper." The tall Marine on the right is Thomas and next to him is Sgt. Cox.
Mar 21, 1951 – Making friends with "Prisoner"
Unperturbed by his capture, this pony feeds from the hands of Marines on Korea’s central front Friday. The animal was left behind by Chinese Reds in their retreat from Hongchon. (APWire Photo 1951)