In God We Trust
Mike Davino, an officer in the 2nd Indianhead Division Association, researched the National Archives regarding Black-Americans who died in the Korean War. According to government records, there were 3,121 black veterans who died in the Korean War. The KWE is in the process of adding details about each one to this page of our website. To add information about Black-American casualties, contact us. For a spreadsheet of data from the National Archives, click here.
Abbey, Augustus A. - Born in 1929, Army veteran Augustus Abbey was killed in action on November 12, 1950. His home of record was St. Louis City, Missouri.
Abney, Artis Jr. - Born in 1930, Army veteran Artis Abney was killed in action on March 28, 1951. His home of record was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Acosta, Martinez Lu - Born in 1929, Army veteran Martinez Acosta was killed in action on September 16, 1952. His home of record was Puerto Rico.
Adams, Bernard B. - Born in 1929, Army veteran Bernard Adams was killed in action on August 29, 1950. His home of record was Mobile, Alabama.
Baker, Isaac - SFC Isaac Emanuel Baker was killed in action in South Korea on January 7, 1951, near Tanyang, South Korea. He was born May 11, 1922, in Florida and is buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Blountstown, Florida. His mother was Jennie B. Baker of Blountstown. Sergeant Baker enlisted in the Army on December 12, 1942, and served in World War II and Korea. In Korea he was a member of the 2nd Airborne Ranger Company.
Benefield, William Maurice Jr. - William Benefield was born on June 23, 1926, in Arkansas, son of William Maurice Benefield Sr. (1903-1992) and Samantha M. Parker Benefield (1903-2000). He was married to Carrie W. Benefield (1925-2006), and was the father of Michael Benefield, who was age 2. Benefield enlisted in the military on November 14, 1945, at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. The World War II veteran was recalled to duty from the Enlisted Reserve Corps. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. [See also Medals for Bravery - Distinguished Service Cross]
Briggs, Eugene A. Jr. - On January 9, 1951, while flying an air-ground control mission, an AT-6D Mosquito observation aircraft (#44-82541) with the 6148th Tactical Control Squadron, 6147 Tactical Control Group became low on fuel and crashed. There were two fatalities and their remains were recovered. One of the fatalities was 1Lt. Eugene A. Briggs . First Lieutenant Briggs was the pilot of this aircraft. Lieutenant Briggs was born January 20, 1922, t he son of Eugene A. Briggs Sr. His wife was Rosa Mary Briggs (1922-1994). Lieutenant Briggs served in World War II and was a graduate of Tuskegee Institue on March 23, 1946. He is buried in Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, New Jersey. Lieutenant Briggs is buried in Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, New Jersey.
Brown, Jesse LeRoy Jr. - Ensign Brown was born October 13, 1926, in Hattesburg, Mississippi, a son of John and Julia Lindsey Brown. His siblings were Marvin, William, Fletcher and Lura (brothers) and "Johnny" (sister). He was married to Daisy Pearl Nix (later Thorne) and they had a daughter, Pamala (later Pamala Brown Knight). Brown enlisted in the US Naval Reserves on July 08, 1946. He attended Ohio State University. In 1947 he became the first black to be accepted into Navy Flight School. On October 21, 1948, he was designated a naval aviator. On December 4, 1950, his F4U-4 was hit by Chinese anti-aircraft, and it crashed. In spite of a rescue attempt by his wingman Thomas J. Hudner (who crashed his own aircraft to try to save Jesse), Jesse died during his 20th combat mission in Korea. He was west of the Chosin Reservoir when he crashed. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and he was memorialized in the book, The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown by Theodore Taylor. He remains missing in action. Daisy Brown Thorne was born in 1927 and died in 2014. [See also Black-American Firsts and Medals for Bravery - Distinguished Flying Cross on this page of the KWE.]
Clark, Roosevelt "Jack" - Army Pfc. Roosevelt Clark, 18, of Arvin, California was buried March 1, 2013, in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Bakersfield, California. In late November 1950, units of the 35th Infantry Regiment and allied forces were deployed in a defensive line along the Kuryong and Ch’ongch’on River in North Korea, when Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces attacked their position. American units sustained heavy losses as they withdrew south towards the town of Unsan. Clark, a soldier in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, was listed as missing in action on November 28, 1950. He remained missing for 62 years before his remains were repatriated in 2013. James McKeichen, actor/poet/korean war hero & Purple Heart recipient met with Roosevelts family prior to his internment. In honor of Roosevelts ultimate sacrifice, McKeichen read a self-written poem to the family. Unfortunately there was no media coverage. Born July 29, 1932, Jack Clark was the son of Willie Leebrady Clark (1902-1984) and Sarah Clark (1916-2002). The Bakersfield High School athlete dropped out of school in his junior year to join the Army.
Coleman, SSgt. William Lawrence Jr. - Sergeant Coleman was born May 13, 1929, in Columbus, Georgia, the son of William Lawrence "Unca Willie" Coleman Sr. (1907-1981) and Dorothy L. "T-dot" Price Coleman (1907-1987). His sisters were Ethelyn Joan Coleman (1928-2002) and Dorothea Willena Coleman (1932-1932). Sergeant Coleman graduated from Spencer High School and attended Talledega College for two years before entering the military. He is buried in Porterdale Cemetery, Columbus, Georgia. Coleman Gym on Okinawa was named in his honor. A Douglas C-47B (#43-48483) crashed less than 10 kilometers from Kadena Air Force Base on Okinawa, Japan. On final approach to Kadena while returning from Krea, the pilot in command decided to attempt to go around for unknown reason. He increased power on both engines when one of them failed. The airplane stalled and crashed a few hundred yards short of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed. Two crew members were injured, but William Coleman Jr. died.
Dobie, King David - Corporal Dobie was born April 16, 1919, in Florida, the son of Diana Taylor. This World War II veteran had been overseas for two years when he was taken prisoner of war in the Kunu-ri area of North Korea. A member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, he died a non-battle death while POW. He was from Elkton, Florida.
Golden, Newman Camay - First Lieutenant Newman Camay Golden was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter (#44-74971) with the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On October 17, 1951, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and burst into flames 6 miles southwest of Choso-ri, Korea. He was listed as Missing in Action and presumed dead on March 31, 1954. Lieutenant Golden was born October 12, 1919 in Cincinnati, Ohio, a son of James Adams and Selika Golden. He was married with a son and a daughter. The daughter's name is Marilyn Golden Beecham-Hood. His brothers were Howard and Leonard Earl Golden and his sister was Ella Golden. Lieutenant Golden graduated from North College Hill High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 06, 1943 and graduated from the Tuskegee pilot training program in 1944. During World War II he served with the 99th Fighter Group in Europe. He was the pilot of a P-51 Mustang when on March 20, 1945 his aircraft was struck and he had to bail out over Wels, Austria. He was captured by the Germans and held in Stalag VII-A prisoner of war camp until liberation.
Gray, George Elbert - Captain George Elbert Gray was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter with the 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On April 5, 1951, while on a combat mission of strafing enemy positions, his aircraft crashed five miles south of Pyongyang, North Korea. His remains were not recovered. Captain Gray was born October 05, 1920 in Hemphill, West Virginia, the only child of George N. and Addie DeHart Gray. He was married on July 27, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan, to Loretta Sandros Gray. He graduated in 1938 from Kimball Negro District High School in Kimball, West Virginia. He worked at the U.S. Naval Powder Factory in Indian Head, Maryland from November 1941 until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He joined the Tuskegee program after entering service at Bolling Field, Anacostia, Washington, DC on September 17, 1942. During World War II he received the Distinguished Flying Cross as an original Tuskegee Airman. During the war he flew 102 combat missions in the Anzio, Rome-Arno, Southern France Air Offensive in Europe and Naples-Foggia campaign. In addition to the DFC, he received an Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. After the war he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. and became the first Black American to become a weather officer in the Master Air Weather Analysis Service in the Pentagon Building. When the Korean War broke out he was sent to Korea and was on his 13th combat mission when his aircraft was shot down. His widow died on September 15, 2017 at the age of 95.
Jackson, Levi Jr. - Levi Jr. was born July 27, 1926, the son of Levi Jackson and Lila Jackson of Lexington, South Carolina. He was a 1949 All-Army Heavyweight Boxing Champion. He died on August 13, 1950, in the Chindong-ni area of Korea and is buried in Mount Zion Cemetery in Columbia, South Carolina. [See also Medals for Bravery, Distinguished Service Cross section of this page.]
Johnson, Rosamond Jr. - Born in Florida in 1933, Rosamond Johnson, Jr., joined the army at 15. He was the first African American from Escambia County to die in Korea. Johnson served in the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division. Private First Class Johnson was killed in action on July 26, 1950, after carrying two wounded men to safety, for which he received the Purple Heart posthumously. The county named a blacks-only beach for him in the 1950s. Today Johnson Beach is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, where a monument in his honor was placed in 1996. Johnson was buried at Barrancas National Cemetery on April 23, 1952 (Section 8, Grave 65) [Source: www.cem.va.gov]
Jones, Joseph - Pfc. Jones was born February 28, 1929. He was wounded on June 14, 1953, and died of his wounds the next day. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Ft. Myers, Florida.
Kittell, Anthony Lee - Born December 12, 1930, he was a member of the 3rd Transportation Amphibious Truck Company at Rennde, South Korea, when he died of "other causes" on August 11, 1951. He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Littlejohn, Franklin - Pfc. Littlejohn was born October 02, 1918, in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Jesse James and Estha Richardson Littlejohn. He enlisted in the Army on August 16, 1940, at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, HQ Company, 3rd Battalion when he was killed in action in Korea on September 01, 1950.
Moore, Cpl. Gilbert - Corporal Moore was born September 10, 1928, in South Carolina, a son of Isaac Moore Sr. (1910-1955) and Queen Jones Moore (1909-1963). He had at least one sibling, Isaac Moore Jr. Corporal Moore enlisted on March 06, 1946. He is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia. Corporal Moore was killed on August 21, 1951, when a T-33 Shooting Star crashed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, spraying burning fuel over soldiers.
Oakley, James - Corporal Oakley was born February 7, 1927. He was swept away in South Korean waters on February 20, 1951, just a few days before his 24th birthday. There is a marker in the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Florence, Alabama, for this World War II and Korean War veteran. In Korea he was serving with the 1st Ranger (Airborne) Infantry Company, attached to the 2nd Infantry Division.
Oliver, Kenneth Eugene - Airman 3C Oliver was born December 09, 1931, in Florida, the son of Yorick Oliver (1906-1977) and Maude Oliver Moncur. He was a 1950 graduate of Dorsey High School and then joined the Air Force in October of 1951. He is buried in Lincoln Memorial Park, Allapattah, Florida. He was killed along with 34 others in the crash of a DC-4 aircraft near San Francisco Bay on March 20, 1953.
Owens, Norris - Pfc. Owens was born May 8, 1930. He was a member of the 180th Infantry Regiment, Heavy Mortar Company of the 45th Infantry Regiment when he died of wounds on June 17, 1952. He is buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Shellman, Georgia.
Payne, Wilbert - Private Payne was killed in a truck accident in Korea (see Topics - Casualties - Truck Accidents on the KWE). He was born on February 01, 1919 in West Virginia, the son of William and Helen Payne. He died in Korea on October 14, 1950 and is buried in Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, New Jersey. Private Payne was called to active duty from the Enlisted Reserve Corps.
Robinson, Emual Henry - S/Sgt. Emual Henry Robinson was born December 12, 1929, in Lake City, South Carolina, the son of World War II Marine veteran Roy Robinson (1907-1971). He enlisted in the US Air Force on September 16, 1949. He was stationed at James Connally Air Force Base, Lake City, South Carolina (Medical Department). On August 04, 1952, he was riding in the back of a Greyhound bus when that bus collided head-on with another Greyhound bus south of Waco, Texas. In the fiery crash there were 28-29 fatalities and dozens of injured. Because Robinson was at the back of the bus, he was thrown out. Accounts state that time and time again he returned to the burning buses, knocked out windows, and dragged passengers to safety. Ultimately, he was engulfed in flames and incinerated while trying to carry a passenger to safety. The father of a five-year-old daughter at the time of his death, he is buried in Jones Cemetery, Florence County, South Carolina. He was a true American hero.
Smith, Graham - Captain Graham Smith was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter (#44-84905) with the 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On April 30, 1951, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and burst into flames near Miudong, Korea. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953. Captain Smith was born April 19, 1919, in Brooklyn, New York, a son of Dempsey Porter Smith (1885-1976) and Gussie D. Holloman Seguin (1884-1935). His sister was Mildred Evelyn Smith (1913-1935) and his half-brother was Reginald V. Smith (1925-1946). Captain Smith and his brother Reginald were both Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.
Thompson, William - Thompson joined the Army in 1945. At the age of 18 he was living in the Home for Homeless Boys, Bronx, New York. He was a machine gunner in the all-black 24th Infantry Regiment. On the night of August 06, 1950, his unit was attacked by hundreds of charging enemy soldiers. Thompson put his machine gun to action and continued to fire "belt after belt of ammunition." He was wounded several times but continued to fire until every man in his unit was safe in a withdrawal. When his gun went silent, members of his unit knew that Thompson had made the ultimate sacrifice. Cpl. Reginald Washington, one of the wounded, stated: "If it wasn't for his gallant action hnardly anone would have gotten out. It cost him his life, but I guess Thompson knew the chances of us getting out. He wasn't thinking of himself, but of the other men. God was with me that night, but it cost Thompson a lot." His mother received his Medal of Honor. She did not know that he had joined the Army.
Walker, Donald Morris - Pvt. Walker was born April 16, 1931, in Washington County, Kentucky. He died in combat at the Chosin Reservoir and hastily buried there. His remains were recovered in 1954, but not identified until 2007. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Ware, William DuBois - William was born October 5, 1928, the son of Emil and Emma Ware of Winchester, Texas. He enlisted in the Army in Fayette County, Texas. He was missing in action on July 27, 1950. [See also Medals for Bravery: Distinguished Service Cross section.]
Williams, Edward Julius "E.J." - Captain Edward Julius "E.J." Williams was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter (#44-73157) with the 40th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. On March 30, 1951, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed into a dike on the beach and burst into flames. His remains were not recovered. Captain Williams was born March 03, 1917, in Columbus, Georgia, a son of Bonnie J. Williams (1894-1965) and Lillie Mae Little Williams (1894-1935). His stepmother was Mattie Williams Williams. He was married to Geneva Belton (1923-2018) in 1946, and they had daughters Edwina Juliette Williams and Cherryetta Williams (Gustave). His siblings included Laverna N. Williams Johnson (1918-1994), Estelle Williams Hicks Powell (1921-1992), Anne Elizabeth Williams Dinkins (1920-1996), Louis Connell "LC" Williams (1923-2016), Leon Anzio Williams (1928-1996), James Bonnie Williams (1930-2011), Sam Fulfert Williams (1936-2013) and Alton Williams. His step-siblings were Lena L. Williams, Mrs. Floyd Thomas, Curtis Spence, Willie Spence and Eddie G. Williams. Captain Williams was a member of one of the first pilot training classes at Tuskegee Army Air Field. During World War II he was a P-51 fighter pilot. During his career he flew 70 combat missions. He was the recipient of an Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters.
Wormack, Thelbert Bernard - DPAA: First Lieutenant Thelbert Bernard Wormack, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Ohio, was assigned to the 40th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 35th Fighter-Bomber Group. On the morning of August 14, 1950, he piloted an F-51D Mustang (tail number 44-73560) in a flight of two. The briefed mission was an armed reconnaissance operation over Waegwan, South Korea. During the mission, 1st Lt Wormack’s engine began to emit smoke, and he was forced to bail out; the Mustang crashed in a dry riverbed. 1st Lt Wormack's wingman observed the downed pilot walking northwest toward railroad tracks. On his next pass over the area, the wingman lost sight of 1st Lt Wormack but observed five enemy soldiers searching the area. After scattering the soldiers, the wingman resumed his search but was unable to locate the downed pilot. Once this area returned to the control of the United Nations Command, Army Graves Registration Service teams investigated the crash site and interviewed local nationals without positive results. Additionally, no returning prisoners of war (POWs) mentioned contact with 1st Lt Wormack, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Lieutenant Wormack was born July 09, 1927, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Fred and Katherine Day Wormack. He attended Douglass Grammar School, Avondale Grammer School, and Hughes High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, before enlisting on November 09, 1945. He was recalled to active duty from the Enlisted Reserve Corps for the Korean War. He was the recipient of an Air Medal.