11/10/2025
Honoring Gil Pollard – United States Army
Gil Pollard proudly served in the United States Army, beginning his journey at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, where he completed Basic Training. From there, he continued to Ft. Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended the U.S. Army Intelligence School. Upon graduation, Gil was assigned to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, for 13 months of intensive Korean language training.
Following his training, he was deployed to the 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and later to Pusan, where he served as Liaison Representative between U.S. intelligence agencies and their senior counterparts within both the ROK Armed Forces and civilian sectors.
Gil’s service came during a critical period in history, marked by escalating tensions between North and South Korea. During his deployment, the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) increased its infiltration and provocation activities, including armed clashes across the DMZ. One such incident involved Unit 124, a North Korean special forces team sent to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung Hee—one agent was captured on the steps of the Blue House itself.
It was also the same year that North Korean gunboats seized the USS Pueblo, capturing its crew and holding them for an entire year before their release.
Through it all, Gil served with honor, dedication, and courage—contributing to vital intelligence efforts during one of the most tense and defining times on the Korean peninsula.
