The Frozen Chosen

The term “frozen chosen” is thrown around quite a bit in Baptist, Calvinist, and evangelical circles.

The label has been applied to certain Christian faith traditions that tend to be less expressive and more reserved, specifically in their worship. These also tend to be groups that highlight the sovereignty of God and believe or lean more toward election and predestination (that God predestined some, the “elect,” to receive salvation according to His purpose) (Jn. 6:44, 45; Rom. 11:5, Eph. 1:4, 11). At least in my experience, the term has been used largely in derogatory ways.

In other circles, however, the “frozen chosen” is used to commemorate another group.

During the Korean War, from November to December of 1950, the First Marine Division found itself surrounded and outnumbered in the Chosin Reservoir near the Chinese border. To this day, the U.S. Marine Corps considers the Chosin retreat the Corps’ finest hour.

The Korean War itself had begun only five months earlier, in June. The northern Korean forces had invaded the south, allied with the West. Within months, however, General Douglas MacArthur along with the United Nations forces had made significant advances in the north, and there began to be talk of victory by Christmas.

Then the unexpected happened: Communist China, surrounding American forces in a surprise attack in one of Korea’s remotest and harshest regions. Frozen ground halted any effort to dig foxholes. Combatants used their comrades’ bodies as substitute sandbags. Temperatures even froze bullet wounds.

The marines were compelled to retreat, but dwindling supplies and ammunition and being cut off from reinforcements made this no easy task. Fighting not only the relentless Chinese but the worst blizzard in a century, the handful of marines resisted valiantly in the face of incredible odds. One marine had only his socks in forty-below zero, in addition to sweeping Siberian winds. He endured all night, and in the end lost his toes to frostbite.

At times the enemy forced the swiftly shrinking unit into hand-to-hand combat, but they pushed forward. Two hundred men. One hundred. Eighty-five. And fewer. As one writer noted, referring to the Chosin ordeal, “Courage, tenacity, even audacity are all inadequate terms.”

Following the event, the U.S. awarded eighty-five Navy Crosses and fourteen medals of honor—a record for any American battle. The veterans that survived came to be known (you guessed it) as the “Frozen Chosin.”

My point here is simple: Let us imitate the original frozen chosen. Not sit still or idle. Not be complacent, but vigilant, valiant, and virtuous, fighting and never giving up, because of our comrades and our cause.

There is a quote from the Roman historian Tacitus: In valor, there is hope. “Vir” in Latin literally means “man,” so a literal translation of “virtus,” the Latin term for “virtue,” would be “manliness.” And the original meaning of “virtue” (again, virtus) was military courage, or valiant fortitude. In other words, valor.

In our English, virtue encompasses a host of positive qualities. Yet at its root is the manly courage, the resolve that makes a way for the radical practice of the other virtues.

The Chosin marines indeed were “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). We too may be hard-pressed. We may be perplexed. We may feel abandoned, but our Commander who never fails has promised, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you“ (Heb. 13:5). As we read numerous times in the Old Testament, “Be strong and courageous.“ Why? Because the Lord your God goes with you.

In Matthew 14, when Jesus’ disciples see Him walking on the lake, and they fear it’s a ghost, how does Jesus respond? “Take courage.“ Why? “It is I.“ We can take courage not because we’re great but because of who Jesus is. What effect should this have on us? As Jesus tells the disciples, “Do not be afraid.“ No threat this storm makes am I not Lord over.

To the marines, servicemen, historians, and military families who know more of the Chosin retreat, or as one general called it, simply an “advance in another direction,” my analogy may seem simplistic. Casualties were high. Sacrifice was great.

My intention, however, is not to insult but to honor.

According to some, the Chosin Reservoir has taken on the status of mythology or legend, not in the sense that it is considered fictional but in the sense that while it echoes and celebrates American heroism and valiance, it has become an overtold romanticized tragedy about an event that never should have happened.

In our case, however, our Commander is also the perfect Strategist. Sacrifice is and will be great. The opposing force may seem overwhelming. Discouragement and not only discomfort but incredible suffering may be the norm—and is for many of our comrades.

And yet, just as the Chosin, or chosen, marines believed in and fought for their cause, even to the end, we too are invited, commanded, and compelled to follow the One who became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:8).

Perseverance is exhorted often in Scripture, but an image like the Chosin marines offers a whole new picture of what pressing on in spite of everything actually means. We persevere not because it makes sense or because it’s easy but because like Moses, we see Him who is invisible (Heb. 11:27) and because we have hope (Rom. 5:4).

May Christ say in the end, not only “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but, “You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name and have not grown weary” (Rev. 2:3).

Let us be like the frozen chosen.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13