In God We Trust
Casualties - December 30, 1945
(Pre-Korean War - 93rd ordnance Bomb Disposal Squad)
Casualties - January 01-December 31, 1953
(Elsewhere Around the World - American Veterans Who Did Not Die in Korea)
Casualties of Ship Sinkings & Damage to Vessels (Deaths at sea)
Casualties in Hill 303 Massacre
(Names of 41 Americans murdered by North Koreans in Aug. 1950)
Casualty Database (DoD): Department of Defense listing of all known Korean War casualties
Casualties not in Department of Defense Database
Apparent errors of omission discovered by research
Clark County, Kentucky Casualties -
"In Defense of Humanity", compiled by Michael F. Tyler
Combat Casualties by Major Units
(Division losses)
Deaths for 1954 Only
(US deaths in Korea and around the world during the 1954 timeframe only)
E-2-5 Marines -
(List of E-2-5 KIA and WIA in Korea 1950-53]
Ethyl Fulton Estate Card File -
(Contents of approximately 250 cards with names and service details of U.S. Korean War soldiers killed or missing in action--most from the Seattle, Washington area)
Iowans Killed in Action in the Korean War (Photo Album)
(Photos in an era newspaper)
Marty O’Brien’s Casualty Book -
(American KW casualties - an in-depth study for the serious scholar)
Chapter Three - The Korean War: A Statistical Inquiry
Part I - Selected Hostile and Non-Battle Dead
Part II - Army "Non-Battle" Deaths [1954]
Part III - "Other" "Hostile"/"Non-Battle" Deaths
Part IV - Synopsis of Parts I, II, and III
Part V - DMZ & Offshore Post War Deaths
McCain KIA Book
(Confirmed Korean War casualties listed by home state)
Office of Public Information News Releases -
(Department of Defense News Releases - US Casualties in Korean Area)
Operation Glory
(After the cease fire, United Nations officials negotiated for the return of the remains of deceased war dead on both sides.)
Outpost Harry Casualties
(List of 15th Infantry soldiers killed defending Outpost Harry April-June 1953)
Rensselaer County, New York War Dead -
(Posted in memory of Ken Page & Rensselaer KWar Dead)
SS Toya Maru -
(American military men who died in the capsize of a Japanese ferry 1954)\
Truck Accident Fatalities
(Overturns, fires, crashes, etc.)
USS Bennington (CVA-20)
(List of dead and injured in launching catapult explosion May 26, 1954)
USS Hobson
(List of the casualties & survivors of the tragic sinking of the Hobson in 1952)
| Age | Killed in Action | Died of Wounds | Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 and Under | 4,297 | 405 | 4,702 |
Total deaths - 4,702
Killed in action - 4,297
Died of wounds - 405
Total deaths - 11,984
Killed in action - 10,835
Died of wounds - 1,159
Total deaths - 2,506
Killed in action - 2,264
Died of wounds - 242
Total deaths - 1,019
Killed in action - 911
Died of wounds - 108
Total deaths - 353
Killed in action - 316
Died of wounds - 37
Total deaths - 105
Killed in action - 103
Died of wounds - 2
Total deaths - 17
Killed in action - 14
Died of wounds - 3
Total deaths - 4
Killed in action - 3
Died of wounds - 1
Total deaths - 620
Killed in action - 620
The compilations of Korean War Air Force casualties found on this page of The Korean War Educator are derived from the original research of Kenneth E. Page of Troy, New York. A Navy veteran during the Korean War from 1951 to 1955, Ken actively researched information about Korean War casualties until his sudden death at the age of 69 on February 7, 2002. The casualty figures shown here include Battle and Non-Battle Deaths from 1950 to 1954.
1950 - 1,528 casualties sorted by date of death (PDF File)
1951 - 2,442 casualties sorted alphabetically (PDF File)
1952 - 2,545 casualties sorted alphabetically (PDF File)
1953 - 402 casualties sorted by date of death (PDF File)
1954 - 195 casualties sorted alphabetically (PDF File)
1954 -
[KWE Note: The information found on this page was copied from www.alamancelibraries.org.]
Corporal Barrett was wounded in action in Korea on November 10, 1950 while serving with the 24th Infantry Regt., 25th Infantry Division and died of his wounds 2 days later. Cpl. Barrett was born in 1927 and entered the service while living in Alamance County. Cpl. Barrett was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Barrett, brother of Don and Joseph Barrett of Burlington and son of Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Barrett of Church Hill, Tennessee, was reported missing in action in Korea in July 1950 while serving with the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division and later declared dead. Pfc. Barrett was born in 1924 and entered the service in July 1949 while living in Alamance County. In addition to his parents, he is survived by 1 sister and 5 brothers, including Clay Barrett of the U.S. Army in Texas. Pfc. Barrett was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News March 20, 1952 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Sergeant Bunting, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Bunting of Graham, NC, was reported missing in action in Korea while serving with the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was taken prisoner while fighting the enemy near Chochiwon, South Korea on July 11, 1950 and forced to march to North Korea on the “Tiger Death March” He died while a prisoner at Hanjang-ni, North Korea on January 31, 1951 at the age of 23 years. Sgt. Bunting’s remains were never recovered, and the Army and his family did not learn the details of his death for a number of years after the end of the conflict. Sgt. Worth Bunting’s younger brother, Sgt. James R. Bunting, entered the army just 1 month after his brother and served 9 months in Korea early in the war. He was wounded there in October 1950 and later was stationed with the Air Force in Germany.
Sgt. Worth Bunting’s name is inscribed on the Memorial to the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News January 4, 1951 and September 12, 1953 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Sergeant First Class Heritage, son of Mr. John W. Heritage of Ford St, Burlington and the late Mrs. Lenora Heritage was born in 1919 and was a veteran of World War II. He attended Burlington High School and had been in the Army for 9 years. Sgt. Heritage left for Korea from Fort Lewis, Washington in July 1950. He was killed in action in Korea on November 28, 1950 while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea. Sgt. Heritage was a member of Company B, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. Sgt. Heritage’s remains were never recovered. He is survived by one daughter, Gail, one son, Franklin, a brother Mr. W. W. Heritage of Illinois, and his step-mother Mrs. Minnie Heritage. Sgt. Heritage was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
Source: Times-News January 30, 1951 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Lee, son of Mrs. and Mrs. J. S. Lee of Elon College, NC, was killed in combat in Korea on August 29, 1951 while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Pfc. Lee entered the service in January 1951, trained at Parris Island, SC and Camp Pendleton, California and arrived overseas in Korea on August 5. The 20-year-old Marine had been in the war zone for 3 weeks at the time of his death and was serving gas an ammunition carrier for a machine gun crew.
Before entering the service, Pfc. Lee attended Anderson School and worked at the Ossipee Weaving Plant of Burlington Mills. Survivors include his parents who live on the Reidsville Highway, 3 sisters, and 2 brothers. Pfc. Lee was a member of Camp Springs Methodist Church. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News September 7, 1951 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Manuel, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Manuel of Burlington, Route 6, was wounded in combat near Kunu-ri, North Korea on November 30, 1950 at the age of 18 years and died the next day. Pfc. Manuel had been wounded previously by shrapnel wounds in the arm in early September 1950 and retuned to duty on October 13. He enlisted in the Army in January 1949, trained in South Carolina and Washington State, and sailed for Korea from Fort Lewis, Washington, in July 1950. At the time of his death, he was serving with the 82nd Infantry Division, 7th Battalion. Survivors include his parents, 2 brothers James and Edgar, and a half-bother, Garland Beal, of Swepsonville. Pfc. Manuel was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News January 3, 1951 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Corporal Martin was taken prisoner while fighting the enemy near Chochiwon, South Korea on July 10, 1950 and died on July 16, 1952 while a prisoner of war at Camp 3 near Chang-Song, North Korea. Cpl. Martin was born in 1929 and was a member of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He entered the service while living in Leaksville, North Carolina, but had lived in Alamance County. Cpl. Martin was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private May, son of Otis F. and Minnie Horner May of Glen Raven, was killed in action in Korea on February 3, 1951 at the age of 21 years while serving with Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Pvt. May enlisted in the Army in July 1950 and trained at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. He sailed for Korea in December 1950 and was killed after only a few days at the front. Aside from his parents, he is survived by 1 sister, 1 brother, and three grandparents—Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Horner and Mrs. Nora May of Glen Raven. A military funeral for Pvt. May was held at Pinecroft Baptist Church with burial in Pine Hill Cemetery. Private May was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News January 3, 1952 and January 9, 1952 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Sergeant Ray, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Ray of Route 2, Burlington, was killed in action in Korea on February 20, 1951 while attacking the enemy during “Operation Thunderbolt” near Wonjou, South Korea.. At the time of his death, he was serving with the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Sgt. Ray was born at Danville, Virginia on August 14, 1930. He attended Glencoe School and was employed by Glencoe Mills before enlisting in the Army in August 1948. He was sent to Japan in January 1949 and went to Korea last August. Aside from his parents, Sgt. Ray is survived by 1 brother, 2 sisters, and a grandmother—Mrs. Mary Ray of Danville, Virginia. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church here. Sgt. Ray was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News March 25, 1951 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Stockard, son of Cramer F. and Mrs. Annie Love Stockard and grandson of the late J. Cicero Stockard of Alamance County, was killed in action in Korea on November 11, 1951 while serving with Company G, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Pfc. Stockard was born on July 1, 1930, graduated from Alexander Wilson High School in 1948 and attended Burlington Business College before enlisting in the Marines in March 1951. He served as a machine gunner and was wounded on September 12, 1951 and later returned to duty. Survivors include his parents, 1 sister, and his maternal grandfather, Robert Love of Route 1, Graham. Funeral services were held at Glenhope Baptist Church with burial in Mt. Hermon Church Cemetery. Pfc. Stockard was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Sources: Times-News February 18, 1952 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Wilder was killed in action in Korea on September 2, 1950 while serving with the 29th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was born in 1932 and was age 18 years at the time of his death. Pfc. Wilder was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: American Battle Monuments Commission website
Sergeant Winstead, son of W.A. Winstead of Route 1, Graham and the late Mrs. Mollie Ida Winstead
was killed in action in Korea on May 22, 1951 at the age of 22 years. Sgt. Winstead was a medic with the Medical Company, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team and he was killed while tending his wounded comrades near Taesong, South Korea. Sgt. Winstead attended Maple Avenue School and worked for Burlington Mills before he entered the service in 1947. He had been in Korea for almost a year at the time of his death. In addition to his father, he is survived by 3 sisters, 3 brothers, and 2 half-brothers, Mark and Mack Flores. There are plans to have Winstead’s remains returned to Burlington for local burial. Sgt. Winstead was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News June 13, 1951 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private First Class Worth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Worth of Route 1, Haw River, was an African-American soldier who was killed in action in Korea on May 24, 1953 while serving with the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was born in 1930 and was a native of Alamance County. In addition to his parents, Pfc. Worth is survived by two brothers, Broadrick D. Worth and Floyd M. Worth, one grandmother, Mrs. Harriette McBroom, and one great-grandmother, Mrs. Artelia McBroom. The funeral was held in August 1953 at Melville Congregational Christian Church with military rites conducted at Maxwell Chapel. Pfc. Worth was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: Times-News June 13, 1953 and July 31, 1953 and American Battle Monuments Commission website
Private Wright was seriously wounded in action in South Korea on September 3, 1950 and died of wounds later that day. Pvt. Wright was serving with the 72nd Medium Tank Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division at the time of his death. He was born in 1931. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Source: American Battle Monuments Commission website
Army Non-Battle Casualty Names (From Marty O'Brien's Book) -
(Large PDF file)
Army Surgeon General’s Battle Casualty Report (Reister) -
(Casualty types and when they occurred)
KWE Note: Below is a list of US Army casualties in Massacre Valley around Hoengsong on both sides of Road 24 and northwest to Chipyong-ni February 12-14, 1951. The massacre was found by the 7th Marines, Dog/7 in the point on March 7, 1951. According to Fred Frankville, who was one of the D/7 Marines who came upon the scene, the battlefield was "frozen in time by the Arctic cold weather". The list below came from two sources: (1) miscellaneous names found by the KWE through the years and (2) a list sent to the KWE by Fred Frankville, found on the Korean War Project website.
(Royal Marines & Royal Navy Personnel Killed in Action, Died of Wounds, or Died in Captivity)
[KWE Note: This list was compiled by SSgt. Philip H. Heath, a G-3-1 Marine.]
In their memory - may they never be forgotten
In memory of the five members of 93rd Ordnance (Bomb Disposal) Squad presumed killed in Korea on December 30, 1945. These men were attempting to dispose of Japanese bombs in the area of Yonan, Korea. All are listed as Missing in Action/Presumed Dead.
(Elsewhere Around the World - American Service Men and Women That Did Not Die in Korea)
Adams, 1Lt. Robert D. - died August 2, 1953 in a vehicle accident in New York.
Arbogast, Pfc. Chester - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Baker, Pvt. Arnold L. - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Baker, Cpl. Carl Richard - died August 15, 1953 in a vehicle accident in Virginia.
Baker, Pvt. James K. - died August 13, 1953 in a truck accident in West Germany.
Baker, TE3 Maynard Gerald - died April 28, 1953 in an automobile accident in San Francisco, California while serving in the U.S. Navy.
Ball, AB3 Charles Thomas - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Beach, Pvt. Frank Colvin - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Bedford, ADC James Robert - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Belson, Sgt. Eugene G. - died of other causes in Georgia on October 11, 1953.
Beyer, Capt. Frank E. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Bielecki, SN Thomas Harry - died October 16, 19 53 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Blaszczyk, Pvt. John H. - died December 4, 1953 in an automobile accident in North Carolina.
Brown, MSgt. Francis L. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Capper, AOM1 Joseph Patrick - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Cerminaro, Sgt. Michael J. - died December 1, 1953 in an automobile accident in Pennsylvania.
Clark, Capt. Leo Burr - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Conrad, AB3 Roland Maurice - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Crespy, AMMN George David - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Czyz, Capt. Edmund J. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Daly, Pvt. Richard - died September 10, 1953 in a motorcycle accident in Massachusetts.
Daw, Pvt. Edward C. - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
DeRose, Lt. Leonard Michael - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
DiBartolomeo, T1 Rudolph - died October 16, 1953 in an automobile accident in New York.
DiPasqua, 2Lt. John Joseph - died July 30, 1953 in an airplane crash in California.
Dreier, DC3 Norbert H. - died December 20, 1953 of other causes in Virginia.
Ellis, Sgt. Robert Harvey - died August 4, 1953 in an airplane crash west of Ireland.
Fasano, Pvt. Bramie R. - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Faulkner, AMMN Gerald Norwin - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Ferree, Maj. Jack D. - died August 21, 1953 in an aircraft accident in North Carolina.
Fields, A1C Clyde Hale Jr. - died March 21, 1953 of other causes while serving in the Air Force in Denver, Colorado.
Fischer, ENS Charles Thompson - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Foos, CM3 Elmore E. - died July 18, 1953 in an automobile accident near Brownsville, Texas, while sightseeing.
Freier, MM3 Leland Paul - died August 15, 1953 in an automobile accident in Virginia.
Gabree. Sgt. Donald W. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Gagas, Lt. William Achilles - died October 16, 1953 in a ship accident in Boston, Massachusetts.
Gentilcore, Sgt. Robert E. - died November 14, 1953 when he was killed by a hit and run driver in North Carolina.
Gilstrap, CPO Ralph K. - died October 12, 1953 in an accident on the New York Central Railroad in New York.
Glover, Cpl. George Washington - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Goulet, A1 Roland E. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Hackett, AN Jackie Paul - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Hadley, Raymond E. - died June 18, l1953 while serving in the Air Force in Japan.
Halterman, l;2Lt. Norman Harold - died December 24, 1953 in an aircraft accident in the Sea of Japan. Body not recovered.
Hanson, Pvt. Kenneth Orval - died December 22, 1953 in an automobile accident in Alabama.
Harrelson, AOM3 Arthur Danvis Jr. - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Hartley, AB2 Warren Vincent - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Hedley, Pvt. James T. - died in a drowning accident in North Carolina on September 2, 1953.
Hildreth, lAB3 James Arlin - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Hill, SSgt. Donald G. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Holland, Lt. Robert G. - died August 19, 1953 in an aircraft crash in Maine.
Holt, MMC Elmer Clarence - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Howe, A1C Edwin D. - died December 11, 1953 in an airplane crash in Texas.
Hroch, 1Lt. Merlyn Eugene - died October 1, 1953 in an aircraft accident in Maine.
Huffman, Sfc. Everett H. - died suddenly on September 4, 1953 in Germany.
Hunter, Capt. Walter Norman - died August 4, 1953 in an air crash west of Scotland.
Jackson, AN Nathan Eugene - died October 16, 1953 in a ship accident in Boston, Massachusetts.
Johnson, Pfc. Clarence C. - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Kadlec, AN Leo Francis - died October 16, 1953 in a ship accident in Boston, Massachusetts.
Kammerud, Pvt. Otis Jerome - died September 26, 1953 in an automobile accident in Colorado.
Kautz, A3 Edward William - died September 13, 1953 in an automobile accident in South Dakota.
Kavanagh, Pvt. Otis Jerome - died October 5, 1953 in an aircraft accident in Texas.
Keenan, AB2 Gregory - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Keith, Capt. James G. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Kidd, Capt. Gerald Steele - died August 14, 1953 in an airplane crash over Japan.
Kirchofer, AVN CDT Walter A. Jr. - died August 21, 1953 in an aircraft collision in Alabama.
Lintz, AOM3 Riley Gene - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mack, 2Lt. Bruce W. - died September 10, 1953 in an airplane crash in Luzon, Philippines.
Macomber, MMC Walter Eugene - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mallory, Charlie - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Mayer, 2Lt. Ronald L. - died December 9, 1953 when the C119 he was in crashed near Newton Falls, Ohio due to an electrical failure.
Mayhew, AOM3 Kenneth Joe - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
McCaig, 2Lt. Stanley R. - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Meister, Capt. Adam George Jr. MD - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Mills, SN Sidney - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mole, Col. Harry H. - died November 23, 1953 of other causes in California.
Montrose, Cpl. Leroy Neal - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Mountain, AOMN Fulton Thomas - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mumford, Sfc. Walter C. - died September 17, 1953 of other causes in New Jersey.
Myers, Ltjg. Thomas Joseph - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Nelson, ADMN Neil Higgins - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Osborn, Lt. Col. John W. - died May 15, 1953 in a plane crash in West Germany while serving in the Air Force.
Patterson, AOMN Joe Albert - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Peets, Pvt. Frank Bennett - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning in North Carolina.
Pellerin, AD2 William - died November 10, 1953 in an aircraft crash west of San Diego, California.
Perrine, A2C Carlton Lee "Corky" - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Pond, Pvt. Charlie R. - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning in North Carolina.
Quinn, AB George John Jr. - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Radlein, A2 Earl W. Jr. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Randall, Lt. Clinton Howard - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Ransford, AMM2 Robert B. - died December 30, 1953 of other causes in South Dakota.
Red Paint, Pvt. Noah - died June 3, 1953 of other causes at Ft. Liberty, North Caroline while serving in the Army.
Reed, Pvt. John Foster - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Risen, Pvt. Edward George - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Runowicz, BMC Taddeus - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Sanderson, Capt. Warren J. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Sanford, Pfc. Archie Dale - died August 14, 1953 when he was attacked by Communist Huk rebels in the Philippines.
Shadof, Pvt. Kenneth - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Singleton, A2c D.G. - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Slater, ST2 Earl Hilmer - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Slye, TSgt. Donald R. - died December 6, 1953 in an automobile accident in Illinois.
Sosa, Pvt. Ramiro Hernandez - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Speece, A1C Robert W. - died September 12, 1953 in an automobile accident in England.
Spicer, Pvt. Donald F. - died September 12, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Stainaker, Capt. Robert Eldon - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Sweitzer, SN Alan M. - died September 5, 1953 in a head-on vehicle accident in Rhode Island.
Tauss, Lt. Robert Seymour - died December 22, 1953 when he was killed in the line of duty at Alexandria, Lousiana. He was a former pilot in Korea.
Taylor, Pfc. Jerry - died November 17, 1953 in a paratrooper/C119 accident over Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Terry, Sgt. Darrell Edward - died November 13, 1953 in a drowning accident while serving in the Army. He was lost at sea.
Tobert, Pvt. Ellis - died August 7, 1953 when he was stabbed in New York.
Treber, CDR William Ogden - died August 18, 1953 of hepatitis while serving in the Navy at Bethesda, Maryland.
Troiano, Pvt. Peter Jr. - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Turney, Pvt. Dan A. - died September 2, 1953 in a drowning accident in North Carolina.
Weber, Cpl. Dale W. - died December 26, 1953 in an automobile accident in Wisconsin.
Werve, Ltc. Matt William - died August 12, 1953 of unknown causes in Germany.
Wiggins, Capt. Lloyd C. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Winslow, SN James Lynn - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Wooley, SN William David - died October 16, 1953 in a ship explosion in Boston, Massachusetts.
Woods, A2 James E. - died July 29, 1953 when his plane was shot down off the coast of Russia.
Zecher, 1Lt. Albert McKinley - died September 3, 1953 in a vehicle accident.
Ziegeweid, Maj. Eugene Joseph - died August 2, 1953 after becoming ill in Germany. He died at Walter Reed in Washington, DC.
Zuba, PO3 Stanley R. Jr. - died July 30, 1953 in a plane crash in the Philippines.
Yoeman, SSgt. Robert Eugene - died August 4, 1953 in an airplane crash west of Scotland.
Following is a list of men who were never found after their ships went down or were damaged off of the Korean shores during the war years. It was submitted to the Korean War Educator by Ed Clanton of Lumber Bridge, NC. Tom Moore originally sent the list to Clanton. The names of two more casualties of the sinking of the USS Sarsi were supplied to the KWE by Tom Wilbeck. For further details about the Sarsi, visit the USS Sarsi website at http://www.uss-sarsi.org. The names of two more casualties of the damage to the USS Small were supplied to the KWE by Don Wayman, thanks to Sarah Munier Williamson (sister to Joseph Munier who lost his life in the incident) drawing our attention to Don's list. If any visitors to this web page have informational reports, photographs of the ships or their casualties, obituaries, personal memories of a casualty, etc., you are encouraged to submit them to the Korean War Educator.
In August of 1950, members of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division were involved in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter in the southern-most part of South Korea. On August 17 of that year, the enemy tied the hands of 41 Americans behind their backs with wire, and then they murdered them. The crime was known as the Hill 303 Massacre. Following is the 1st Cavalry Division’s report and investigation of the crime, in which the casualties of that massacre are listed, along with their rank and serial number. The original format of the report did not include tables.
Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division (Infantry)
APO 201, Korea
23 August 1950
Subject: Report and Investigation of War Crime (Preliminary)
To: Commander in Chief, Far East, APO 500
Attention: Staff Judge Advocate
Headquarters Company, 2D Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "E", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "G", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "H", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Medical Company, 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "H", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "H", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Company "F", 5th Cavalry Regiment
Medical Company, 5th Cavalry Regiment
Slaying occurred and bodies recovered from 39.700-55.700. (Survey by Division Artillery) for slayings of 17 August 1950, and 40.3-55.6 for 3 bodies located on 20 August 1950.
who had their hands tied behind their backs with W130 field wire at time shooting occurred. Prior to shooting of these prisoners most means of identification tags and personal effects had been removed by the perpetrators of the crime.
Both Prisoners of War now detained at EUSAK 100 near Pusan.
as being an officer present with captors during almost three (3) days captivity of victims and as having given a command to North Korean soldiers involved just before they opened fire on victims. Believed to be member of North Korean 206th Regiment, 105th Division.
as a North Korean soldier present during the captivity and as firing an automatic weapon in the killing. This PW identified himself as a member of North Korean 1st Company, 206th Regiment, 105th Division.
Photographs of scene of 17 August 1950, killings taken by Signal Corps photographers, Sergeant Wyatt, 13th Signal Company, 1st Cavalry Division, Life-Time photographer, Henry G. Walker, Acme News photographer, Stanley Tretick. Photographs of suspects Kim and Chon taken by Captain Perham, 13th Signal Company, 1st Cavalry Division. Signal Corps photographs have not yet been received. Photographs by Life-Time and Acme News Pictures have been requested by letters from Major Brown, dated 18 August 1950.
The testimony of witnesses Rudd, Day, and Manring, identify PW Kim as officer present and giving order to North Korean soldiers at time fire opened in mass killing. Same testimony identifies PW Chon as North Korean soldier firing automatic weapons at killing.
Testimony of CWP Hirai, Exhibit 10, who interviewed PW Kim and Chon on 17 August 1950, at 5th Cavalry Regimental CP, and testimony of Cpl. Maze, Exhibit 12, would indicate that nature of wounds of these two PWs would render improbable the participation of PW Kim as per testimony of eye witnesses Rudd, Day and Manring.
(signed) Robert E. Brown Major, 0-52098, JAGC, HQ, 1st Cav Div. Investigator
Casualty Database (DoD) -
(Department of Defense listing of all known Korean War casualties)
Occasionally researchers discover that a Korean War casualty was inadvertently left off the Department of Defense online casualty listings. Sometimes information on the listing is incorrect. Please note the discrepancies that are listed below.
The record on Robert Pressler is a bit difficult to understand. The list (as it comes from DoD database) states:
Pressler, Robert H. (RA33114359) was KIA on 1950/08/11. His unit is listed as 55th QM Dep Base HqHq Co. To better understand what his unit was, here is the DSC citation he received for his actions that day:
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 68 (September 15, 1950)
Home Town: Prince Georges, Maryland
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Robert H. Pressler (RA33114359), Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with 8066th Mechanized Reconnaissance Platoon attached to the 89th Medium Tank Battalion, 29th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division. Sergeant Pressler distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Chinju, Korea, on 11 August 1950. Sergeant Pressler was assigned duty as the driver of a gasoline truck refueling tanks for the 89th Medium Tank Battalion in the front lines. On arriving at the front lines, Sergeant Pressler learned of a tank which had ran out of gas behind enemy lines and, accompanied by a small squad of infantry in a truck, went forward into enemy territory. During the advance the small convoy was ambushed by two hundred enemy. During the firefight which followed, Sergeant Pressler ordered the rest of the men to leave and remained in his position, placing accurate fire on the enemy, which delayed their advance, enabling the rest of the men to withdraw. During this action Sergeant Pressler was killed in action. [KWE Note: Discrepancy submitted by researcher Merry Helm.]
GO 72, 17 Jan 1951, lists MSG Jack E Watkins, RA18244513, Co C, 5th RCT, as KIA on 2 Nov 1950. He is not on any of the online casualty lists. I have added him to mine, along with the Silver Star he received for actions that day. I sure hope he was included at the Korean War Monument. - Merry Helm
"Master Sergeant Jack E Watkins, RA 18244513, Infantry, U.S. Army, a member of Company C, 5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division distinguished himself by courageous action near Kunu-ri, Korea on 3 November 1950. During an attack on enemy high ground positions the platoon on his flank was pinned down by intense machine gun and automatic weapons fire. Seeing that the entire attack was being disorganized by this fire, he left his position of relative safety and made his way, through a hail of withering fire, in an attempt to rally the beleaguered troops. Taking command in an attempt to eliminate the source of the enemy's fire. While proceeding up a small draw the squad was ambushed by a large enemy force and in the ensuing fire fight Sergeant Watkins was killed. His courageous actions, unhesitant devotion to duty and exemplary leadership reflect the greatest credit on himself and the United States Infantry. Entered military service from Sherman, Texas." [KWE Note: Watkins is apparently listed in the NARA records, attributed to the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th ID, but his Silver Star citation lists him with a different division. Discrepancy submitted by researcher Merry Helm.]
These databases were used as the research basis for Dr. Ecker’s book, Korean Battle Chronology, Published by McFarland & Co., Jefferson, NC, 2005)
During World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, all 50 states suffered thousands upon thousands of casualties. The sources of the following information came from the "World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing, June 1946"; "Battle Casualties of the Army, 30 September 1954"; and "List of Casualties Incurred by U.S. Military Personnel in Connection with the Conflict in Vietnam, 30 September 1975." The statistics for World War II (including Army Air Forces) and Korea are U.S. Army casualties only. Casualty figures for Vietnam are for all services except the U.S. Coast Guard. After these figures were calculated and recorded, there were instances of recovery of remains or declarations of death that would alter each state's casualty total.
| State | World War II | Korean War | Vietnam War |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 5,114 | 2,458 | 1,181 |
| Alaska | 91 | 22 | 55 |
| Arizona | 1,613 | 731 | 604 |
| Arkansas | 3,814 | 1,779 | 579 |
| California | 17,022 | 7,642 | 5,448 |
| Colorado | 2,697 | 831 | 608 |
| Connecticut | 4,347 | 943 | 589 |
| Delaware | 579 | 195 | 120 |
| Dist. of Columbia | 3,029 | 461 | 235 |
| Florida | 3,540 | 1,894 | 1,897 |
| Georgia | 5,701 | 2,689 | 1,548 |
| Hawaii | 689 | 1,346 | 271 |
| Idaho | 1,419 | 381 | 207 |
| Illinois | 18,601 | 5,535 | 2,876 |
| Indiana | 8,131 | 2,884 | 1,510 |
| Iowa | 5,633 | 1,647 | 818 |
| Kansas | 4,526 | 1,215 | 613 |
| Kentucky | 6,802 | 3,142 | 1,037 |
| Louisiana | 3,964 | 2,055 | 870 |
| Maine | 2,156 | 667 | 331 |
| Maryland | 4,375 | 1,631 | 992 |
| Massachusetts | 10,033 | 2,559 | 1,300 |
| Michigan | 12,885 | 4,736 | 2,597 |
| Minnesota | 6,462 | 2,100 | 1,043 |
| Mississippi | 3,555 | 1,485 | 627 |
| Missouri | 8,003 | 2,944 | 1,380 |
| Montana | 1,553 | 363 | 259 |
| Nebraska | 2,976 | 801 | 385 |
| Nevada | 349 | 105 | 143 |
| New Hampshire | 1,203 | 399 | 218 |
| New Jersey | 10,372 | 2,433 | 1,435 |
| New Mexico | 2,032 | 592 | 391 |
| New York | 31,215 | 7,072 | 4,033 |
| North Carolina | 7,109 | 2,965 | 1,573 |
| North Dakota | 1,626 | 556 | 192 |
| Ohio | 16,828 | 5,823 | 3,021 |
| Oklahoma | 5,474 | 1,896 | 973 |
| Oregon | 2,835 | 728 | 686 |
| Pennsylvania | 26,554 | 7,699 | 3,066 |
| Rhode Island | 1,669 | 470 | 200 |
| South Carolina | 3,423 | 1,725 | 883 |
| Tennessee | 6,528 | 2,687 | 1,274 |
| Texas | 15,764 | 5,192 | 3,316 |
| Utah | 1,450 | 436 | 353 |
| Vermont | 874 | 269 | 100 |
| Virginia | 6,007 | 2,980 | 1,268 |
| Washington | 3,941 | 1,221 | 1,012 |
| West Virginia | 4,865 | 2,814 | 713 |
| Wisconsin | 7,038 | 2,331 | 1,132 |
| Wyoming | 652 | 200 | 116 |
| Panama Canal Zone | 21 | 4 | 2 |
| Puerto Rico | 368 | 3,120 | 342 |
| American Samoa | -- | -- | 4 |
| Guam | -- | -- | 70 |
| US Virgin Islands | -- | -- | 15 |
| US at large | -- | 1 | -- |
| US possessions | -- | 86 | -- |
The USS Magpie was sunk by a mine off the shores of South Korea on 1 October 1950. The following information was submitted to the Korean War Educator by Navy veteran Ed Clanton of Lumber Bridge, North Carolina. It is an Action Report providing information about the loss of the ship while on minesweeping duty off Chusan Po, Korea. The ship's forward portion
Loss of USS Magpie, 1 October 1950
Brief narrative report of loss of USS Magpie while on minesweeping duty off Chusan Po, Korea. Ship’s forward portion exploded and after section settled by the head when Magpie struck a mine. 12 survivors.
10 October 1950
USS Dixie (AD 14)
From: CARPENTER, Vail P., BMC, 393 08 57 US Navy
To: Secretary of the Navy
(1) Commander Mine Division Fifty-two
(2) Commander United Nations Blockading and Escort Force, Far East
(3) Commander Naval Forces, Far East
(4) Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
(5) Chief of Naval Operations
Subject: Loss of the USS MAGPIE (AMS25)
Reference: US Navy Regulations 1948, Article 0778
As senior survivor of the USS MAGPIE (AMS25), my version of the MAGPIE loss is as follows: At about 1700, minus 9 zone time, 1 October 1950, I was on watch on the fantail, during mine-sweeping operations. The starboard sweep gear and magnetic tail were streamed. Three hundred fathoms of sweep wire was in use. We were in approximate position latitude 36-30 N., longitude 129-30 E., off Chusan Po, Korea, and on a southerly course. Steaming at ten knots. The USS MERGANSER (AMS26) was stationed about five hundred yards astern and to starboard of the MAGPIE. At about this time there was a tremendous explosion forward and the entire forward portion of the ship, forward of the stack, appeared to explode. The remainder of the ship immediately started to settle by the head. During this period I took shelter under the towing winch but could see forward. After the debris stopped falling I assisted in launching the port after ten-man life raft. After that I proceeded as far forward as I could to the break abreast of the stack, on both port and starboard sides, with the view of assisting any survivors or saving the ship. I encountered no one. After this inspection I abandoned ship, port side, to assist BENNETT, 365 32 49, EMFN, USN, who was in the water and shouting for help. BENNETT was injured and unable to adjust and inflate his life jacket. I assisted BENNETT to the raft and both of us boarded the raft. After being in the water and on the raft for a period of about thirty minutes, the USS MERGANSER (AMS26) Wherry towed us to the MERGANSER.
There were twelve survivors: CARLOCK, Dale T., 344 79 03, FN, USN; CARPENTER, Vail P., 393 08 57, BMC, USN; DOBBS, Thomas D., 325 16 58, ETSN, USN; ESPINOZA, Leo L., 369 20 83, SN, USN; KEPFORD, James W., 345 02 15, FN, USN; McCLAIN, James H., 569 02 59, FN, USN; HARRISON, William E., 234 41 27, GM3, USN; BENNETT, Alex W., 365 32 49, EMFN, USN; BENSON, Richard B., 325 74 34, SN, USN; BLASSINGAME, Henry A., 581 07 35, CSSA, USN; KASTENS, Howard L., 344 82 35, USN; SANDERS, Howard W., 570 94 48, QM3, USN. The first seven survivors are now quartered on board USS DIXIE (AD14). The last five were transferred by USS MERGANSER to USS REPOSE (AH16) at Pusan, Korea for treatment. I do not know what disposition was later made of them.
To the best of my knowledge all records and logs were lost, except pay accounts which were on board the USS DIXIE (AD14). Pay account of HARRISON, W.E., 234 41 27, USN, were lost with the USS MAGPIE. It is understood that Commander United Nations Blockading and Escort Force, Far East, had ordered an investigation to inquire into the circumstances resulting in the sinking of the USS MAGPIE and the injury or loss of the members of her crew. - (signed) VAIL P. CARPENTER
1. LT. (jg) Warren R. Person, USN, Pacific Grove, CA
2. LT. (jg) Donald V. Wanee, USN, Gardena, CA
3. ENS. Robert E. Wainwright, USN, North Andover, MA
4. ENS. Robert W. Langwell, USN, Indianapolis, IN
5. Robert A. Beck, BMC, USN, Richmond, CA
6. Richard D. Scott, BM1, USN, Peru, IN
7. Seth D. Durkee, QM1, USN, Cashmere, WA
8. George G. Cloud, EN1, USN, Oakland, CA
9. Lloyd E. Hughes, CS1, USN, Ottawa, KS
10. Roy A. Davis, HM1, USN, Russellville, KY
11. Cleveland G. Rogers, SO2, USN, Foxworth, MS
12. Richard A. Coleman, YBN3, USN, Lewistown, MT
13. Vincente Q. Ferjaran, SD3, USN, Asan, Guam
14. Charles R. Bash, RDSN, USN, Dixon Valley, PA
15. Theodore A. Cook, QMSN, USN, Sacramento, CA
16. Stanley L. Calhoun, EMFN, USN, Pembroke, KY
17. James C. Dowell, EMFN, USN, Stockton, CA
18. Harry E. Ferrell, ENFN, USN, Cleveland, OH
19. Charles T. Horton, CSSN, USN, Columbiana, AL
20. Eugene P. Krouskoupf, SN, USN, Zanesville, OH
21. ???
These casualty figures were found on Skulman.nu website at www.skalman.nu. They were posted on two different entries on the Korean War Message Forum under "Chinese Troops."
Sichuan: 30789
A Study of Clark County Soldiers Who Gave Their Lives in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War" Presented to the City of Winchester [Kentucky], June 07, 2005 - Compiled by Michael F. Tyler
[KWE Note: The text and photographs found on this casualty page are credited to Michael F. Tyler of Winchester, Kentucky. They are from the Korean War segment (pages 33-37) of a manuscript entitled, "In Defense of Humanity" compiled by Tyler when he served as an intern for the City of Winchester. Few city governments in the United States care enough about their veterans to commission a research project to honor its local veterans. The Korean War Educator commends Winchester and Mr. Tyler for this excellent and worthy project. The full text of "In Defense of Humanity" can be found on the Winchester website at www.winchesterky.com.]
I began this project after being hired as an intern by the City of Winchester. Mayor Dodd Dixon requested that I research the lives and service of Clark County soldiers who sacrificed their lives serving their country. This includes soldiers of both World Wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During my research, I found the names of additional soldiers that were not listed on the doughboy monument, located behind the Clark County Courthouse. Their exclusion was often due to moving to or from Winchester, or the absence of any family members here. I have tried to include everyone who ever lived in or had close ties to Winchester.
In order to research the lives of these 136 individuals, many of whom died nearly a century ago, it was necessary to draw from a wide range of sources. Primary biographical resources used were letters and obituaries printed in The Winchester Sun, as well as interviews with the soldiers’ friends and family members, whose names I have listed on the contributors page. Basic facts and military records were obtained through the National Archives and Records Administration, as well as through the Department of Military Affairs in Frankfort. The American Battle Monument Commission’s database was also very useful in locating often hard to find information.
Barnett, Raymond E.
Corporal Barnett was killed in action on July 10, 1950, while serving in Korea. A veteran of World War II, he reenlisted in the Korean War, and was a member of the 45th Regiment, Company G. Barnett, the son of Annie Lee and Clint Barnett, had attended Winchester High School, and was survived by his father, four brothers, Earl, Robert, Clinton, and Oliver Barnett, as well as two sisters, Mrs. Elsie Tapp, and Mrs. Della Puckett. His services were conducted by Reverend Clarence Walker of Lexington, Kentucky, and he was buried in the Winchester Cemetery.
Brandenburg, Clifton
Son of Curtis and Cora Willis Brandenburg, Private First Class Brandenburg was killed in action while serving in Korea, on September 16, 1952. He was a member of the Central Baptist Church. Brandenburg was survived by his parents, a sister, Annie Frances Brandenburg, and a brother, Pfc. Charles Ray Brandenburg. His services were conducted by Rev. Paul Fox and Rev. Claude Shimfessel, and he was buried in the Winchester Cemetery.
Byrd, Wendell Forrest
A native of Clark County, Captain Byrd was serving as pastor of a church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when he was called into the Korean War. He was already a veteran of World War II. Capt. Byrd was killed on October 27, 1951, when he reportedly accidentally tripped a mine while hunting in Korea, near the Hwachon Reservoir. A member of the Headquarters and Service Company, 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, he was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Byrd was survived by his mother, Mrs. G. M. Byrd, his wife, Ruth Sample Byrd, his daughter, Lou Byrd, a brother C. K. Byrd, and five sisters, Mrs. Lula Young, Mrs. Mable Brumbaugh, Mrs. A. T. Rowe, Mrs. S. S. Myers, and Mrs. David Cropp.
Clemens, John J.
Private First Class Clemens was killed in action while serving with the U. S. Army in Korea, on September 19, 1951. He had been a member of the 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Pfc. Clemens was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Medal.
Combs, Anthony
Private First Class Combs entered the army in June, 1950. He had been in Korea for a year when he died of severe wounds caused by missile fire while in action, on October 14, 1951. Combs had reportedly rushed through an open area while under enemy fire, attempting to drive the lead truck in a convoy, thus allowing the parked convoy to move toward safety. He received the Bronze Star for his actions. Combs was survived by his mother, Mrs. Gladys Goolman, his father, Mr. Woodrow Combs, his step father, Mr. William Goolman, and his half brother, Larry Goolman. Military services were held for him in the Winchester Cemetery, presided over by the Rev. Claude Shimfessel.
Davis, Russell G.
Private First Class Davis was killed in action on August 7, 1950, while serving in Korea. He was a member of the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Davis was awarded the Purple Heart among other awards, and was survived by his parents, Mr. And Mrs. Asa and Mary Davis, McClure Road, as well as six brothers and six sisters.
Lambert, James O.
Second Lieutenant Lambert was serving with the Army in North Korea when he was declared missing in action on October 2, 1952, and dead on January 7, 1954. He had trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division. Lt. Lambert was awarded the Purple Heart among other awards.
Henry P. Lewis
Corporal Lewis was serving in North Korea with the 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when he was killed in action on September 16, 1952. He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Betty Green Lewis, and was awarded the Purple Heart among other awards.
Logan, Carl D.
Private Logan was with Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, when he was killed in action on September 6, 1951, in North Korea. He was survived by his parents, Mr. And Mrs. B. F. Logan, of Jeff, Kentucky, and a brother, Claude Logan. Pvt. Logan was awarded the Purple Heart, as well as several other awards for his service.
Palmer, Billy
Private First Class Billy Palmer had been in the Army since January 3, 1951, and was serving on the Island of Okinawa, Japan, when the building in which he was sleeping caught on fire. He sustained second and third degree burns, and died five days later, on February 26, 1952. Palmer was survived by his wife, Mrs. Betty Jane Palmer, and his mother, Mrs. Hazel Ervine, Hamilton, Ohio. His services were conducted at the Epperson Church of God in Estill County, Kentucky, and he was buried in the Winchester Cemetery.
Prewitt, Jack L.
Sergeant Prewitt was a native of Montgomery County, Kentucky, and was a 1945 graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, Ky. He served three years in World War II before his year and a half of service in Korea. Sgt. Prewitt was killed in an aircraft explosion off the coast of Japan, on April 9, 1952. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson L. Prewitt, three brothers, Fred, William, and Robert Prewitt, as well as two sisters, Susan and Carolyn Prewitt. Prewitt had been a member of Epworth Methodist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, however, his memorial services were conducted at the First Methodist Church in Winchester.
Pritchett, Arnie R.
Private Pritchett had given three years of service in the U. S. Army before he was killed in action on February 4, 1951, in South Korea. He had been a member of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Pritchett received the Purple Heart and many other awards for his sacrifice, and was survived by his mother, Mrs. Cordie A. Larrison, his father, Elijah Pritchett, three brothers, Gilbert, Staff Sgt. Truman, and Pvt. James Pritchett, as well as two sisters, Barbara Jean Pritchett and Mrs. Cora Holland. His services were conducted at the Lexington Cemetery by Rev. John W. Basham.
Rogers, Joseph Lee
Private First Class Rogers served a year in the U. S. marines after graduating from the Clark County High School in 1950, where he had been a star basketball player. He sustained serious phosphorous burns while fighting in Korea, on May 28, 1951, two weeks after his 19th birthday, and died from those burns on June 16. Rogers was survived by his wife, Mrs. Patricia Douglas Rogers, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fritz and Hattie Rogers, three sisters, Mrs. H. H. Hensell, Mrs. Ettie Landry, and Mrs. Clay S. Gaunce, and his brother, Fritz Rogers, Jr. His services were conducted at the Winchester Cemetery by Rev. A. Dalton Leath, of First Baptist Church, Winchester. Rogers received many awards, including the Purple Heart, for his sacrifice.
Smith, Willie
Corporal Smith had been a member of Battery B, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was classified as missing in action on November 30, 1950, in Kunu-ri, North Korea, but was not officially declared dead until December 31, 1953. Smith was awarded the Purple Heart and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, among others.
Spurlock, John Warren
Private First Class Spurlock had been a member of the 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. On December 1, 1950, as he was fighting near Kunu-ri, North Korea, he was taken prisoner, later dying on February 26, 1951, reportedly of starvation. Spurlock was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, among many others. He had been employed by the Richard Seed Company on Colby Road, in Winchester. Spurlock was survived by two younger brothers, one of which served in the Air Force.
Steele, Carl Cole
Carl Steele was a graduate of the Winchester High School, and served in the Air Force for five years. After serving in Japan for eighteen months as an Airman First Class, he was killed on June 18, 1953, in an airplane crash near Tokyo, Japan, that claimed 129 lives. Steele had been flight engineer of a C-124A Globemaster transport, with the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop carrier Group. Awarded many medals for his service in Korea, he was survived by his wife, Mrs. Beatrice McGuire Steele, his mother, Mrs. O. F. Baxter, his sisters, Betty Steele, and Mrs. Georgia Barnett, as well as five brothers, Fred, Luther, Charles, John, and Travis Steele.
Stewart, Leon S.
Private First Class Stewart had been in the Army for a year, and had served in Korea for four months with the Heavy Mortar Company, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. His company was near “Outpost Harry,” in North Korea, assisting the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, when he was killed in action on June 11, 1953. Stewart had attended the Winchester High School, worked as a newsboy for The Winchester Sun, and was employed by the Winchester Dairy before entering the Army. He was survived by his Mother, Mrs. Mina Stewart, three sisters, Mrs. Shirley Adams, Mrs. W. L. Berry, and Mrs. Ernest Pasley, as well as three brothers, Cecil, John, and S1/c Jesse Stewart. Pfc. Stewart was awarded the Purple Heart, and many other awards and medals for his service in Korea. His funeral services were conducted at Scobee Funeral Home by Rev. J. C. Everman. Military rites were also performed for Stewart at the Winchester Cemetery.
Todd, Marion Hisle
Sergeant Todd served in South Korea with the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was a veteran of World War II, and had reenlisted in the Army in January, 1948, before being killed in action on February 6, 1951. Sgt. Todd was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Oak Leaf Cluster for his service. He was survived by his parents, Everett Todd, and Mrs. Joseph Carter, and a brother, Eugene Todd. Todd’s services were conducted by Rev. A. Dalton Leath and Rev. Reed Carter, and he was buried in the Lawrenceburg, Kentucky Cemetery. He had been a member of Simpsonville Baptist Church in Lexington, KY.
Cleaver Casualty Analysis -
(PDF File)
[KWE Note: KIA = Killed in Action; WIA = Wounded in Action]
Source: 2nd Infantry Division Bulletin, Winter 1999
7,094 KIA
16,575 WIA
4,004 KIA
25,864 WIA
3,905 KIA
10,858 WIA
3,811 KIA
12,086 WIA
3,735 KIA
7,395 WIA
3,048 KIA
10,186 WIA
2,160 KIA
7,939 WIA
1,200 KIA
369 WIA
867 KIA
3,188 WIA
834 KIA
3,170 WIA
458 KIA
1,576 WIA
442 KIA
1,656 WIA
376 KIA
1,457 WIA
258 KIA
174 WIA
[Listed by branch of service, number of deaths, percentage of total deaths]
On September 11, 1950, a troop train filled with activated National Guardsmen left the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania area, heading west for training in Indiana. PX5444 West was hit from the rear by the Spirit of St. Louis near Coshocton, Ohio. The result was a gory train wreck scene and scores of dead and wounded. Following is the roster of dead, and a partial roster of the wounded.
Current U.S. Casualty Statistics -
(Most current government war statistics - PDF File
from: http://web1.whs.osd.mil/mmid/CASUALTY/KOREA.pdf )
Deaths for 1954 Only
(US deaths in Korea and around the world during the 1954 timeframe only)
[KWE Note: This information was found on pages 22 and 23 of the June/July 2003 VFW Magazine.]
[Note: These branches account for 98% of all 27,731 Army hostile deaths. Original source: Micheal Clodfelter, Warfare & Armed Conflicts. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2002, p. 735.]
*This includes killed in action, died of wounds, died while POW and MIAs later declared KIA.
[Source: Korean War veteran Dick Ecker of Illinois compiled these statistics from a database he developed. Ecker notes that, while there is always a margin of error in historical research, this is the only known compilation of its kind. The fatalities include killed in action, died of wounds, died while prisoner of war, and missing in action later declared killed in action. It should further be noted that in the first battle of Pork Chop Hill on April 16-18, 1953, there were 112 Americans killed in action. Ecker drew heavily on Army records for this casualty study.]
DMZ Casualties -
(Lists of Americans who died in Korea after the cease fire)
(List of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division KIA and WIA in Korea 1950-53)
"One who will go where his colors go, without asking, who will fight a phantom foe in jungle or mountain range, without counting, and who will suffer and die in the midst of incredible hardship, without complaint, is still what he has always been, from imperial Rome to sceptered Britain to democratic America. He is the stuff of which legends are made... He has been called United States Marine."
August 1950:
Robert E. Carlson
Paul G. Baenen
Chadwick O. Burns
Jack L. Post
Ernest A. Deleon
Creed L. Eads
James W. Gebhardt
Walter A. Maciorowski
Laurence E. Masters
Peter Medunic
Howard L. Jackson
Raymond L. Tuttle
September 1950:
William B. Hobbs Jr.
Harold M. McKenna
Robert L. Morrow
Ralph K. Gries
William D. Raynor
George H. Shope Jr.
Burl R. Youse
Donald E. Weston
Duane G. Lucas
James H. MacDonald
Donald F. McKeever
November 1950:
John R. Kerivan
R.A. Jackson
December 1950:
Bobby D. Lucas
David C. Walsh
Will Warlie
April 1951:
Anthony J. Greeley
June 1951:
Richard A. Butterey
Charles A. Miller
Ralph J. Papa
Ernest J. Hightower
Thomas R. Higgins
Leonard J. Hundshamer
September 1951:
Robert W. Conway
Jack Drexler
James Padilla
Thomas H. Johnson
Albert R. Semple
Nolan E. Ford
Henry C. Hodde Jr.
John M. Murphy
October 1951:
William H. Gorsuch
November 1951:
Florencio G. Flores
December 1951:
Robert A. Schick
February 1952:
Donald W. Sommerville
Thomas E. Reifsteck
Alfred A. Smalley
March 1952:
Joseph J. Meyer
Vincent A. Cassano
April 1952:
Davey L. Hinson
James H. Hopper
Frank J. Jeffs
Paul G. Meckstrote
Robert C. Rulyer
William A. Hathook Jr.
Allen E. Hunter
James J. Rone
June 1952:
Andrew W. Zossetti Jr.
July 1952:
William R. Greer
August 1952:
James H. Jack
Thomas A. Hubbard
Arthur L. Ross
Albert J. Keppler
November 1952:
Anthony G. Morrison
Buddy E. Allison
John H. Arter
Ruben Rodriguez
January 1953:
James T. Griswold
February 1953:
Chester R. Radziszewski
Benjamin R. Hudson
March 1953:
Edward Kokott
Edward P. Scheider
Charles Martin
Maurice I. Boggess
William E. Davis
William B. Hinkle
John C. Lemaster
Jewel R. martin
Ray E. Parks
Ross E. Roe
Donald C. Colburn
Theodore B. Hirsch
Donald S. Nichols
Robert F. Bonnett
Charles R. leach
Quinton V. Hall
Ronald D. Murphy
Harry Johnson
Carlton C. Stephens
April 1953:
Gilbert F. Luna
[KWE Note: The following wounded were only those hospitalized for wounds. There were other E-2-5 Marines who were wounded in action in Korea, but not seriously enough to be hospitalized.]
*Indicates twice in same month.
In March of 2004, the Korean War Educator found an item for sale on ebay.com called "Detailed Korean War U.S. Soldier Card File." The KWE was the successful bidder on that card file, which contained approximately 250 cards with names and service details of U.S. Korean War soldiers killed or missing in action. All of the servicemen had some sort of tie to the Seattle area. The card file was compiled around the time of the Korean War by Ethyl Fulton, who was key in organizing the Seattle War Memorial. Each card contains the name, rank, division, date and circumstances of death, as well as next of kin. It includes soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division, Army - Rifle Squad Leader, 25th Division - Machine gunners, Marine Fighter Pilots, Air Force Jet Pilot, members of the 1st Marine Division, Army Intelligence, Army - 38th Regiment, 2nd Division, Air force, and many more. Battle details include: Naktong River near Anshu, domestic air crashes, Massacre Valley, Changjin Reservoir sector, crash in Korean waters after take off from carrier, MIA's, crash in waters near Kwajalein Island, and more. There are also several newspaper clippings dated 1951 detailing Korean War issues and casualty counts.
Ethyl Fulton was one of Seattle's unsung heroes. The mother of a son who was killed in action during World War II, Mrs. Fulton devoted hours upon hours of her time to check the long list of King County's war dead so that their names could be inscribed on a city memorial to them. She carefully compiled, checked, and re-checked names of Seattle veterans to accomplish this task. It is not as yet known why her card file of Korean War casualties ended up on ebay.
Contents of approximately 250 cards with names and service details of U.S. Korean War soldiers killed or missing in action--most from the Seattle, Washington area.
Adler, J. Merle - 1st Lt., Air Force Pilot, 26 years old, died May 7, 1951 in North Korea while on a mission. He was with the 98th Bomb Wing from Fairchild AFB, Spokane. Next of kin – Mrs. Beverly Adler (wife) and two sons, Daryl (4) and Merle (5). 11048 2nd Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Spokane. Lt. Adler went overseas to Japan in 1951. He had flown 20 combat missions and had won the Air Medal. He had formerly lived in Spokane. He was a pre-medic student at the University of Washington where he met his wife. He was a member of the Grace Methodist Church. His mother lives in Spokane.
Anderson, David G. - 2nd Lt., Army, 66th Field Artillery Group, Ft. Lewis. 28 years old. Died May 5, 1951, plane crash at Yakima, WA. Next of kin – Mrs. Betty Mae Anderson (wife), Christina and Stephen, 223 Sixth Ave., Kirkland, WA., Mr. Melvin A. Anderson (father), Kirkland. Buried in Kirkland Cemetery, Kirkland, WA. Lt. Anderson was a former postal clerk in Kirkland, his home. He was a former Seattle area National Guardsman. His family moved to Ft. Lewis when his unit was called back into active service Sept. 11, 1950. He was a private pilot and was killed shortly after taking off from Yakima, WA. W/O Tuck was killed with him.
Anderson, Graham George - Cpl., Army, with the 6219th Reception Center. 42 years old. Died April 24, 1951 at Madigan Hospital after a short illness. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Anderson, 805 27th Ave., Seattle, WA. Born in Illinois. Place of burial – Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Cpl. Anderson received his education in Faro, ND and moved to Seattle in 1930. Before entering the service he worked as a baker here. He was a veteran of eight years in the Army, including service in Europe. Three sisters survive him in Seattle and one in California. Two brothers in Seattle, one in Maple Valley, one in Minnesota. Cpl. Anderson was stationed at Fort Lewis.
Andriesen, Johannes M. - Capt., Air Force, C-47 pilot. 31 years old. Died Nov. 7, 1951, plane crash while on duty in Alaska at Elmendorf Air Base, Anchorage. Next of kin – Mrs. Arlowyne Andriesen (wife), Lawrence Bruce & Darrell Scott, 3926 Densmore Ave., Seattle, Mrs. Marie G. Hamren (mother), 542 E. 81st, Seattle, WA, J.M. Andriesen (father), Redwood City, CA, Mrs. Adriana J. Wise (sister), Seattle. Born – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Military services at Washelli Cemetery. Capt. Andriesen graduated from Roosevelt High School. He joined the Air Force in 1941 and served in Texas and Nebraska as an instructor during World War II. He returned to his job with the Pacific Tel Co. after the war. A member of the National Guard, he was recalled to active duty in May 1951 and was stationed in Alaska.
Astley, Charles A. Jr. - PFC, US Marine Corps, 22 years of age. Died Aug. 18, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Astley, 4139 51st6 Ave. S.W., Mrs. Nina Astley (wife) in Atlanta, GA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pvt. Astley attended Jefferson Grade School, James Madison Junior High and West Seattle High Schools. He joined the Marine Corps when he was 17 years old and served in Europe, Italy, France and the occupation forces in Greece. He re-enlisted in September 1949. Also surviving him is his daughter Jean Kathleen and his brother, Robert W. Astley.
Avey, John A. Jr. - Pfc., Air Force, radio operator. 20 years of age. Died Sept. 4, 1951, plane crash, Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. John A. Avey, 8343 Jones Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Pfc. Avey joined the Air Force in 1950. He attended Ballard High School before enlistment. Survivors also include three brothers, Chadwick, Michael & Jeffery.
Ayers, George - Pfc., Army. 22 years of age. Died May 22nd in Korea. Next of Kin – Mrs. Alice Ayers (mother), Seattle, WA. Burial in Calvary Cemetery, Seattle.
Brinsmead, John C. - Lt. Col, Army, 2nd Infantry Division. 39 years old. Died Sept. 27, 1950 in action in Korea, Naktong River near Anshu, Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Blanche Brinsmead (wife), Alice Ann, Andrea, and John Jr., 1437 Hinds St., Seattle, WA, brothers & sisters in Seattle, WA. Born at Ft. Robinson, NE. Buried in Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Attended University of Washington 1936. Formerly managed restaurants for the Manning Co. and the Green Apple Pie Restaurant. Veteran of World War II. Returned to active duty in July 1947.
Bronele, Dominic A. - Pvt., Army, infantry. 21 years of age. Died June 12, 1953, Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Florence Bronele (wife), 4503 45th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA.; Mr. and Mrs. N.J. Bronele (parents). Born Canyon City, CO. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pvt. Bronele came to live in Seattle 7 years ago. He was graduated from Franklin High School. He had served in Seattle before joining the Army. A sister, Mrs. Ralph Caddy, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Triano also survive him.
Brown, Clarence James - Sergeant, Army, rifle squad leader, patrol. 21 years of age. Died April 7, 1952 in action in Korea. Had completed 95 patrols in February. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Ernest L. Brown, 4407 52nd Ave., S.W., Seattle, WA., & sisters Donna and Shirley. Born Toppenish. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle. Sergeant Brown (Jimmy) left school after the 9th grade at James Madison Junior High to enlist in the Army. He was 15 at the time. He served 11 months in Italy. Returned to the U.S. then was sent to Germany where he was stationed for 35 months. Then back to the U.S. He went to Korea. Was due back in the U.S. in June. His desire was to return to Germany to marry Miss Frieda Spiessl of Germany.
Blair, George E. - Airman, Air Force. 20 years of age. Died March 20, 1953, air crash near Oakland, CA. Next of kin – Mr. David Blair (father), 5206 California Ave., Seattle, WA., Mrs. Fern Blair (mother) deceased. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Airman Blair graduated from Roosevelt High School. He was bound on his second overseas tour of duty at the time of the crash, having served previously in Europe. Other survivors include a brother Gordon D. of Providence, R.I. and grandmother Mrs. Jesse Blair of Seattle.
Bothell, Gordon D. - Lt. J.G., Navy. 32 years of age. Died November 1952, accident in California. Next of kin – Mrs. Mary Zelda Bothell (wife), three sons – James, Larry and William, Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Bothell, Port Orchard, WA. Place of birth – Bothell, WA. Place of burial – Navy section, Washelli, Seattle. Lt. Bothell had been attending the Naval Air Training School at El Centro, CA when the accident occurred which ended in his death. Lt. Bothell served in the second World War in the Pacific Asiatic theatre aboard the aircraft carrier Randolf. He had spent most of his life in the Bothell area. Other survivors are two brothers Robert E., Bellevue, and Lee W. of Cape May, NJ.
Boswell, George Leo - Pfc., USMC, 1st Marine Division. 21 years of age. Died August 17, 1950, results of wounds suffered in the Korean War. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. George G. Boswell, 902 S.W. 102nd St., Seattle, WA; Charles (brother, Seattle, WA). Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Attended Mountain View Grade School and Highline High School. Private Boswell won the championship of the 1st Marine Division in boxing, also of the 11th Naval District. He also won the West Coast Naval boxing championship.
Boyk, Wayne J. - Sgt., Army. 31 years of age. Died Feb. 12, 1951 in action in Korea, probably in Massacre Valley. Next of kin – Mrs. Thelma Boyk (wife), 1124 14th Ave., Seattle, WA.; Mrs. Linnie Boyk (mother), Everett; Mr. John Boyk (father), Seattle. Born – Everett, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. 1Sgt. Boyk had resided in Seattle for several years. Employed at the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. He served 27 months in the Pacific during World War II. He re-enlisted in the army in 1948 and had been in Korea since August 1950.
Baker, Robert E. - Cpl., Air Force, propeller specialist. 20 years of age. Died Sept. 7, 1951 in Alaska at Eielson when a B-17 bomber crash-landed after an aerial explosion. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Baker, 2703 Belvidere Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Cpl. Baker had been in the Air Force for three years. He attended West Seattle High School before joining the Air Force. He also attended Jefferson Elementary and James Madison Junior High. He enlisted in the Air Force in January 1949 and had been stationed in Alaska for 15 months.
Barthel, Walter Burr - Ens., Navy. 24 years of age. Died July 27, 1952 in a crash of a B-25 Air force bomber near Arthur, Nebraska. Next of kin – Mrs. H. Barthel (mother), 801 Spring St., Seattle, and Georgia (sister), Seattle. Place of birth – Everett, WA. Place of burial – Jefferson National Cemetery, St. Louis. Memorial services at Plymouth Congregational Church, Seattle. Ens. Barthel was a graduate of Highline High School and the University of Washington. Before joining the Navy he was widely known as a disc jockey conducting KING’s Club 1090. He attended officer candidate school in Newport, RI. Was commissioned July 25 and was on his way home on leave when he was killed. He had been awarded the Legion of Honor DeMolay. Past master counselor of Highline Chapter and of the State.
Barton, John E. - Pfc., Army infantry. 22 years of age. Date of death announced March 24, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Almeda R. Barton (mother), 4238 Graham St., Seattle, WA, and Capt. Philo Barton (father), 5128 Morgan St., Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Attended Franklin High School before enlisting in the Army 1945. He served in Germany and reenlisted in July 1949. His last letter to his mother was written Christmas Day.
Bedient, Roy E. - M/Sgt., Army, Security Agency. 28 years of age. Died May 10, 1952, accident in Tokyo, train. Next of kin – Mrs. Ethel Bedient (mother), 3610 Densmore Ave., Seattle; Mrs. Bertha Bedient (wife), Middletown, OH. Born – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Sgt. Bedient entered the Army in 1943. He had been a student at Garfield High School. He served with the field artillery battalion in Germany in World War II and was wounded and awarded the Bronze Star for bravery. He remained in the Army and eventually was sent to Korea where he was wounded twice. Then was assigned to Tokyo. A sister, Mrs. Grace Lee, also survives Sgt. Bedient.
Benton, Daniel F. - Sgt 1st class, Army infantry. 24 years of age. Died April 23, 1951 in action in Korea. Death reported May 28, 1951. Next of kin – Mrs. Ursula Benton (wife), Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Benton, 12303 16th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Born – Spokane, WA. Place of burial – Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Sgt. Benton had been in the Army about five years. He was due home on rotation and scheduled to leave the day after he was killed. He married in Germany during service there. His sisters, Miss Marjory at the family home, Miss Pauline of Vanderhoof, B.C. and Mrs. Helen Hartman of Los Angeles, survive. Attended schools in Canada. Lived and worked in Seattle.
Bevens, Perry McPhail - Pfc., USMC. Died October 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Bevens, 8529 Stone Ave., Seattle, WA.
Blair, Larry L. - Pfc., Army. Date of death – November 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Viola Bass (mother), Rt. 2, Woodinville, WA.
Binek, Donald Harold - Cpl, USMC, Co. G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. 21 years of age. Died June 20, 1952 in action in Korea. Next of kin – John J. Binek (father), 1567 29th Ave. W., Mrs. Ralph Benecke (sister), Seattle, John J. Binek (brother), Seattle. Cpl. Binek was born in Brainerd, MN. Place of burial – Owatonna, MN. Memorial services at Forkner’s Chapel, Seattle. Corporal Binek enlisted a year ago and had been in Korea seven months. He came to Seattle in 1940. After attending Queen Anne High School, he worked in Alaska as a construction mechanic. Before enlisting he was in the Naval Reserve at Sand Point. Also survived by Alexander Binek (brother), Valdez, AK, and Mrs. Gordon Loney (sister), Brainerd, MN.
Churchill, John William - Sgt., Army, 1st Cavalry Division. 22 years of age. Died March 14, 1952 in an accident where he was electrocuted in Pusan, Korea, by high tension power line while on duty. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Lawrence R. Churchill, Chimacum, WA, who until a year ago were residents of Seattle. Place of birth – Bruno, MN. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Sgt. Churchill passed up rotation from Korea to stay in Korea for another six months. He had suffered combat wounds and had been assigned to a "safe" rear echelon position when he met with the accident that caused his death. He came to Seattle in 1933. He graduated from Cleveland High and attended Central Washington College of Education. He enlisted in august 1950. Member of Masonic Lodge and Kappa Delta Pi. Mrs. Fred Grabos (sister) and grandparents Mr. And Mrs. Rodenberger of Seattle survive him.
Clapp, Richard E. - Pvt., Army. 19 years of age on March 19th. Date of death – Sept. 2, 1950, in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. B.A. Clapp, 3502 Holly St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Attended Franklin High School and Brighton Grade School. Pvt. Clapp enlisted in the Army in July 1949. He volunteered for duty in Korea.
Cole, Ralph R. - Cpl., Army, 45th Infantry Division. 23 years of age. Declared missing November 24, 1952. Declared dead January 7, 1954 in Korea while on patrol. Next of kin – Mrs. Sophie Cole (mother), 2203 E. 82nd St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Body not found. Cpl. Cole attended Olympic View School and Roosevelt High School. Cpl. Cole’s mother refuses to believe her son is dead. She thinks he might be somewhere in the Far East.
Costantino, Pasqualino (Pat) J. - Pfc., USMC, 1st Marine Division. 20 years of age. Died Nov. 5, 1952 of wound received in line of duty in Korea on night patrol duty. Next of kin – Mrs. Julia Costantino (mother), 909 Davis Place, Seattle, WA; Mr. Angelo Costantino, 3520 Genesee St.; Lucia – sister. Born – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle. Received the Purple Heart. Pfc. Costantino attended Seattle Prep and was graduated from Franklin High School in 1950. He joined the Marines immediately after and went to Korea three months ago. He had been wounded and received the Purple Heart earlier in his Korean duty. He had been popular at school and had played football. Other relatives, all of Seattle, survive.
Cressman, Barry H. Jr. - Marine Corps, 1st Division, hospitalman. 21 years of age. Died Sept. 24, 1950 in action at Seoul, Korea, during the Inchon Landing. Next of kin – Mrs. Doris Jean Cressman (wife), Bremerton, WA. Chief hospital and Mrs. Barry H. Cressman, 3055 W. 69th St., Seattle, WA and 3200 W. 68th St., Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – returned to San Francisco then to Seattle to Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Went overseas with the Marine Corps August 16th, the day he married. He participated in the Inchon landing with the 1st Marine Division. Later – a street at St. Albans Naval Hospital was named for Barry Cressman Jr.
Cross, George R.D. - Capt., USMC. Death reported as Oct. 10, 1952 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Cross (wife) and three children, all of Seattle; Maj. & Mrs. George C. Cross (parents), Marysville, Snohomish County. Capt. Cross was with the Seattle Police Force3 before reentering the service.
Cruice, Gerald - Pvt., Army, 140th Tank Battalion. 23 years of age. Died Feb. 12, 1951 in an accident at Camp Cooke, CA. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. James J. Cruice, 1425 42nd Ave. N., Seattle, WA. Buried – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pvt. Cruice was formerly assistant director of the Salvation Army Boy’s Club in Seattle. A brother, Sgt. James Cruice, 3rd Marine Corps, is in Bremerton Naval Hospital recovering from wounds received in the Korean War.
Dale, Buford Larkin - Sgt., USMC (14 years service). Died Dec. 1, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Mildred B. Dale (wife), 8519 24th Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA, at home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Clifford. Place of birth – Columbia, MS. Attended University of Washington and Metropolitan Business College. Veteran of World War II.
Damon, Robert Vinson - Sgt., Marine Corps, 7th Regiment of the 1st division. 29 years of age. Died April 10, 1951 in action in Korea in an attack on an enemy hill position. Next of kin – Mrs. Charlotte Damon (wife), Robert Jr. and Kathleen, Cove, Vashon Island, home of her parents. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Sgt. Damon graduated from Seattle Pacific College. He was preparing for a teacher degree at the University of Washington when called in to service with his reserve unit. He served three years with the Marine Corps in the South Pacific during World War II. His parents, Prof. and Mrs. Verne L. Damon of Sterling College, live in Sterling, KS.
Darchuck, Edward Dale - Pfc., USMC, 1st Marine Division. 19 years of age. Died Aug. 18, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred M. Darchuck, 10734 18th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA. Born – Scaber, MT. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Attended Highline High School. Edward Darchuck joined the Marines 2½ years ago and went overseas August 1st. His brother Albert, a Marine Pfc., is also in Korea.
DeWalt, Stuart A. Jr. - Pvt., Army infantry, rifleman. 21 years of age. Died April 23, 1952 in action in Korea, probably by enemy snipers. Heartbreak Ridge. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Stuart A. DeWalt Sr., David H. DeWalt (brother), Mrs. Betty Bishop (sister), all of 6025 E. 64th St., Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pvt. DeWalt lived all of his life in Seattle. He attended Cleveland High School. For two years, before joining the Army, DeWalt made summer trips to Alaska aboard the Coast Geodetic Survey vessel Explorer. He joined the Army last summer and went overseas in January. He was due to be assigned to the rear for a rest. Before entering the Army, he had been employed at the Boeing Airplane Company.
Dickerson, Calvin S. - Pvt., Army, 9th Regt., 2nd Infantry Division. 23 years of age. Death announced April 16, 1951 in action in Korea. He was killed March 8, 1951. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Marion E. Dickerson, 17040 34th South, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Edwardsville, IL. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park. Highway 99. He attended High Line High School and then graduated from Edison Tech. School. Dickerson served in the Navy in World War II as a gunner. Other survivors are his sister Barbara and two brothers Edward and Richard.
Drennen, Hugh - M/Sgt., Army. Previously reported missing. Declared dead January 8, 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ann M. Drennen (wife), 411 Jefferson St., Seattle, WA.
Eddy, John F. - Sgt. 1st Class, Army, 5th Ranger Co., 25th Infantry Division. 31 years of age. Died April 10, 1951. Died of wounds suffered in the Korean War. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Howard J. Eddy, 1117 S.W. 148 St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park, Highway 99. He attended Highline High School. His brother Thomas L. Eddy died in World War II. Sgt. Eddy was in the 82nd Airborne division when the Korean War started. He volunteered for Korean service. In the Second World War he was in Alaska, then in Ie Shima, near Okinawa. He had been in the Army for 10 years.
Ellis, Donald R. - Pvt., Army. Died in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Donald Ellis (wife), Rt. 3, Bothell, WA. His body arrived in San Francisco on June 4th, 1951.
Enas, William E. - Cpl., Army. 23 years of age. Died Nov. 29, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Margaret M. Smith (mother), 2808 E. 72nd St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Tacoma, WA. Attended schools in Tacoma and Seattle. Came to Seattle in 1939. Enlisted in the Army in August of 1947.
F
Ferguson, James T. - Cpl., Army. 21 years of age. Died June 17, 1952 at Kumsong, Korea. Was with an ambushed patrol under heavy fire. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. James W. Ferguson, 4860 14th Avenue S.W., Seattle. Twin sister – Mrs. Robert Jovich. Cpl. Ferguson graduated from West Seattle High School where he had been an outstanding athlete – baseball, basketball and football. He had planned a career of baseball and had been signed by the New York Giants. He was working his way to that point by playing in the minor leagues. His father was presented with his son’s Silver Star for extreme gallantry on May 8, 1954.
Fisk, Donald Dean - Navy, Tech. 3/C, dental. 21 years of age. Died April 28, 1952 at San Francisco of illness while aboard the aircraft carrier Sitkoh Bay. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Bruce R. Fisk, 6561 Fourth NE, Seattle, WA; sisters Patricia, Dorothy, and Mrs. Betty McKnight. Place of birth – Grover, CO. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle, WA. Donald Dean Fisk had lived in Seattle for 20 years. He attended Roosevelt High School. He had been in the Navy since 1948 and had been overseas for 18 months.
Flack, Alan D. - Cpl, Army. 27 years of age. Died July 27, 1952 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. L.D. Flack (father), 3232 40th Ave. S.W., Seattle; Mrs. A.A. Flack (mother), 2637 ½ 42nd SW, Seattle; Harold (brother) in the Navy and James in Oregon. Sister Mrs. Gladys Keyser, Seattle. Birthplace – Seattle. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, WA. He attended Fauntleroy Grade School and Madison Junior High. He was in the Navy and saw duty on destroyers in the Pacific in the second world war. He enlisted in the Army in 1950. He also attended Bellevue High School, then worked for Sears Roebuck Co. Member of Post 2713 VFW.
Fleming, Isaac - Cpl., Army. 27 years of age. Died February 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Audrey Fleming (wife), 517 23rd Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Detroit, MI. Cpl. Fleming had been in the Army 8 years. He had resided in Seattle 3 years.
Furukawa, Isaac - Sgt., Army, 1st Cavalry Division. 24 years of age. Died July 25, 195o in action in Korea while attempting to run an enemy road block. Next of kin – Mr. Koshiro Furukawa (father), 930 26th Ave., Seattle, WA; Hiroshi Furukawa (brother), 310 27th North, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Sunnyside, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Isaac Furukawa, veteran of World War II, of the famed Japanese American 442nd Infantry in Europe, rejoined the Army in April 1948. He had lived in Seattle since 1945. five brothers of this family were World War II veterans. Attended University of Washington and Edison Technical School.
Floyd, John Curtis - 2nd Lt., Air Force, navigator. Died December 17, 1950 near Honshu, Japan while en route to Korea. Plane crash. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Burnham G. Floyd, Bellevue, WA, Rt. 2., Box 56. Place of burial – Feb. 10, 1951 at Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli. Attended Overlake High School. Veteran of the Second World War, Air Corps. Discharged 1945. Returned to active duty in 1948. Went overseas in November 1950. Attended University of Washington.
Foster, Robert A. - Pvt., Army, 17th Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. 18 years of age. Died Sept. 3, 1951 in action in Korea. Silver Star awarded posthumously. Next of kin – Mrs. Emily Langlands (mother), 207 Fontanelle St, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park, Highway 99. Pvt. Foster’s brother-in-law, Sgt. Frank Obzina,. Was killed in Korea Nov. 29, 1950. Pvt. Foster had been in the Army since May 1950. He attended Cleveland High School before enlisting. His brothers Jack and William are both in the Service – Jack in the Navy and William in the Army. Besides his sister, Jean Obzina, he is survived by another sister, Mrs. Edna Chadwick of California.
Funk, Orval - 1st Lt. Air Force. 30 years of age. Died Aug. 7, 1952 in a take off accident over Japan on a combat mission to Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Hildegarde Funk, Sebring, FL, sisters in Seattle – Mrs. Gladys Light, Alice Johnson, Hazel Nanthrup and Lucille. Place of birth – Towner, ND. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Veteran of World War II, recalled to active service in the Air Force last year. He was on his 25th mission when killed. He worked in Seattle for the Austin Construction Co. During World War II he saw action at Guam and Okinawa. He was a navigator and bombardier. Other sisters – Mrs. Dorothy Burks of Ala. & Mrs. Frances Sidmore of Mont.
Furseth, Lester J. - Pfc., Army, Infantry, radio man. 21 years of age. Died Dec. 1, 1952 in action in Korea by machine gun. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Oswald J. Furseth, 5618 20th Ave. N.E., Seattle; Mrs. Edward G. Roe (sister), 11404 8th Ave. N.E. Seattle. Place of birth – Olympia, WA. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Pfc. Furseth came to Seattle in 1944 and graduated from Roosevelt High School. He entered the Army in 1952. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for the heroic task of rescuing a wounded man in battle and attempting to rescue another, ending in his own death.
Garland, Albert W. - Pvt., Army, 38th Inf. Regt, 2nd division. 26 years of age. Death reported Aug. 13, 1951 in action in Korea. Later, it was reported that he died May 18, 1951. Next of kin – Mr. nd Mrs. Albert Garland, Enumclaw, WA; Mrs. Theodore Fallen (sister), Enumclaw, Richard Garland (brother), Enumclaw. Place of birth – Buckley, WA. Place of burial – Evergreen Cemetery, Enumclaw, WA. Pvt. Garland had lived in Enumclaw most of his life. He graduated from Enumclaw grade and high schools. He joined the Army in September 1950 and went overseas in January 1951.
Gebhardt, Ervin A. - Pvt., Army. 20 years of age. Died Oct. 26, 1951. Wounded Oct. 20 and died the same day in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Alma T. Gebhardt (mother), 1167 ½ Mercer St., Seattle, WA. Pvt. Gebhardt graduated from Queen Ann High School in 1948 and attended the University of Washington a year then worked at the Boeing Airplane Co. before enlisting in the Army. He had been in Korea since Sept. 11th and in the Army since Feb. 1951.
Glenn, Robert L. - Cpl., Army. Died in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ida Glenn (wife), 2716 Washington St., Seattle, WA.
Gossett, William Bennett - Cpl, USMC, 1st Marine Division. 21 years of age. Died Sept. 26, 1950 in action in Korea at Seoul. Next of kin – Mrs. Wm. B. Gossett (wife), California; Mr. and Mrs. B.A. Gossett, Renton, WA, 117 Meadow St. Place of birth – Tacoma, WA. Place of burial – Greenwood Cemetery, Renton. His body arrived in San Francisco April 23rd. He attended schools in Renton, graduated from Renton High in 1947. Attended Seattle University for a short time. Cpl. Gossett had lived most of his life in Renton. He was employed in the Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation before joining the Marines in 1948. He had married just prior to leaving for Korea in July.
Halverson, Verlyn S. - Pfc., Army, machine gunner, 1st Cavalry Division. Date of birth: December 21, 1930. Date of death: April 24, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Sam Halverson (father), 3509 E. 147th St., Seattle. Two sisters – Shirley of Seattle and Darlene of Montana. Place of birth: Montana. Pfc. Halverson was awarded the Silver Star for his gallantry on that April Day in 1951. He remained behind and machine gunned the enemy while his division retreated. He enlisted in the Army in 1948 and was sent to Japan then to Korea at the outbreak of hostilities.
Hamerquist, Charles E. - Pfc., Army, machine gunner, 25th Division. 21 years of age. Died Sept. 15, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. T.F. Buckman (mother), 610 Aloha St., now 7932 16th Ave S.W., Seattle, WA. Place of birth: Portland, OR. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pfc. Hammerquist was killed the day after he wrote his mother that he was in the front line. He had been in Korea two weeks. He had lived in Seattle nearly all of his life. He graduated from Lincoln High School and then entered the College of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Surviving besides his mother and stepfather, who was his pal, is his grandmother Mrs. Annette Bevry of Seattle.
Hammerel, Ambrose B. - Pfc., Army. Death reported May 26, 1951. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hammerel of Spokane, formerly of 3611-1/3 Rainier Ave, Seattle, WA.
Haskell, Gordon E. - Major, USMC, Marine fighter pilot. 32 years of age. Died Oct. 2, 1952 in a Korean engagement on a flight from an aircraft carrier. Next of kin – Mrs. Laura Haskett (wife) and one and a half year old daughter Lynda, 16515 Fremont Ave., Seattle, WA, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon S. Haskell (parents). Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. A veteran of four and a half years in the Second World War, Major Haskell was recalled to active service in October 1951. He went overseas May 1952. He was graduated from Roosevelt High School. He was employed at the Seattle Times before being recalled to duty. The Major was well known in golfing circles. He was golf champion at the Jackson Park Golf club for three years. A brother John W. Haskell also survives. Also Richard, both of Seattle.
Hausmann, John B. Jr. - Pfc., USMC, 1st Marine Division. 18 years of age. Died August 1950 in Tokyo of wounds received in the Korean War. Next of kin – Mr. John B. Hausmann (father), 1213 Lucille St., Seattle, WA. Attended schools in California. Employed by his father in December 1949 in Seattle. Joined the Marines in April 1950.
Hawley, Richard E. - Cpl., USMC. 21 years of age. Died Aug. 12, 1950 in action in Korea at Chinju. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Everett Hawley, 905 18th Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Portland, OR. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Attended O’Dea High School and Garfield High School. Altar boy at the Immaculate Church. Had lived in Seattle most of his life. Joined the Marines 2½ years ago. Corporal Hawley’s mother lost her first husband in World War One.
Hemsher, William C. - Pfc., Army. Died in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Jessie N. Hemsher (wife), 3010 Seventh Ave., North Renton.
Hendricks, Joseph L. Jr. - Pfc., Army, Army intelligence. 18 years of age. Died July 20, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Hendricks, Rt. 2, Box 2373, Edmonds, WA (formerly of Seattle). Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Attended Edmonds High School. Pfc. Hendricks was the first soldier from the Seattle area reported missing in Korean action. He joined the Army January 14, 1949. He left Seattle for Japan June 16, 1949 and went to Korea July 1950. The Hendricks family lived in Seattle recently.
Hedin, Louis M. - Pvt., Army, 38th Regt., 2nd Div. 24 years of age. Died March 15, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. August L. Hedin, Rt. 3, Enumclaw, WA. Sister – Mrs. Shirley Fuller of Tacoma. Place of birth – Alden, MN. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Sumner, WA. Pvt. Hedin was a former Enumclaw High School pupil. He was a merchant mariner in the Second World War. Member of Crescent Lodge No. 109 F&AM, Enumclaw. Pvt. Hedin had lived in Enumclaw since he was a year old.
Hickey, John Edward - Air Force, Airman 3/c. 21 years of age. Died April 28, 1952 plane crash in Korea after a ferry mission. Next of kin – Mrs. Lillian Kastrup (mother), 6904 47th SW, Seattle; Mr. John Edward Hickey Sr. (father), Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle. Born and reared in Seattle, Airman Hickey was graduated from West Seattle High School. He enlisted in the Air force in January 1951. He was sent overseas in July 1951 and had planned to be home on furlough in August of this year. His plane, a B-26 Bomber, crashed on a wet air strip in Korea. Also surviving him are his sisters, Mrs. Beverly Sawicki and Mrs. Dorothy Rhodes of Seattle and his brother Michael D. Hickey, a Navy veteran of World War II.
Hill, Wayne R. - Cpl, USMC, 1st Marines. 19 years of age. Died 3 days before the Truce was signed in Korea. Wounded fatally by a shell fragment. Next of kin – Mrs. Zona Bussey, mother, 4528 44th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA and Helsey Hill (father), Spokane, WA. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Former Bellevue High School student. He went to Korea in 1952. A sister, Diane Hill of Seattle, and a half-brother, William, of Spokane also survive.
Hogan, Kenneth A. - Pvt., Army. Date of birth – June 1, 1922. Date of death – Sept. 9, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. James Hogan, 1245 SW 149th St., Seattle, WA; sister, Mrs. Irene Lackey of Alderwood, WA, brothers Robert and James. Place of birth – Seattle. He attended school at the Burien Grade School and Highline High where he left in his sophomore year to join the Army Oct. 1949. He was stationed in Okinawa before being sent to Korea. There he was taken Prisoner of War. The last his parents heard was July 27, 1950. Not until Feb. 18, 1954 was he declared officially dead.
Hall, Thomas B. - Col., Air Force. Officially reported dead January 1954. Previously reported missing in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Verna Hall (wife), sons Tony (9) and Christopher (7), 2706 Broadway N., Seattle.
Hoolahan, Patrick William - Cpl. USMC, 1st Marine Division. 22 years of age. Died Oct. 27,1 950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Dorcas Vanderveer (mother), 3206 61st SW, Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Wonsan, Korea. Attended Bryant School, Greenwood School, Seattle University. Served with the Marines during the Second World War. Total of service in the Marines – 3 years.
Hoy, Thomas Samuel - Pfc., Marine Corps. 21 years of age. Notice of death published Sept. 27, 1951. Killed in Korea, probably at Heartbreak Ridge. Pfc. Hoy was killed Sept. 21. Next of kin – Mr. and Mrs. Dwight L. Hoy, 10524 Ashworth Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Wahpeton, ND. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pfc. Hoy had lived in Seattle most of his life until he went into military service. He had been overseas for seven months. He attended Oak Lake School and graduated from Lincoln High School where he was a member of the Hi-Y. He was platoon honor man of his unit during training at Camp Pendleton. Previous to his enlistment he had been with Sears Roebuck and Co. as mail order clerk. Sisters and brothers live in Seattle.
Ihly, Steven R. - Cpl, Army, 378th Combat Engineers. Date of birth – May 15, 1933. Date of death – April 19, 1951 in action in Korea from a grenade explosion. Next of kin – Mrs. Herman Parent (mother), 2319 N. 62nd St.; Herman Parent (step-father), Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Spokane. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Steve attended Green Lake Elementary school, John Marshall Junior High School and Lincoln High School. He enlisted in the 770 Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Ft. Lewis. Later transferred to the 378th Combat Engineers. His father Steve L. Ihly lives in Seattle as does his brother Gary.
James, Larry Patrick - Pfc., Army, 5th Cavalry Division. Born – December 21, 1931. Died – Sept. 22, 1950 in action in South Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Laura Nichols (mother), Rt. 1, Box 453, Auburn, WA. Place of birth – Taholah, WA. Place of burial – Auburn Cemetery. Pvt. James, of Indian origin, was a pupil at the Auburn High School before entering the Army. He lived in Auburn 11 years. His brother, Russell, has been missing in action in Korea since Dec. 2nd. Two younger brothers survive and his father Michell James of Taholah.
James, Leo J. - M/Sgt., Army. 22 years of age. Died Nov. 28, 1950 in Korea. Previously reported missing. Officially reported dead Jan. 7, 1954. Next of kin – Mrs. Katherine James (wife), 9228 8th Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA. Body not found. The James couple had been married only two weeks when Sergeant James was sent overseas August 1950.
Johnson, Richard B. - Sgt., Army. 18 years of age. Died in hospital of wounds received in action in Korea on Sept. 12, 1951. Next of kin – Ernest B. Johnson (father), Baytown, TX, formerly of 4046 Seventh Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Missoula, Mont. Place of burial – Missoula, Mont. Sgt. Johnson lived for many years in Seattle. He attended Edmond Meany School and Garfield and Lincoln High Schools. Sgt. Johnson wrote his father that he was in a tough position in Korea and a few days later he was killed. His sister, Mrs. Ernestine McMath, lives in Inglewood, CA and his brother in Montana.
Jones, Floyd L. - Pfc., Army. Reported Killed July 30, 1952. Previously reported missing in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Malissa Jones (wife), 306 Maynard Ave., Seattle, WA.
Jones, Samuel L. - 1st. Lt. Died in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Marianna B. Jones (wife), 1111 38th Ave. N., Seattle, WA.
Karlson, Gene R. - Cpl, USMC, Marine Attack Sqdr. No. 323. 23 years of age. Died Sept. 25, 1953 result of the war in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ingred Karlson (mother), brother Walter, 15622 Pacific Highway South, Seattle. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Cpl. Karlson became ill while serving with the Marines in Korea. Other survivors – sisters – Mrs. Sigrid Miklausch and Miss Kathleen Karlson.
Keller, Robert W. - Pvt., Army, 5th Cavalry Division. 18 years of age. Date of death – Oct. 4, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Wilma J. Keller (wife), daughter Linda (7 weeks old), 7606 6th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA; Mr. And Mrs. E.R. Keller, brother Joseph 13034 1st Ave. NE Seattle; brother Clair, 19, in the Navy at Pearl Harbor. Place of birth – Fargo, ND. Place of burial – private services at Washelli Cemetery. Pvt. Keller had lived in Seattle for 11 years. He attended Lincoln High School. Joined the Army Jan. 1951. He was prominent in football. A memorial service dedicated to his memory was held at the Catholic Memorial Field. He played for a boys club team last year.
Kloth, Marion J. - Lt. Col, Army, Military Adviser. 42 years of age. Died May 17, 1952 in an accident due to battle fatigue suffered in Korea. Died in Alexandria, VA. Next of kin – Mrs. Sally Kloth (wife), Alexandria, VA; Robert E. and Cecil L. (brothers) Seattle and Arthur O. of San Francisco. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Arlington National Cemetery. At the time of his death, Lt. Col. Kloth was on leave from Walter Reed Hospital where he had been having treatment for battle fatigue. He was graduated from Lincoln High School and the University of Washington. He formerly lived at 2414 Bigelow Av. N. Seattle. He was awarded the Silver Star and Oak Leaf cluster for his Korean service. He was a veteran of World War II.
Korte, Joie - Pfc., USMC. Died January 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Joie Korte (wife), 2935 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA.
Kostoff, Milford L. - 2nd Lt., Army, 24th Infantry Division. 25 years of age. Died Aug. 9, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Milan Kostoff, 307 Lynn St., now 503 Valley St., Seattle, WA. Brothers and sisters in Seattle. Place of birth – Jamestown, ND. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Lt. Kostoff, a World War II veteran of the Marine corps, joined the army a year ago. Went overseas July 27th. Kostoff’s wife, Coleen, is living in Alaska with her parents. He attended Queen Anne High School and Seattle University.
Kuper, David H. - Cpl, Army. 22 years of age. Reported missing July 20, 1950 and confirmed dead January 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Hazel Larson (mother), 8111-12th Avenue, Seattle. Place of birth – Michigan. Body not found. His brother Donald is a student at Cleveland High School and a sister lives in Michigan.
Liljegreen, Mary Eleanor - Lt (j.g.) Navy – nurse. 25 years of age Aug. 31st. Died Sept. 19, 1950 in a Navy transport plane crash near Kwajalein Island in the service of her country. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Carl J. Liljegreen, 824 Broadway, Seattle, WA. Graduate of West Seattle High School and Seattle University. She trained at the Providence Hospital School of Nursing. Miss Liljegreen had been stationed in Oakland and Bremerton during the time she served in the Navy. Brother and sister both were in the service.
Linne, Roy W. - Pfc., Army infantry. Born January 23, 1933. Died March 16, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – father deceased; Mrs. Olga Linne (stepmother), 10530 Whitman Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Pacific Lutheran, Seattle. Attended Lincoln High School. Brothers Robert and Bert survive him. His father, Harold Wm. Linne, died January 1950.
Lipshitz, Kenneth C. - Sgt., Army, 7th Infantry Division. 21 years of age. He died Dec 5, 1950. Previously reported missing. Officially reported as dead from action in Korea on January 7, 1954. Next of kin – Mrs. Anne Morris Lipshitz (mother), 413 24th Ave S., Seattle; Mrs. Mae Lipshitz (wife) and son live in Portland, OR. Body not found. Sgt. Lipshitz attended Garfield High School and served in the Merchant Marine before joining the Army in early 1950. His mother refuses to believe her son is dead. He’ll be back, she says.
Lockhart, Jack N. - Tech Sgt., Marine Corps. 45 years of age. Died Dec. 1, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Adeliza Lockhart (wife), Elsinore, CA; Mrs. Estelle Schank (sister) Seattle, Robert and David (brothers) Seattle, Mrs. Bessie Kraus (sister) Canada. Place of birth – Kansas. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle. Sgt. Lockhart, a veteran of the Second World War, was wounded in the South Pacific. He was transferred to that area from China where he had been stationed. His wife, also in China, was taken prisoner by the Japanese and spent the remainder of the war in a detention camp. He enlisted in the Marines in Seattle in 1924.
Lockwood, Carlton - 19 years of age. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. George Lockwood, 11242 Occidental Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Everett. Place of burial – body not found. Attended Highline High School and Renton High. Sisters Shawn and Marla.
Longtin, King W. - Lt., Navy, Air Force, USNR pilot. 29 years of age. Died April 21, 1951 in a crash landing in Japan. Next of kin – Mrs. Betty J. Longtin (wife), 4552 6th Ave., NE, home of her parents, Mr. And Mrs. E.J. Nelson, Seattle. Place of birth – Teaneck, NJ. Raised and educated in Teaneck, NJ where his parents, Mr. And Mrs. Benjamin Longtin, live. He had been in the naval reserve for the past nine years serving during World War II as a Navy pilot. Married in Seattle five years ago and built a home at 1504 E. 103rd St., Seattle.
Lundervold, Winston - Pfc., Army, Co. E, 180th Inf. Regt. 20 years of age. Died June 17, 1952 in action in Korea’s western front. Next of kin – Mrs. Katherine Lundervold (mother), 814 E. Howell St., Seattle; Mrs. Thomas Turner, Navy Wave, Pier 91, his sister and brother Larry both of Seattle. Place of birth – Upham, ND. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pfc. Lundervold came to Seattle in 1950 and entered the Army the same year. He received training in the paratroopers and in radio communication before he volunteered for active duty in Korea. He had been wounded but returned to combat. He would have been 21 thirteen days before he was killed.
Lyden, Wallie G. - Pvt., Army, motor pool. 19 years of age. Died March 10, 1952 in Tokyo, Japan. Next of kin – Mrs. Mildred Lyden (mother), Wapato, Yakima County, formerly of 329 Queen Anne Ave., Seattle. Place of birth – Port Angeles, WA. Place of burial – Evergreen Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pvt. Lyden moved to Seattle with his family in 1942. He attended Queen Anne High school before enlisting in the Army in 1949. Surviving besides his mother are two brothers Dewey and Donald both of Wapato; a sister Mrs. Allen J. Olson, Richmond Beach, WA and his grandparents Mr. And Mrs. Frazer Matthews of Seattle.
Lansing, Melvin E. - Sgt., army. 22 years of age. Died April 24, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs.. John N. Lansing, 3040 S. 158th St. (latter address 2916 S. 200th St.) Seattle, WA. Sgt. Lansing joined the Army four years ago while his family was living in Kansas. They now live in Seattle.
Larson, Richard Eugene - Cpl, Army. 21 years of age. Died Oct. 19, 1951 in action in Korea. Previously reported missing in action. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Ole J. Larson, Box 210, Auburn, WA; Mrs. Ray Hardin (sister), 615 SW 139th St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Richard was born in Seattle and was graduated from Cleveland High School. He joined the Army in August 1950 and went overseas in March 1950. Besides his parents and sister he is survived by two brothers, Army PFC Howard and Russell of Auburn. His brother Army PFC Gordon died in Cabanatuan Prison Camp in World War II. He was 22 years.
Laundry, William R. - Pfc., USMC. 19 years of age. Died F4eb. 1, 1953 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Vance Harris (mother), 3020 22nd Ave. S., Seattle, WA; Henry J. Laundry (father), Wyoming. Place of birth Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Pfc. Laundry came to Seattle in 1942. He attended St. Mary’s school, Franklin High School and Edison Tech. He joined the Marine Corps last April after three years in the National Guard in Seattle. He had been in Korea since Oct. Other survivors are – brother Walter H. and five sisters Mrs. Gloria Cloutier; Mrs. Dorothy Duell; Patricia, Judith and Helen, all of Seattle.
Layton, Donald - Airman Apprentice, Navy, Air Force. 19 years of age. Died April 21, 1951 crash landing near Japan. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Roy Layton, 17403 8th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Graduate of Roosevelt High School. Enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1950. He had been flying missions over Korea as an ordnance man and tail gunner.
Mackey, Robert K. - 2nd Lt., Army, Co. C, 3rd Inf. Div, 15th Regt. 23 years of age. Died April 16, 1953 near Unjan-ni, Korea. Next of Kin – Mrs. Karel Mackey (mother, Mr. And Mrs. Glen Mackey, Seattle, WA now of Reno, NV; Mrs. W. Douglas Mottley (sister), 11539 22nd Ave., NE, Seattle. Place of birth – North Dakota. After an attack on his patrol and though wounded and unable to walk, Lt. Mackey crawled back to the support element to get medical aid for his men. After getting medical aid he insisted on returning to his men pleading that he could not leave his men alone. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously. His father received the Star recently for his dead son. Lt. Mackey graduated from Broadway High.
Maitland, George A. - Pfc., Army infantry. 23 years of age. Died Oct. 26, 1952. Previously reported missing and officially reported dead Jan. 7, 1954 in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Violet Ogden (mother), 1510 W. 87th St., Seattle, WA Body not found. Pfc. Maitland’s brother Lloyd Ogden was in the Army in Korea at the time George disappeared and made every effort to find some trace of his brother.
Manty, Walter N. - Sgt., Air Force, 110 Radar Calibration Flight in Alaska. 33 years of age. Died Nov. 7, 1951 at Anchorage, Alaska, in an air crash. Next of kin – Mrs. Mildred R. Manty (wife), 229 Tobin Ave., Renton, WA; Mrs. Hannah Oja (mother), Renton, WA. Place of birth – Astoria, OR. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Sgt. Manty, a veteran of 10 years in the National Guard. He had lived in Seattle for a number of years and in Everett. He worked for the Boeing Airplane Co. before being called to active duty with the Air Force last May. During World War II, he served in India with the 412 Air Service Squadron as a flight engineer. His sister, Mrs. Lawrence Jones, also lives in Renton as does his half brother Matt A. Hill and another half brother, Julius, lives in California.
Marett, Natherene C. - Sgt., Army, 38th Inf. Regt., 2nd Div., Regular Army. 19 years of age. Reported dead June 2, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ildefonso (Catherine) Costello (mother, 4504 23rd SW, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – South Carolina. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. He had been in Korea since last August and before that in Germany. He attended the Puget Sound Naval Academy on Bainbridge Island. Had lived in Seattle since 1945. He was previously reported wounded Nov. 27, but returned to action. His stepfather is a steward in the Navy and is now in Korean waters.
Mason, Alwin L. - Cpl, Army, 7th Division artillery, Buffaloes. 20 years of age. Died Sept 2, 1951 in action in Korea. Silver Star awarded posthumously. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. L.D. Mason, 326 W. 46th St., Seattle, WA; sisters – Mrs. June Weber and Kathleen Mason. Birth place – Seattle. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle. Cpl. Mason joined the Army in January 1949. He was stationed in Japan a year and a half before going to Korea in September 1950. He was due to return home on rotation the later part of September. He had been acting as artillery reconnaissance Sgt. Cpl. Mason attended James Monroe Junior High and Edison Tec School. His unit had shifted 70 times in Korean battle. His group was one to reach the Manchurian border in the drive last year.
Mason, Ralph E. - Cpl., Army, Cavalry Division, machine gunner. 20 years of age. Died Sept. 5,1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Wyatt A. Wood (sister), 1711 E. 89th St. (home of Cpl. Mason), Seattle, WA. Mr. Norman E. Mason (father) Sedro Wooley, WA. Place of birth – Pueblo, CO. Place of burial – when returned from Korea, he will be buried in Pueblo, CO where his mother is interred. Attended Burlington Grade schools, Roosevelt High School, Seattle. Cpl. Mason joined the Army a year and a half ago in Seattle. Mrs. Wyatt’s brother, Air Force, was lost in the Caribbean Oct. 1943.
Matheson, Douglas N. - 1st Lt., Air Force, pilot, jet plane 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. 25 years of age. Died April 9, 1951 in a mission in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Hector N. (Avilda P.) Matheson (mother), 7503 Sunnyside Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Lethbridge, Alt. Canada. Place of burial. Body not Found. Later found and returned to USA and is buried at Washelli, Seattle. Roosevelt High graduate, University of Washington – prominent in boxing and hockey and a talented musician – cellist – Lamda Chi Alpha. During World War II, he served as a flight officer and rejoined the Air Force in 1948. He came to Seattle with his parents when 2 years old. He had been in Korea two months before his death. His sister, Mrs. Lewis Richie, and brother Malcolm survive him.
Mayfield, Charlie Jr. - Pfc. Army, 24th Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. 26 years of age. Died Sept 5, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Mary E. Mayfield (wife), 1039 ½ Main St., Seattle; latest address – 161 28th Avenue. Buried at Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Mayfield, a veteran of nine years’ service in the Army, went overseas last August. He was reported missing Sept. 5th. Three children also survive him, William, Rodney, and Casandra. His parents – Mr. And Mrs. Charlie Mayfield.
Merrick, Richard Charles - Commander, Navy flier. 39 years of age. Died May 18, 1951 in action in Korea while on a bombing and strafing mission. Next of kin – Mrs. Mary Jane Hilen Merrick (wife), 2 sons, Richard and Scot, 2409 Lake Washington Blvd., Seattle, WA. Place of burial – memorial rites at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, May 29, 1951. University of Washington graduate, was commander of Naval Air Group 19. He was the second air group commander to lose his life since the outbreak of the Korean War. A Navy career man since his graduation in 1934, Commander Merrick was a fighter pilot in the Aleutions and aboard the aircraft carriers during World War II. His Naval Service included duty with the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington and at Boeing Airplane Co.
Micheau, Gordon G. - M/Sgt., Army. Died October 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Shirley Micheau (wife), Rt. 4, Box 781, Bellevue, WA.
Middleton, Rex B. - Navy – Sonarman 1/C. 26 years of age. Died Oct. 7, 1951 when the American destroyer Ernest g. Small, struck a probable enemy mine in Korean waters. Next of kin – Mrs. Bernice Middleton (wife), 10050 68th Ave. S., Seattle, WA Middleton, a World War II submarine service veteran, was called to active duty again on Sept. 8, 1950. He expected to be released from active duty December and hoped to return home this month. He had studied electrical engineering at the University of Washington and had worked at a mail order house in Seattle. His parents – Mr. And Mrs. Ben Middleton, live in Spokane. A daughter, two years old, also survives him.
Miller, Earl K. - Pvt., Army, 2nd Infantry Division. 21 years of age. Died Sept. 3, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Jody Miller (wife), 711 Crockett St., Seattle, WA (home of Mrs. Josephine Harrington. Mrs. Miller resides with her parent.). Place of birth – Collegeville, PA. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Mrs. Miller’s address: 2213 1st Ave. His parents are in Collegeville, PA. Pvt. Miller had been in the Army three years. He served one year in Alaska and two at Fort Lewis, WA.
Miller, Floyd Gay - Pfc., Marine infantry, 1st Marine Division. 21 years of age. Died Aug. 30, 1951 of wounds in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Peggy Moore Miller (wife), Rep. Floyd C. Miller (father), 2303 N. 62nd St., Seattle; Mrs. Bradley Brown (mother), Raymond, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pvt. Miller attended Roosevelt and Lincoln High Schools. He and Peggy Moore were married a week before he went overseas. Pvt. Moore had served a three year enlistment in the Coast Guard. Address: c/o Mrs. Margaret K. Moore, 7737 37th Ave. NE, Seattle.
Miller, Russell R. - Cpl., Army. 23 years of age. Died Nov. 17, 1950. Wounded and died the same day in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Jane E. Miller (mother), 734 N. 66th St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Canada. Corporal Miller came to Seattle 5 years ago from Spokane. He was serving his second enlistment.
Monegan, Walter C. Jr. - Pfc., USMC, 1st Marine Division. 20 years of age. Died Sept. 20, 1950 in action in Korea (Seoul). Next of kin – Mrs. Betty Clark Monegan (wife). McIntire. 920 17th Ave., Seattle. Son, Walter III. Place of birth – Reading, MA. Place of burial – Arlington National Cemetery. Had been stationed at Sand Point. A veteran of four years in the Marines. Walter C. Monegan (father), Long Beach, CA.
Mork, Edgar B. - Cpl, USMC. Previously reported missing. Declared dead Jan. 8, 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Mork (wife), 3521 Brandon St., Seattle, WA.
Meyers, Ronald Dean - [also listed as Myers]. Sgt., Army, 7th Division, 32nd HQ group. 25 years of age. Died Sept. 24, 1950 of wounds received during the drive on Seoul, Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ronald Meyers (wife), Yokohama. Mrs. George Meeks (mother), 8025 Ravenna Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Wichita, KS. Was in the Navy in World War II for six years. John Meyers (father), Wichita, KS. Sgt. Meyers had lived in Seattle in 1949 with his wife and child.
Modenese, Eugene - Air Force, Airman 1/c. 22 years of age. Died June 18, 1953 at Honshu, Japan when an Air Force C-124 Globemaster crashed. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. M.A. Modenese (parents), sister, Diane, 2816 Eddy St., Seattle, WA; Dorothy Lynch Modenese (wife). Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Seattle, WA. Eugene Modenese was born and brought up in Seattle. He attended Georgetown Elementary School and graduated from Cleveland High then went to Seattle University. He was interested in Mountaineering and Skiing and was a champion at this sport. At Cleveland he was a member of the All-City Ski Team. He planned to make photography his life work and had been employed at Boeings as a photographer. He joined the Air Force in 1951 and was due home a month before his death.
Moloney, Edward J. Jr. - 1st Lt., Army Infantry (temporary). 25 years of age. Died May 27, 1951 reported in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Edward J. Moloney, 208 D St. NW, Auburn, WA. Place of birth – Canada, Eston. Sask. Place of burial – Sumner Cemetery. Catholic service. Lt. Moloney had been a paratrooper in Japan when the Korean War broke out. He transferred to the infantry and was killed while leading his rifle company in action. He had lived in Auburn for ten years, graduated from the Auburn High School in 1943. He was a student leader and a Knight of Columbus. As a paratrooper he was with the Pathfinder Division of the 187th Airborne Division. Veteran of World War II. 4 brothers and two sisters also survive him.
Montgomery, Lowell Gene - S/Sgt., USMC, Air base aircraft mechanic. 20 years of age. Died April 15, 1953 in an accident in Tustin, CA. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Carl d. Montgomery (parents), 7045 Alonzo Ave. NW, Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Inglewood, CA. Military funeral. Sgt. Montgomery graduated from Ballard High School in 1951. He then joined the Marines and was in Korea a year as an aircraft mechanic at a forward Marine base. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Sidney Lawrence, and three brothers – Carl E. Edmonds; William T., Seattle, and Gilbert G., Los Angeles.
Moore, William H. - M/Sgt. Army. 39 years of age. Death reported Nov. 10, 1952, plane crash, C-119 "Flying Packet" in Alaska. Next of kin – Mrs. Lillian Moore (wife), Bremerton, WA; Mrs. Hazel Napple (mother), 6232 38th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA. Sgt. Moore had reenlisted into the Army for the third time only a month ago and had been in Alaska two weeks. He had served in the World War II and had the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star medal and oak leaf cluster for bravery. He reenlisted at the beginning of the Korean War and served eight months. Was released and after 18 months in civilian life went back into the Army.
Morgan, Arlene Jackson - Airman 3rd class, Air Force – Army – gunnery repair Dept. 19 years of age. Died April 14, 1953 in an explosion at Taegu Air Base in S.E. Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Carolyn Morgan (wife) 4431 Cascadia Ave, Seattle; Mr. And Mrs. Frank Morgan (parents) 116 W. Brandon St, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Baker, OR. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Airman Morgan came to Seattle with his parents 14 years ago. He attended Cleveland High School and played trombone in the school band. He joined the Air Force in October 1951, training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX and Lowery Air Force Base, Denver. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Jean Shoopman, Seattle, and brothers, Curtis Larson and William Morgan. Airman Morgan had never seen his son, Christian Arlen.
Mouser, Robert W. - Pfc., Army – machine gun unit. 18 years of age. Died Sept. 16, 1950 in action in Korea at the Naktong River. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. O.L. Mouser, 604 W. Howe St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Nebraska City, NE. Place of burial – Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Attended Ballard High School. Enlisted in the Army on March 14, 1949. Pfc. Mouser had lived in Seattle 11 years. He enlisted in the Army in 1949. Engaged to Miss Ihla Culhane, formerly of Spokane. He is also survived by his grandmother, Mrs. C.D. Slusser of Seattle.
Murphy, Brian Patrick - 1st Lt., Air Force pilot. 24 years of age. Died July 8, 1951 in an accident in the USA at Richardson, TX. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Neil J. Murphy, 2409 11th Ave. W., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Chicago. Place of burial – Military funeral at Fort Lawton. Catholic. Lt. Murphy was a graduate of United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. He was stationed at Connally Air Force base near Waco, TX. He received an appointment to the Academy after enlistment in the Navy in 1944.
McAbee, Jerry - Apprentice blacksmith, Navy, USS Delta. Born Feb. 6, 1933. Died Oct. 2, 1952 in an accident aboard his ship. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. John H. McAbee, 6009 7th Ave NW, Seattle, WA. Two sisters survive – Mrs. A.E. Garrett and Mrs. R.H. Coppinger of Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Evergreen Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Young McAbee lived in Seattle all of his brief life. He attended West Woodland Elementary and James Monroe Junior High. He had been in the Navy since January. The Commander of the USS Delta wrote the parents after the boy’s death and told of young McAbee’s excellent record and his many friends aboard ship.
McAninch, Darrell E. - Air Force, 3rd C. 21 years of age. Died June 18, 1953 at Honshu, Japan when an Air Force C-124 crashed – Globemaster. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. George C. McAninch (parents), 2249 14th West, Seattle, Wa. Place of birth – Spokane, WA. Place of burial – Evergreen Park, Seattle, WA. Darrell McAnich was of the serious type, but vigorous with a special interest in geology which took him on many long trips through the hills. He had a fine collection. Other survivors – brothers, Donald H., Douglas L. and George Jr. and a sister Mrs. Frank Buxton, all of Seattle, WA.
McCormick, Robert E. Jr. - 2nd Lt. Army Air Force. Age 23 years. Date of Death – Aug. 22, 1950 in Korea while on a reconnaissance flight. His 44th mission. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Robert E. McCormick Sr., 9027 W. Shorewood Dr., Seattle, WA; James H. McCormick (brother) escort for his brother. Place of birth – Presque Isle, ME; place of burial – Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Lt. McCormick attended school in Shelton for a short time. The family moved to Montana where Robert enlisted in the Navy in 1945. He served in the Philippines until 1946. Discharged and then joined the Air Force. He trained at Randolph Field and Shreveport, LA. He was assigned to a tactical air control squadron. His parents moved to Seattle in 1951.
McKeon, Donald - Pfc. Army. Previously reported missing. Declared dead on Jan. 8, 1954 from action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Martha Lou Gartrell (mother), Issaquah, WA.
McNaughton, John R. - Cpl., Army. Died in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. William E. McNaughton (father), 618 2nd Ave., Seattle, WA.
Neville, Fred G. - Pfc., Army. Reported dead Aug. 1, 1951. Reported missing 9/11/50 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. Lewis E. Neville (brother), 156 Fulton St., Seattle, WA.
Nicklos, Ronald Clyde - Cpl, USMC, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. 23 years of age. Died Feb. 22, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Marion Nicklos (wife), Kenneth (son), Redwood City, CA.; Mr. And Mrs. William J. Nicklos, 5512 Woodlawn Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Evergreen Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Attended Lincoln High School & University of Washington. Cpl. Nicklos was active in the Wallingford Boys Club. While he attended high school, played basketball and was a star baseball player. In the Marines two years. Called to active duty last fall.
Nolan, John Desmond - Pvt, Army. 23 years of age. Died Aug. 9, 1952 in an accident in Germany while on Army maneuvers. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Michael J. Nolan, 9535 4th Ave NW, Seattle. Brother – Patrick and sisters Maureen, Rosaleen, Colleen and Eileen. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Cavalry Cemetery. Pvt. Nolan attended St. John’s School, O’Dea and Lincoln High Schools. Member of the Associated Boys Club. He had been in the Army since January 1951 and had been in Germany 11 months.
Notsund, Harold N. - Cpl, USMC Reserve, 1st Marines, 7th Regt. 22 years of age. Died March 1 1951 in action in Korea at Hoengsong during heavy fighting. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Nels Notsund, 911 Belmont Ave., Seattle, WA. Cpl. Notsund came to Seattle with his parents in 1945 from Chicago. He attended Edison Tech and the University of Washington. He enlisted in the Marines in 1946 and served four years. Called to active duty in October. His grandmother, Mrs. Brita Tveit, lives in Norway. The Corporal’s brother Reider joined the Marines after learning of his brother’s death.
Obzina, Frank - S/Sgt, Army Air Force, aerial gunner, B-26. 32 years of age. Died Nov. 29, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Jean L. Obzina (wife), 15577 Ninth Ave. NE, Seattle, WA; Mrs. Ida Foster (mother), 806 Union St., Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Seattle. Attended Broadway High School and Roosevelt High School. Veteran of World War II – 40 missions. Had completed 75 missions in Korea.
Odenbaugh, Thomas D. - Lt., USMC. Previously reported missing. Declared dead Jan. 8, 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Odenbaugh (wife), 5311 Henderson St., Seattle, WA.
Oliver, Richard W. - Lt. (j.g.), Navy – Naval Air Training Unit – pilot. 26 years of age. Died Feb. 8, 1953 on a training flight near Alderwood, WA. Next of kin – William c. Oliver (father), 2921 9th Ave. W., Seattle, WA; Mrs. A.E. Green (grandmother), Bellingham, WA. Cremation in Seattle. Pilot Oliver was flying a F8F Grumann Bearcat fighter when his engine failed and the plane crashed and burned. Before entering the service he was co-pilot for California Airlines. Prior to that he was co-pilot and navigator for Pan American Airlines. Oliver was graduated from Queen Anne High School and attended the University of Washington. Member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
Olsen, Eugene Page - Pfc., USMC, 11th Regiment. 21 years of age. Died Dec. 7, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Anna L. Olsen (mother), 1578 E. 175th St., Seattle, WA. Attended Roosevelt High (graduate) and member of Lake Forest Presbyterian Church. He was a drug clerk at Lake City.
Owen, Edward V. - M/Sgt., Army. 26 years of age. Died July 12, 1950 in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Louise Owen Gibbs (mother), 3326 6th Pl., Renton, WA. Sisters – Mrs. Vickie Mann, Bryn Mawr, Mrs. Frances Pierce, Concord, CA. Place of birth – Gunnison, CO. Place of burial – Renton, WA, Evergreen Cemetery. He entered the Army at the age of 16 from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 1941, served in the South Pacific during World War II. Was discharged Dec. 1945. Re-enlisted in February of the following year and went to Japan in 1946 to serve with the occupation forces. He was sent to Korea in July 1950. He held three Bronze Stars for bravery in action. He attended schools in Colorado and Idaho.
Painter, Francis E. - Ens., Navy Jet Pilot, Carrier Princeton. Died May 6, 1953 after being struck by anti-aircraft fire in the Sea of Japan after completing a bombing mission. Next of kin – Mrs. Richard E. Painter (mother), 20255 Marine View Dr., Seattle, WA. Father died March 29, 1953. Place of birth – Los Angeles, CA. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Memorial at St. Philomena’s Catholic Church, Des Moines, WA. Ens. Painter had lived in Seattle since he was six months old. He attended St. Anne’s, O’Dea High and Seattle University. Mrs. Painter was notified that her son had been operating under constant alert for 15 days. After being struck the plane exploded and sank. He could not have survived. A brother, Army Captain John H. Painter and sisters Mrs. Ruth Wingerter and Nell Painter survive him.
Parant, George A. - Capt., USMC, signal officer. 32 years of age. Died Aug. 28, 1950 at Cherry Point, NC when a Corsair fighter plane struck him as it landed. Next of kin – Mrs. George (Esther) Parant (wife); George A. Parant Jr., Mrs. Hazel Parant (mother), 452 12th Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery. Attended Roosevelt High School and the University of Washington. He was a World War II dive bomber pilot. He served throughout World War II and remained in the Marine Corps.
Parise, Angelo Carmel - Sgt., Army, 1st Cavalry Division. Date of birth – Sept. 4, 1928. Date of death – Sept. 3, 1950 in action in Korea at Taegu. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. James G. Parise, Seattle, WA. He also had brothers and sisters in Seattle. Place of birth – New York. Moved from Tacoma, WA in 1932 to Seattle. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle. Attended St. Mary’s School and O’Dea High School. Sgt. Parise had lived in Seattle nearly all his life at the family home. He was formerly employed for the Washington Gear Works.
Parish, John F. Jr. - Pfc., Army. Died Aug. 11, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. John F. Parish Sr., Seattle, WA and Mrs. Estelle Parker (mother), Houston, TX. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Park, Washelli, Seattle.
Pawlik, Antoni M. - Pfc., Army. His death was announced May 21, 1951 in action in Korea. Late date of death was announced as April 26, 1951. Next of kin – Mrs. Donna L. Pawlik (wife), living at the home of her mother, Mrs. Norman VanZile, 5918 Beacon Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Wheaton, IL. Place of burial – Wheaton. Mrs. Pawlik, a native of Seattle, went east to attend the funeral, as did her brother, James Hart. Pvt. Pawlik lived in Seattle for three years. The Pawliks were married in Seattle in November of 1950. Pvt. Pawlik left for Korea March 5, 1951.
Pehling, George J. - Pfc., USMC. 21 years of age. Reported missing a year ago and declared dead April 10, 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. George J. Pehling Sr., 7745 21st Ave. NW, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Pvt. Pehling attended Ballard High School. He was in Korea only 14 days when he disappeared during the drive on Vegas and Reno Hills about a year ago, his father says.
Pierce, Edward E. - Pvt., Army Infantry. 17 years of age. Reported missing Nov. 2, 1950 and declared dead January 9, 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Wesley Jordan (mother), 1412 W. 58th St., Seattle; Edward Pierce Sr. (father) with the Army in Alaska. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Pvt. Pierce attended O’Dea High School. He went overseas the summer of 1950. He was in the "medics" and was seen carrying a wounded shoulder to the rear lines. That was the last seen of "Skippy", his grandmother, Mrs. David Marier of 1119 W. 59th St. says and believes he still lives and is prisoner somewhere.
Polley, Clay H. Jr. - Cpl, Army. Died Oct. 29, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin - Mrs. Patricia K.R. Polley (wife), 7743 18th Ave NE, Seattle. Daughter Charlotte, 9 months old. Place of burial - Fort Lawton Cemetery, Seattle, WA.
Price, Maylon D. - Lt., Army, Battery A, 980th Field Artillery Battalion. 31 years of age. Died March 12, 1952 in an explosion in Korea after being returned from front line fighting for a rest. Next of kin - Mrs. Darline Price (wife), daughters Leslie, Laurie & Lindsay, 7530 37th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Place of birth - Seattle, WA. Lt. Price graduated from Queen Anne High School. He attended the University of Washington. A Thunderbolt fighter pilot during World War II, he completed 133 missions. He served in the South Pacific, Hong Kong, and Formosa. Discharged from the Air Force in 1945. Rejoined the National Guard. Lt. Price received training in radar and electronics and was sent overseas as an instructor. Other survivors: Mr. and Mrs. Maylon D. Price II (parents) and Mr. and Mrs. Mayon D. Price (grandparents), Mrs. Mary Lee Calhoun (sister).
Puetz, Carl R. - Pfc., Army, 1st Cavalry Division. 20 years of age. Died Nov. 21, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin - Mrs. Irene M. Puetz (mother), 9632 Aurora Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth - Seattle. Place of burial - Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pfc. Puetz had only been in Korea a month when he was killed in action. Pfc. Puetz attended Oak Lake grade school and Lincoln High School. He joined the Army in the Summer of 1950. His brother Cpl Robert Puetz is also in Korea. Brother Jim is a student at Edison Tec. Cpl. Robert Puetz escorted his brother's body to Seattle, Feb. 26, 1952.
Rauh, William H. - Capt., Air Force pilot, jet plane T33. 30 years of age. Date of death – Aug. 20, 1951 in a plane crash near McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. Next of kin – Mrs. Emma Rauh (wife) and son, William Edwin; Mr. And Mrs. William H.E. Rauh, 2400 Warren Ave., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Billings, Montana. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, WA. Capt. Rauh had called Seattle his home for the past 20 years. He had served in the Air Force 12 years. Had flown 70 missions as a bomber pilot in World War II. 13 soldiers were killed when Capt. Rauh’s plane crashed and 20 injured.
Rhome, Calvin B. - Tech Sgt., Air Force. 26 years of age. Died December 1950 in an auto accident while returning to McClellan Air Force Base near Sacramento. Next of kin – Mrs. Gladys Rhome (mother, Mt. Pleasant, PA. Sgt. Rhome lived at 7035 1st Ave NW, Seattle, with Mr. And Mrs. P.I. Hart. Place of birth – Pennsylvania. He was a World War II veteran overseas in Italy as a bomber crew chief. He came west to live after World War II and had worked in the Photo Engraving Dept. of the Post Intelligencer since 1947. Recalled to active duty in August 1950.
Ridenour, Hugh A. Jr. - Cpl, USMC, machine gunner, 1st Marine Division. 19 years of age. Died May 13, 1952 in action in Korea. Next of kin - Lt. Commander and Mrs. Hugh A. Ridenour, 4124 E. 79th St., Seattle, Staff officer with the 13th Naval District. Place of birth - Waynesboro, PA. Place of burial - Arlington National Cemetery. He enlisted in the Marines last June and was sent to Korea in Feb. Corporal Ridenour graduated from Bullis Preparatory School, Silver Springs, MD. Also surviving him is a younger brother, Charles, A Roosevelt High School pupil.
Robbins, Charles F. Jr. - Pfc., Army Engineers, 2nd Division. 21 years of age. Died Sept. 3, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. C.F. Robbins, 5117 46th Ave. S., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery. He attended St. Edward’s School and O’Dea High School. He had been with the Boeing Airplane Co. for a year before entering the Army in July 1948. He had been in Korea but a month. A brother William also survives.
Rodgers, Gary L. - Pfc., Marines. 20 years of age. Died May 20, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Nancy Rodgers (wife) and daughter Linda Lee, 13804 6th Ave. SW, Seattle, WA; Mr. And Mrs. Clyde Rodgers, Camp Sherman, OR. Place of birth – Oregon. In the spring of 1950, PFC Rodgers was sent to the Philippines and in December of 1950 to Korea. He had been expected home on rotation in July.
Rose, Donald E. - Pvt., Army communications. 19 years of age. Died Feb. 13, 1953 in an accident in King County. Next of kin – Mrs. Barbara Schillar Rose (wife), Kirkland, WA; Mr. And Mrs. Irvin Rose (parents), Bothell, WA, Pfc. Robert Rose (brother). Place of birth Cordova, Alaska. Place of burial – Ft. Lawton cemetery. Pvt. Rose died in a traffic accident just 13 days after he had married. He was moving from Bothell to Kirkland when the accident occurred. Pvt. Rose entered the Army last April and was on his last day at Communications School here. He was a graduate of Kirkland High School and had lived in that area for six years. Both his father and grandfather are retired Army majors.
Rowley, Gerald H. - Navy Seaman. 20 years of age. Died Oct. 23, 1953. Drowned while serving aboard the water tender Pasig in Yokusuka, Japan. Next of kin - Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Rowley (parents), 535 N. 80th St., Seattle, two sisters - Joyce and Linda, and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Zachariasen. Place of birth - Seattle, WA. Place of burial - Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Mr. Rowley had been in Japan since January. He enlisted in the Navy two ears ago. He attended Lincoln High School. He served in the National Guard. When his Guard was deactivated, he was released from the Army for being under age.
Rozyka, Raymond - M/Sgt., Army. 37 years of age. Died July 4, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin - Mrs. Raymond Rozyka (wife), 621 16th Ave. N, Mrs. Andrew Gardner (mother-in-law), 621 16th Ave N., Seattle, WA.
Rydberg, Phillip W. - Pfc., army. Reported dead Feb. 13, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Magdalene Clyde (mother), Auburn, WA.
Sagdahl, Rolf J. - Pfc., Marines. 21 years of age. Died April 10, 1951. Reported dead April 22, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin: Mr. And Mrs. John M. Sagdal, 9043 11th Ave., NW, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Acacia Memorial Park. Graduate of Ballard High School. He had been in the Marine Corps for two years. Pfc. Sagdahl was a well known singer in his high school days. He appeared in high school plays and musicals and was a soloist with the First Lutheran Church. A brother Lloyd also survives.
Santistevan, Herman E. - Pvt., Army, 23rd Infantry Regiment. 21 years of age. Died Feb. 15, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Pauline Rupert (mother), 2924 Lanham Way, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Monta Vista, CO. Pvt. Santistevan enlisted June 27 two days after the outbreak of the Korean War. He had lived in Seattle 5 years and had attended O’Dea High School. Then he worked at the Boeing Airplane Co. before joining the Army. His brother Donald, 19, enlisted the day after he did and is in Korea.
Scarsheim, Hugo Vernon - Ens., Navy, Air Force. Born March 5, 1928. Died Dec. 24, 1950 near the Chosin Reservoir, Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Agda Eggen (mother), 1421 E. Thomas St., Seattle, WA; Mr. Martin Scarsheim (father). Place of birth – Chicago. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Plane disintegrated. Ens. Scasrsheim attended Lowell Grade and graduated from old Broadway High. After graduating he signed in Navy V-8. Went to California for a year, to Washington for two, to Corpus Christi and Pensacola Air Fields. He sailed on the SS Princeton, Nov. 9, 1950 for Korea. His last mission was Christmas Eve.
Schillereff, Raymond - Maj., Air Force pilot, F-86 jet fighter. 34 years of age. Died Aug. 10, 1951 in an aerial collision over Hill Air Force Base at Ogden, Utah. Next of kin: Mrs. Raymond Schillereff (wife), Presque Isle; Mrs. John J. Schillereff (mother), 7253 W. Grenlake Way, Seattle, WA. Major Schillereff was one of the first Air Force pilots to shoot down a Russian built Yak fighter plane in the Korean War. The major was on his way home to attend the funeral of his father when his plane and a B-26 bomber collided at 5000 feet. His three sons also survive him and four brothers and two sisters, all of Seattle.
Schmid, Arvid Lee - Airman, Naval Air Force. 23 years of age. Died Nov. 26, 1952 at Bremerton, WA Naval Hospital. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Benjamin Schmid, 8234 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA; Mr. Edward Schmid (brother), Seattle. Place of birth – Barlow, ND. Place of burial – Evergreen Park Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Airman Schmid, veteran of 100 helicopter rescue missions, came to Seattle with his parents in 1942. He graduated from Broadway High School and was well known in bowling circles before joining the Navy. In Korea he was shot down on his first mission behind the enemy lines. He returned to duty and made 99 more flights, winning the Purple Heart and Republic of Korea citation.
Schoolcraft, William R. - Sgt. 1/C, Army, Engineer Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. 24 years of age. Died Feb. 18, 1952 in action in Korea. Next of kin: Elmer R. Schoolcraft (father), 2657 S. 146th St., Seattle; Mrs. Dee Upchurch (mother), Post Falls, Idaho. Sgt. Schoolcraft was killed just 14 days after arriving in Korea. Before Korea he had been in Japan in the Army of Occupation for ten months. Sgt. Schoolcraft graduated from Peninsula High School, Gig Harbour. He had lived in Seattle for eight years. He enlisted in the Army in 1950. Awarded the Silver Star posthumously. Other survivors are: brother James and sister Mrs. Robert Kolaroff of Bremerton.
Schroeder, Thomas J. - Navy, Dental Tech 3C. 20 years of age. Died 1950 in the sinking of the hospital ship Benevolence. Next of ken: Mr. And Mrs. Milton Schroeder, 224 K Southeast, Auburn, WA and sister Jean Schroeder.
Schuck, Herbert D. - Sgt., Army. Previously reported missing. Declared dead in action in Korea on January 8, 1954. Next of kin – Mrs. Amelia Schuck (mother), 4416 Genessee St, Seattle, WA.
Scott, William R. Jr. - Major, Air Force. 34 years of age. Died Feb. 25, 1951 in an aircraft accident in Japan while returning from a combat support mission in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. William Scott (wife); children Jeannie and William, Phoenix, AZ; Mr. And Mrs. William R. Scott Sr., North Bend, WA. Place of birth – North Bend, WA. Attended University of Washington. Was an engineering flyer and instructor before World War II. Served in the South American, African and European areas during the war. Also flew the "Hump" from India to China. Sent to Japan a year ago.
Seamster, James Donald - Pfc., Army, 2nd Division. 19 years of age. Died Sept. 6, 1950 in action in Korea near Changnam. Next of kin – Mrs. Louise B. Chernik (mother), 204 N. 54th St., Seattle, WA; Mr. George Seamster (father), Billings, MT. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Attended Cooper Grade School and West Seattle High School. Pfc. Seamster had been in Korea less than ___ months though he had been in the Army nearly two years. He disregarded orders to withdraw and warned his unit of the enemy approach.
Seydel, Karle Frederick - 1st Lt., USMC, 11th Marine Regiment. 27 years of age. Died Dec. 7, 1950 in action in Korea in the Changjin Reservoir sector. Next of kin: Mrs. Rosanne Crowley Seydel (wife), Long Beach and formerly of Seattle; daughter Ruth and son Daniel. The family were in Seattle, Nov. 30 to accept the Silver Star awarded posthumously. Place of birth – Denver, CO. Lt. Seydel played football with the Huskies in 1948 and 1949. Enlisted at the University of Washington in 1942. Enlisted in the Marines in 1943. Served in the South Pacific. Returned to the university in 1946 in the Law School. Recalled to active duty in 1950.
Shaw, William F. - M/Sgt., Army. Born Nov. 9, 1920. Died June 3, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. William R. Shaw, 4806 Woodlawn Ave., Seattle, WA. Brother – Edwin, Chicago. Place of birth – Chicago, IL. Place of burial – Military services at family plot in Washelli, Seattle. During World War II Sgt. Shaw served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge. Between the end of World War II and the time he was recalled to active service in June 1950 he was in the refrigeration business in Chicago.
Sheehan, Robert E. - Lt., Air Force pilot jet plane. Died 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Robert Sheehan (wife), two children Kathy (8) and James (5), 14026 Courtland Place, Seattle. His mother now lives in Omaha, NE. Father deceased. Place of burial – Body not Found. A graduate of Garfield High school, he served in the 2nd World War where his plane was shot down in Holland in 1943. He found his way back to England after being missing for several months. The pilot was a Seattle salesman from 1945 until 1951, when he was recalled to active duty. He was declared dead a year after he had been reported missing in Korea.
Sherf, Ernest A. - Pfc., USMC. 24 years of age. Died March 20, 1952 in an accident in San Diego, CA. Next of kin – Mrs. Mildred Sherf (mother), 3058 Portland St., Seattle, WA; Ernest Sherf (father), Seattle; James Sherf (brother) Seattle. Place of birth – Menomonie, WI. Place of burial – Washelli Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Pfc. Sherf came to Seattle in 1941. After graduation from Ballard High School in 1946, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served a year. Until he was recalled in Oct. 1950, he was employed as a flight attendant by West Coast Airlines, Inc. Pfc. Sherf went overseas in 1950 and returned a year later. He was wounded in action in May 1951. Three sisters also survive Pfc. Sherf.
Shoemaker, Harold W. - Maj., Army. Next of kin – Mrs. Helen E. Shoemaker (wife), 701 31st Ave. S., Seattle, WA.
Shuckhart, Earl Vernon - Cpl, Army artillery. Born July 3, 1926 in Wisconsin. Buried in Semner Died May 19, 1951 in action in Korea. Reported dead June 16, 1951. Next of kin: Mrs. Inga Shuckhart (mother), 112 A St. NW, Auburn, WA. Worked in Kent.
Simonds, Bruce - Lt. Commander, Navy pilot. 33 years of age. Reported dead Nov. 2, 1952 in plane crash in Korean waters after take off from carrier. Next of kin – Mrs. Jeanne Simonds (wife), San Diego; William A. Simonds (father), Honolulu; brothers – Vance, Austin and Chandler, Washington. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Memorial services in San Diego, CA. Commander Simonds was reared in Seattle. Graduated from the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He was wounded in the second World War when his ship was bombed and sunk. Other survivors are two aunts, Mrs. Sam Rorrison, Seattle, and Mrs. Charles Greene, Bothell.
Slosson, Howard L. - Pvt., Army. 24 years of age. Died March 20, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Ruby Slosson (mother), Rt. 2, Auburn, WA. Place of birth – Wenatchee, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pvt. Slosson had lived in Seattle from 1942 until he entered the Army on Sept. 15, 1950. Also surviving Pvt. Slosson are his sister Mrs. Sally Stewart, his brothers, Rolland C., Thomas D. and Chief Radio Tech. Floyd J. Slosson USA.
Smith, Doyle E. - Pfc., Army medical unit, 5th Cavalry. 18 years of age. Died Sept. 22, 1950 in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Wm. E. Baun (mother), 1206 Eastlake Ave., Seattle, Wa. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle.
Sparks, Harold - Sgt., Army. 25 years of age. Reported missing Nov. 2 and declared dead January 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Charles Blane (mother), Mrs. Blanche Jennings (grandmother), 2419 1st Ave. W., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Sgt. Sparks graduated from West Seattle High School in 1946 and went directly into the service. After a tour of duty in Germany he was discharged and reenlisted before the Korean incident. Three sisters also survive – Mrs. Lois Ahrens, 6527 5th Ave. NW, Mrs. Barbara Joslin, 707 Jefferson St., Seattle, and Miss Phyllis Blane.
Spellman, David B. - Capt. Air Corps, paratrooper, 187th Regt. Combat Team. 25 years of age. Died Feb. 4, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Bonnie Tressell Spellman (wife), Burlington, IA; Mr. And Mrs. S.B. Spellman, Hunts Point, Bellevue, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery. Rosary was said for Capt. Spellman at the Sacred Heart Church, Bellevue, Feb. 8. Two years of occupation duty in Japan with the 11th Airborne Division preceded Capt. Spellman’s service as a paratrooper in the Korean War. Seattle Preparatory School, West Point Military Academy.
Spiller, Elmo M. - Pfc., Army Infantry. Born March 1933. Reported missing Nov. 2, 1950 and declared dead January 1954 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Daisy Murray Spiller (mother), 15859 27th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Body Not Found. Pfc. Spiller’s mother refuses to believe he is dead. "I believe he just lost his way," she says. Pfc. Spiller had to have his mother’s consent when he left Lake Washington High School, Kirkland, WA to enlist in the Army. He was in Korea only a month when he was reported missing Nov. 2, 1950. His sisters, Mrs. Harold Peltonen and Mrs. Robert Nash, both live in Seattle.
Storaasli, Paul N. - Capt, USMC, 1st Marine Division. 31 years of age. Died Nov 29, 1950 of wounds received in the Korean War. Next of kin – Mrs. Janet Storaasli (wife), 3325 Lakewood Ave., Seattle, WA, home of her stepfather, H.E. Erickson. Attended University of Minnesota. Capt. Storaasli was the son of Col. Gynther Storaasli of Washington, DC. Capt. Storaasli saw action as a flyer in 1942 in the Pacific in the Second World War.
St. Clair, Benjamin F. - Cpl., Army. 32 years of age. Died Aug 3, 1951 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Mercy E. St. Clair (wife), 6536 6th Ave S., Seattle, WA. His son Michael (23 months) was killed three weeks after his father’s death. Place of birth – Georgia. Place of burial – Calvary Cemetery, Seattle. Corporal St. Clair was an Army veteran of World War II. He re-enlisted in 1948.
Strickler, Paul C. - Pfc., Army, rifleman, 27th Wolfhound Div. 20 years of age. Died Feb. 6, 1951 in action in Korea south of Seoul. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Paul Strickler, 12253 23rd Avenue S., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Washington Memorial Park, Highway 99, Seattle. Pfc. Strickler enlisted in the Army July 25, 1950 while he was working in Eugene, Oregon. Previously he had been at sea on grain ships in Korea and Japan. He was shipped to Korea from Camp Roberts, landing in Korea on Christmas Day. Attended Highline High School. Received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously.
Talkington, Glen J. - Pfc., Army tank battalion. 18 years of age. Died July 24, 1950 in action in Korea. Previously listed as missing. Next of kin – Mrs. Jean Hanson (mother), 4036 8th Ave., NE, Seattle, WA. Twin brother Gene and half sister Vickie. Place of birth – Clarksburg, WVA. The Talkington twins grew up in Seattle. They enlisted in the Army in 1948. Sent to Japan and then to Korea. Gene was wounded on July 23, 1950 and Glen was killed July 24, 1950, making him the first casualty in the Seattle area.
Tall, Donald W. - Pfc., Marine, 5th Marine Regiment. 22 years of age. Died June 13, 1951 in action in Korea along the Imjin River. Next of kin – Joseph E. Tall (father), 622 22nd Ave. N, Seattle, WA, and stepmother. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Attended Lincoln High School and Edison Technical School. Donald had been in the Marine Corps since he was 17 years. After three years of active service he applied for entrance into the School of Forestry at the University of Washington. On the day he was accepted as a student he received his call back into the Marines in Oct. 1950. His brother Joseph accompanied his body back home. Joseph had been wounded about the time Donald died.
Thomas, Kenneth W. - Pfc., Army, 2nd Infantry Division. 22 years of age. Died Aug. 16, 1950 in action in Korea. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Walter C. Thomas, 735 Yesler Way, Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Pfc. Thomas joined the Army in January 1949 in Spokane. Pfc. Thomas’ brother Donald is at Ft. Donaldson, Alaska, and his two sisters, Mrs. Darlene VanCourt and Beverly Thomas live in Seattle.
Thompson, Harry L. - Pvt., Army, Co. 6, 6219 Reception Center, Ft. Lewis. 20 years of age. Died Feb. 15, 1951 four days after induction into the Army of a cerebral hemorrhage. Next of kin – Mrs. Hattie L. Jeffries (mother), 2304 E. Cherry St., Seattle, WA.
Thuesen, George E. Jr. - Capt., Navy tanker. 41 years of age. Died Feb. 27, 1952 in San Francisco after being flown home from Sasebo, Japan, where he was taken ill. Next of kin – Mrs. Isabelle Marie Coogan Thuesen (wife), formerly of Seattle, now of Walnut Creek and children Jeanine (7) and son Thomas (5). Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – in Seattle from Forkner’s. Capt. Thuesen graduated from Lincoln High. He first went to sea in 1928. During World War II he served in the South Pacific on Navy tankers. He had been a seafarer for 24 years. He made his home in Seattle until 1948 when he moved to Walnut Creek. Also surviving are his parents, Mr. And Mrs. George E. Thuesen, 302 E. 44th St., Seattle. Rothers Wilfred and Louis of Seattle.
Titus, Donald G. - Pfc., Marines, G-3-5. Born August 17, 1929. Died June 1, 1951 in action in Korea near the 38th parallel. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. George F. Titus, 406 W. 45th St., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Pacific Lutheran Cemetery, Seattle. Attended Ballard High School and Everett Junior College. He was a member of the Marine Reserve, recalled to active duty last October 1950. His sisters – Mrs. Vernon Williams and Mrs. David Thompson live in Seattle.
Thornton, Brian B. - Pfc., Marines. 20 years of age. Died Aug 26, 1952 in action in Korea at Bunker Hill. Next of kin – Mrs. Sybil I. Thornton (mother), formerly of 105 14th Ave N., Seattle, now of Tacoma. Father – George J. in Tacoma. Pvt. Thornton was attending St. Martin’s Lacey when he joined the Marine Corps a year and a half ago. Brother George J. Jr. lives in Seattle.
Tuck, Marvin A. - Warrant Officer, Army, 66th Field Artillery, Ft. Lewis. 28 years of age. Died May 5 or 6, 1951 near Yakima, WA in a plane crash accident. Next of kin – Mrs. Maxine Tuck (wife), Ft. Lewis, formerly of 367 W. 48th St., Seattle. Place of birth – Little Rock, Arkansas. Warrant Officer Tuck, an automobile mechanic in civilian life, won the Silver Star for gallantry in action in the second World War. He was a former Seattle area National Guardsman, recalled to active duty Sept. 11, 1950. He was a private pilot and was killed shortly after taking off from Yakima. Lt. David Anderson was killed with him. He is buried at Washelli Cemetery, Seattle. Mrs. Tuck lives with her parents Mr. And Mrs. Frank Shallow now at 367 W. 48th St., Seattle. Mr. Tuck’s sister – Mrs. M.C. Radenbaugh, 302 SW 98th Pl., Seattle. Ellen and Nancy – Marvin Tuck’s children.
Tuttle, Allen H. - Sgt., Army, Battery C of the 2nd Infantry Division’s 38th Field Artillery Battalion. Died Nov. 30, 1950 in a prisoner of war camp in Korea. Report submitted March 11, 1954. Next of kin – Mrs. Rose H. Tuttle (mother), 1640 105th Avenue SE, Seattle. Sgt. Tuttle is listed as from Bellevue, WA.
Van Harn, Henry William - Pvt., Army. 20 years of age. Died Oct. 20, 1950 while prisoner of war. Next of kin – relatives in Holland. Friend – Mrs. Steve Bushy, 309 3rd Ave. N., Seattle, WA. Pvt. Van Harn returned to the land of his birth on a Dutch Merchant Ship which he left and lived in Seattle with friends until he joined the U.S. Army. He was sent to Okinawa and then to Korea. Taken prisoner in Sept. and died in Oct. Pvt. Van Harn lived with the Bushys while in Seattle.
Waldon, Allen D. - Cpl, Air force, Travis Air force Base. 20 years of age. Died April 30, 1951 at Travis Air Force Base, California. Next of kin – Mrs. Virginia Eaton (mother), Clinton, WA, formerly of Seattle. Joyce & Beverly (sisters), Seattle. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle.
Warner, Marvin L. - Pvt., Army. Death reported April 22, 1951. Died of wounds in the Korean War. Next of kin – Mrs. Ellene Warner (mother), Kirkland, WA.
West, Stanley Ray - Sgt., Marine Corps. 29 years of age. Died July 17, 1953 in action in Korea 9 days before the truce was signed. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Clarence O. West (parents), 1653 N. 145th St., Seattle, WA. 11 brothers and sisters. 5 boys served their country in military or merchant marine. Place of burial – Veterans Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Marine Sgt. West served in the Navy in World War II. He was recalled to duty in Dec. 1950. He transferred to the Marine Corps and asked for combat duty. He was killed on a night patrol which was ambushed. A brother Robert, who lost a leg Aug. 1952, came from Letterman Hospital to attend the funeral.
Whitaker, Lowell - Ens., Navy. 24 years of age. Died Nov. 19, 1953, Mediterranean Sea, while attempting a landing of a Navy plane on an aircraft carrier. Next of kin – Mrs. G. Ben Buford (mother), 19 W. Thomas St., Seattle. Mrs. Harold Nelson (sister), 2816 11th Ave. W., Seattle, WA. Place of birth – Yakima, WA. Place of burial – Body not Found. He attended San Jose State college, California, and later enrolled at the University of Washington. After he was graduated in 1951, Whitaker worked for the Seattle King County Health Dept., then joined the Navy. He was commissioned after flight training at Pensacola, FL.
White, Cecil W. - 2nd Lt., Army. 32 years of age. Died Oct. 22, 1951 in action in Korea during heavy fighting. Next of kin – Mrs. Linda White (wife), 1504 Taylor Ave., and sons Lewis, Robert and Allan. Place of birth – Modesto, CA. Place of burial – Fort Lawton, Seattle Military Funeral Services. Lt. White had been in the Army 14 years. He served in the South Pacific during World War II. He had been in Korea since Sept. 7. He had lived in Seattle for 10 years. Three brothers live in Modesto, CA, one in the Army and a sister in Modesto.
Wilcox, John B. - S/Sgt. Air Force. 23 (?) years of age. Died June 18, 1953 at Honshu, Japan, when an Air Force C-124 Globemaster crashed. There were 129 casualties. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. M.J. Wilcox, Fairbanks, Alaska, formerly of West Seattle. Place of burial – Possibly in Seattle. Sgt. Wilcox had lived in West Seattle nearly all his life. He attended Lafayette Elementary School and James Madison Junior High. Graduated from West Seattle High in 1949. He married a Sacramento girl just before he left for overseas last January 11th. His parents came from Alaska to make arrangements for the funeral.
Winkler, Harlan R. - 1st Lt., Army, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division. 28 years of age. Died May 10, 1952 in action in Korea, Heartbreak Ridge. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Arthur W. Winkler, 4721 38th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA. Brother – A.W. Winkler, Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Washelli, Seattle. Lt. Winkler graduated from Lincoln High School. Army service in the Second World War interrupted his studies at the University of Washington. As an officer with the 79th Division in Europe, Winkler was cited for his leadership in action. After returning to this country he continued his studies at the University, but before his graduation he made the decision to return to active service and was flown to Korea last January.
Wise, Gordon L. - Pfc. Army, 2nd Infantry Division. 19 years of age. Died Nov. 1950 of wounds in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. George Parker (mother), Clara. 6034 Cycle Lane, Seattle, WA. Enlisted in September 1948. 1 5 months in Okinawa.
Wood, Harold Harry - Pfc., Army. 19 years of age. Died Sept. 1950. Next of kin – Mr. John W. Wood (father), Rt. 4, Box 105, Renton, WA. Attended Renton High School. Had lived in Renton for ten years. Enlisted after graduation and left Ft. Lawton in July for further training. Had only been in Korea for a few weeks.
Woodcock, Rodney A. - Airman 3rd Class, Air Force. Born February 24, 1931. Died Feb. 24, 1953 in an accident at Spokane’s Fairchild Air Force Air Base. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Henry A. woodcock, 1234 E. 90th St., Seattle, WA. A/3C Woodcock was returning to his base at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, when the accident occurred. He had been home in Seattle Celebrating his birthday. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended the University of Washington for two years. Other survivors are his two brothers, Wesley and Gary.
Woodruff, Delbert D. - Pvt., Army Infantry, Co. F, 15th Inf. Regt., 3rd Division. 21 years of age. Died April 25, 1953 in action in Korea one month after he went into battle. Next of kin – Mrs. Betty Woodruff (wife), 3207 Belvidere Ave., Seattle, WA. Parents – Mr. And Mrs. Charles Woodruff. Place of birth – El Centro, CA. Pvt. Woodruff came to Seattle in 1945. He joined the Army Sept. 10, 1952, trained at Camp Roberts, California. Went overseas March 10th, his 21st birthday and went overseas to Korea 25 days later. Other survivors include a sister Vivian and two brothers, Glynne and Charles. Pvt. Woodruff graduated from Highline High School. Address – 242 S.W. 146th, Seattle.
Woodworth, Richard P. - Ens., Navy communications. 28 years of age. Died April 7, 1952 in an accident in Fairbury, IL while on his way to the Naval Intelligence School in Washington, DC. Next of kin – Mr. And Mrs. Harold E. Woodworth, 844 W. 58th St., Seattle. Brother – Howard W. Woodworth, Seattle. Place of birth – Omaha, NE. Place of burial – Acacia Memorial Park, Seattle, WA. Ens. Woodworth had been in the Navy for nine years. He was a veteran of World War II and after his discharge in 1946 came to Seattle. He attended Seattle University and graduated from the University of Washington in 1950. He was recalled to active duty shortly after the Korean outbreak and was assigned as a communications technician on Guam. He was commissioned in 1950.
Woolery, Clyde L. Jr. - Cpl., USMC, 11th Marine Regiment. 18 years of age. Died Sept. 28, 1950 in action in Korea after the landing at Inchon. Next of kin – Mrs. Ruth Woolery (wife), Lynnea (daughter), 1820 SW 100th St.; Mrs. Lucille Grichuhin (mother), 6211 11th Ave. NW, Seattle. Place of birth – Seattle, WA. Place of burial – Forest Lawn Cemetery, Seattle, WA. Cpl. Woolery was a former Ballard High student. He was called to active duty august 1950. Other schools attended – James Munro, Alexander Hamilton and Lake Burien. Cpl. Woolery had a paper route around Lake Burien for years. His father is deceased.
Wynalda, Martin - Cpl, Army, 7th Armored Division. 21 years of age. Died July 22, 1953 in action in Korea by enemy mortar fire while defending an advanced position on Christmas Hill. Next of kin – Mrs. David Wynalda (mother), Enumclaw, WA (3 miles SW); Father of Martin died July 8th from overwork. Place of birth – Enumclaw, WA. Place of burial – Enumclaw, WA, Evergreen Cemetery. Cpl. Martin died four days before the signing of the armistice. He had been in the service one year and saw almost constant service. He graduated from Enumclaw High School and had been employed at the White River Branch of the Weyerhaeuser Lubmer Co. besides working the small dairy farm of his parents.
Zeumault, Robert L. - Pfc., Army Infantry. 22 years of age. Died June 26, 1953 in combat in Korea. Next of kin – Mrs. Leona C. Zemault (wife), 2211 East Oliver St., Seattle, WA; Mr. And Mrs. R.L. Zemault (parents), 2446 E. Valley St., Seattle. Place of birth – Austin, TX. Place of burial – Seattle, WA. Pfc. Zemault had lived in Seattle 14 years. He graduated from Garfield High School. Had been employed as a civilian electronics technician at Sand Point Air Station. He went into service in Oct. 1952 and went overseas last April. Other survivors are his sister, Miss Lavonia Zemault, and a brother, Airman 3/C of the Air Force.
Good News - Mrs. H.A. Thompson, 404 S.W. 139th St., happily reads letter written by her son, Pfc. Hjalmer (Junior) Thompson, 18, from a North Korean prisoner of war camp. With her [in newspaper photo] are two other sons, Jack, 6, and Joseph, 4. Mrs. Thompson long ago gave soldier son up for lost. - Post Intelligencer
"Junior isn't dead! We just got a letter from him!" These excited words over the telephone brought back to life -- for a Seattle mother -- a son she long ago had given up as killed in action in Korea. The caller was a younger son. The mother, Mrs. H.A. Thompson of 404 S.W. 139th St., was helping her husband, a disabled World War I veteran, at the gas station where he is employed, at 15801 S. Pacific Highway. Their eldest of seven children, Pfc. Hjalmer (Junior) Thompson, 18, had been missing in action since December 3. In January, the young Army Infantryman was reported killed in action.
For months the Thompsons have been getting back all the letters and packages (even Christmas presents) they had sent Junior. Every week, when more mail came back, the parents' despair mounted. Jerry, 16, one of their sons, rushed to the phone after the mailman delivered a letter which had come from a "Chinese Hospital, North Korea." "Junior's a prisoner of war!" Jerry told his mother. "He's all right!" Mrs. Thompson said Tuesday, "I couldn't answer Jerry right away. I was stunned I went home right away." Her husband said, "We know the letter is from Junior. It's in his handwriting and he said things in it that only Junior would ay. He asked about his dog, Pepper." Mrs. Thompson pointed to the initials, "S.W.A.M.L.K's" on the outside of the letter and explained, "That means, 'Sealed with a million loves and kisses."
BECKLEY, W. Va., June 21, 1951 (AP) - A military funeral will be held here Sunday for 19-year-old Pvt. Kenneth Shadrick, the first American infantryman to die fighting for the United Nations in Korea. The Private was cut down by a burst of machine-gun fire from a North Korean tank near Sojong last July 5 - just ten days after the Reds invaded South Korea.
TOKYO, July 11 (AP) - A valley described as "one of the most beautiful in Korea" has been dedicated to Corp. Joseph Mauser of Youngstown, Ohio, who died there. The valley, "somewhere north of the 38th Parallel" has been named Mauser Valley. Members of his company, in the United States 1st Cavalry Division, recently unveiled a stone memorial in his honor. Lt. Duel F. Bunch, company executive officer, said of Mauser: "He died, not dong an outstanding or heroic job, but just doing his job. I only hope that if I am next, I die as bravely as he did."
Mrs. Ethyle Thompson, 1917 Eastlake Ave., never could have imagined that word that her son, Pfc. Robert M. Thompson, had been wounded in Korea, could bring joy to her heart. But such was the case today, for the mother has learned her son will be home soon for the first time in two and a half years and is not wounded seriously. Furthermore, because of a brief shopping tour, the tidings came first from Mrs. Fulton's son instead of the Defense Department. "While I was downtown, a messenger left a message that he had tried to deliver a telegram," Mrs. Thompson explained. "Just before I got home the postman delivered a letter from my boy. He wrote how he had been wounded and that he would be home soon. I had just finished reading it when the telegraph company messenger returned with the official notice." Thompson, 20 has three brothers, Jean and John, both of Seattle and Second World War veterans, and LeRoy, Eugene, Oregon.
Pvt. Kenneth A. Hogan of Seattle, listed as missing in action in the Defense Department casualty list of the Korean War made public Friday, was only 17. Kenneth observed his 17th birthday June 1. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Hogan of 15235 20th Ave. S.W. He last saw them in April, while home on furlough.
Born in Seattle, Kenneth went through the grades at Lake Burien School. He left Highline High School in his sophomore year to enlist in the army in October of 1949. He was stationed on Okinawa before being sent to the Korean War front. His family last heard from him in July, when he was on his way. He was a rifleman in an infantry company. Besides his parents, Kenneth has a sister, Mrs. Irene Lackey of Alderwood Manor, and two brothers, Robert, 18, at the family home at Seahurst, and James L. Hogan, 22, in Seattle. "Kenneth loved the army," Mrs. Lackey said. "He wanted to make it his career."
December 6, 1951
Mrs. Fulton
Dear Madam,
Regarding my request about my son's name on the plaque at the Public Safety Building. Name, Clarence E. Jacobs F 1/C U.S.N. Clarence Edwin Jacobs, full name. Serial Number 3869642. Volunteered Feb. 4, 1944, age 17. Killed in motorcycle accident (while returning to his ship at San Diego). Killed at Montrose, California, June 4, 1946. He had served on S.S. Duncan, from which he had been on a 30 day leave at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Jacobs, 10426-B East Marginal Way, Seattle. He was born at Port Angeles, Washington, attended school at Tacoma, Sumner, Auburn, Thomas, and Cleveland High in Seattle, from which he quit to go in A.T.S. in Fall of 1942, quitting there about Christmas time.
In the fall of 1943, he worked at Boeings for a while, where he joined the A.F.L. union 751. I think he also joined the American Legion while in the service. He served first on the S.S. Kimberly, then was transferred to the S.S. Gerke, and finally the S.S. Duncan. He had been over to Okinawa and Japan in 1945, and had been to Japan in 1946 before being sent home on leave.
I think that covers everything you wanted. His body was returned to Seattle, where he was buried in the Navy Grave Yard at Washelli, on June 15, 1946. Thank you, and if you should wish to contact me concerning this matter at any time, my phone number is EL 4240 (in my son's name) Lewis J. Jacobs. I am his mother, now widowed.
Mrs. Clara Jacobs
41 Independent Commando Royal Marines -
(Royal Marines & Royal Navy Personnel KIA, DOW, Died in Captivity)
1st Cavalry, 7th Cavalry Regiment Casualties 1950-1953
On August 18, 1952, there was a flash flood in the river near Inje. According to a feature story written by Kelly Sullivan in the Chariho Times (Rhode Island), July 27, 2017, forty-one men from E Company, 279th Infantry, 45th Division, were returning to battalion headquarters from field training exercises. Earlier that week there had been a typhoon and heavy rains. The men were crossing a sandbar waist-deep in a river near Inje when a flash flood from a nearby mountain sent a rush of water down the river. The water level increased to nine feet, and then a nine-foot rush of water crashed over the men in the river. There were eight men and ammunition in a truck following the men on foot. That truck overturned and the men were washed downstream. Stg. Monte Daily of Sargent, Nebraska, shouted to try to warn them, but it was too late. The water came rushing upon them and 31 men died. The platoon leader tried to rescue his men, but he also drowned. The river was later dragged and some, but not all, bodies were recovered. Those not found were presumed dead in December of 1953. There were 31 fatalities.
Becton, Cpl. Arthur Edward - Corporal Becton was born January 23, 1930 in Missouri, son of Arthur L. Becton and Minnie Becton. He is buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Beggs, Pvt. Gerald Lester - Private Beggs was born December 08, 1929 in Missouri, the son of Finus E. Beggs (1910-1996) and Dorothy E. Adkins Beggs (1908-1976). His siblings were Carol Sue Beggs Sneed and June Ann Beggs Haynes Hart (`926-2013). His marker is in New Morley Cemetery, Morley, Scott County, Missouri.
Bellavigna, Pvt. Alfred M. - Private Bellavigna was born in New York, a son of Alfredo Bellavigna (died 1951) and Antoinette Bellavigna. His siblings were Mrs. John Iacona, Mrs. Thomas Esposito, Mrs. John Lenzo, Mrs. John Fortino, Antoinette Bellavigna, Dominick Bellavigna, Joseph Bellavigna, and Edwin Bellavigna. There is a marker for him in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
Bolognani, Richard - Born January 29, 1930 in Bennington, Vermont, Richard was a son of Alfonso F. Bolognani (1894-1963) and Carmela E. Cristofolini Bolognani (1903-1976). His siblings were Mario Alfonso Bolognani (1928-1934) and one other sibling. There is a marker for him in Readsboro Village Cemetery, Readsboro, Vermont.
Brandt, Cpl. Walter John - Corporal Brandt is buried in Irving Park Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.
Brooks, Cpl. James Edward - Born September 25, 1928, Corporal Brooks was from Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on June 22, 1952 and returned to duty on June 25, 1952. There is a memorial to him in Highland Park Cemetery, Highland Hills, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Cressey, Pvt. Allen Ray - Private Cressey was born March 17, 1932, a son of James Russell Cressey Sr. (1906-1971) and Olga H. Kelley Cressey (died 2004). Allen's siblings were Mrs. Daniel (Virginia Carol Cressey) Podolny and James Russell Cressey Jr. (1951-2013). There is a marker for him in Maple Shade Cemetery, Independence, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Fletcher, 2Lt. Clyde W. - Lieutenant Fletcher was born September 24, 1929. There is a marker for him in Phipps Memorial Cemetery, Clintwood, Dickenson County, Virginia.
Goss, Cpl. Theodore Lawrence - Corporal Goss was born May 26, 1929, a son of Tate and Serena Goss. His siblings were Rubye L. Goss, Charles A. Goss, Virginia Goss Hughes, and Katie M. Goss (died 2009). There is a marker for him in South View Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia.
Graf, Pvt. Alton Elmer - Private Graf was born October 12, 1930, in Napoleon, Logan County, North Dakota, a son of Samuel Graf (1900-1975) and Emma Himerich Graff (1900-1975). His siblings were Gladys Graf Schneider (1927-2019), Violet Graf Henderson, Arthur Grafand Edwin Graf. His body was not recovered. There is a marker in his memory in Kintyre Cemetery, Kintyre, North Dakota.
Jansma, Pvt. Henry "Hank" - Private Jansma was born November 28, 1928 in Osceola County, Iowa, a son of Frank Jansma (1892-1965) and Dena Kolkman Jansma (1894-1981). He was employed in Worthington, Iowa before he was inducted into the Army on February 8. He had been in Korea only 17 days before he drowned. His wife was Winifred Feenstra Jansma (1930-2006). Winifred later married William Smit and she and William had six children. His siblings were Mrs. Dick (Nellie Jansma) Zylstra (1916-2004), Frederick "Fred" Jansma (1918-2000), Mrs. Arnold (Henrietta Jansma) Bosma (1922-2001), Mrs. Curt (Dorothy Jansma) Meyerhoff, Raymond "Bud" Jansma, Dean Jansma, Mrs. Ed (Gertrude Jansma) Bonnes, Mrs. Clarence (Frances Jansma) Bosma (1925-1999) and an infant brother Donald Jansma. There is a marker for him in Holman Cemetery, Sibley, Osceola County, Iowa.
Kesler, Sgt. Lester Milton - Sergeant Kesler was born May 21, 1929, son of Clarence L. Kesler (1896-1960) and Velma "Mac" Scott Kesler (1905-1986). There is a marker for him in Pratts Cemetery, Baldwyn, Lee County, Mississippi.
Krey, Pvt. Henry Albert - Private Krey was born December 31, 1928. His next of kin was Elizabeth Krey of the Bronx. Korean War casualty records also list Harry Richard Krey, a field wireman with the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Henry died in the flood on August 18, 1952. Harry died in the Chipyong-ni area on January 29, 1951. They are both buried in Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York.
Litwinowicz, Pfc. Edmund John - Private First Class Litwinowicz was born on April 25, 1930 in Michigan, a son of Sylvester Litwinowicz Sr. (1890-1976) and Helen Litwinowicz (1897-1968). According to Findagrave, his siblings were Sylvester Litwinowicz Jr., Lusia "Lucy" Litwinowicz, and Raymond Litwinowicz. There is a marker for him in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.
Martin, Pvt. Sylvester Hayden - Private Martin was born August 11, 1927. There is a marker for him in Saint Stephens Cemetery, Delisle, Mississippi.
Morisako, Pfc. James Mitsuru - Private First Class Morisako was born November 09, 1931 and was from Honolulu, Hawaii. His sibling was Fred Seiji Morisako Sr. (1928-1995). There is a monument for him in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Parkman, Cpl. Henry Daniel - Corporal Parkman was born April 04, 1928, the son of Edgar Herbert Parkman (1888-1981) and Lula May Ouzts Parkman (1895-1956). His siblings were Toodie Katherine Parkman Kemp (1923-2019), Mrs. Jack Bernard (Carrie Sue Parkman) Jones (1926-2009), and twin sisters Lula May Parkman (1934-2019) and Fay Parkman. There is a marker for him in the Good Hope Baptist Church Cemetery, Big Creek, Saluda County, South Carolina.
Payne, Cpl. Sterling Jr. - Corporal Payne was born September 03, 1930, son of Sterling Payne Sr. and Virginia Louise Williams Payne (died 1995). There is a marker for him in Crown Hill National Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Pennington, Pvt. Doyle Douglas Jr. - Private Pennington was born April 18, 1933. There is a marker for him in Parsons Cemetery, Parsons, West Virginia.
Perez, Pvt. Jose Santos - Private Perez was born on February 4, 1934 and was from Agana, Guam. His name is listed on the National Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Pharr, Pvt. Bobby Jack - Private Pharr was born January 03, 1931 in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, a son of Thomas Cleveland Pharr (1888-1965) and Mary E. Sparks Pharr (1895-1983). His siblings were James Tulon Pharr (1913-1973), Dalton Jack Pharr, Paul T. Pharr, Thomas C. Pharr, Grace Pharr Goodenough, Vivian Melinda Pharr Hacher (1915-2007), Mary Glattee Pharr Silva (1924-1973), Bettie Pharr Yarbrough, Maxine Pharr (1922-1922) and Dexter Paul Pharr (1934-1935). Bobby Jack was a 1949 graduate of Tech High School in Memphis, Tennessee. He worked for Blair of Virginia Warehouse and Distributing, a cosmetics firm, and the Hunter Fan and Ventilating Company. He was inducted into the Army in October 1951. He went overseas in July 1952. A member of the Methodist Church, Bobby was married to Etoyle Smith Pharr. There is a memorial to him in Belmont City Cemetery, Belmont, Mississippi.
Pierce, Pvt. Joseph Paul - Private Pierce was born May 30, 1922, a son of Leo Pierce (1904-1957) and Alma G. Pierce (1912-1990). His siblings were Walter L. Pierce (1931-2008), who was also a Korean War veteran, Charles and Anthony Pierce, and sisters Wanda Pierce Higdon, Beatrice Pierce Carnes, Rosella Pierce Saltsman, Vinetta Pierce Cantrell, Johanna Pierce Roberts, Lorena Pierce Meredoth, and one other sister. There is a marker for him in Saint Anthony Cemetery, Peonia, Kentucky.
Porter, Pfc. Percy Bernard Jr. - Private First Class Porter was born on February 26, 1931, son of Percy Bernard Porter Sr. His sister, Gladys Harris, said that her brother was highly educated and wanted to be a doctor. There is a marker for him in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Shettler, Pvt. Richard Jesse "Dick" - Private Shettler was born March 19, 1933, a son of Leo R. Shettler (1910-1980) and Oma A. Jordan Shettler (1915-1994). He attended Knox (Pennsylvania) High School and then enlisted in the Army on January 18, 1951. He received basic training at Camp Polk, Louisiana and was sent overseas in June of 1951. That December he was sent to Korea. He was in combat for eight months, serving as a squad leader in a 60-millimeter unit. He was due to rotate home in just one week. His body recovered His siblings were Robert (a corporal serving in Germany at the time of Dick's death), James, Joyce, Theodore, Patricia Shettler Organsky, Dorothy, Virginia, and Barbara. Dick's body was recovered from the river and he was buried in Knox Union Cemetery, Knox. Pennsylvania.
Smith, Pvt. Henry Ed - Private Smith was born December 19, 1931, a son of Robert Alexander Smith Jr. (1882-1965) and Clara Louise Melton Smith (1895-1956). His siblings were Robert A. Smith, Louise Smith Dickson (1922-1998), and Doris Smith. There is a marker for him in Magnolia Cemetery, Greenville, Alabama. He was from Pine Apple, Alabama
Souders, Pvt. Gordon Dean - Private Souders was born November 28, 1930 in Missouri, a son of Henry Jacob Souders (1879-1960) and Edna Vernon Gruner Souders (1889-1982). His siblings were Herbert Cecil (1910-1961), Floyd M. (1913-2004), Dorothy Catherine Souders Gleize (1918-1994), Maurice Leonard (1919-1985), William Frank (1922-2018), Arlie Opal (1925-1925), Betty Lou Souders Musgrave (1927-2015), and Shirley Souders Christopher. There is a marker for him in Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield, Stoddard County, Missouri.
Spice, Pvt. Paul Floyd - Private Spice was born October l;12, 1930, a son of Sidney Spice (1890-1961) and Hester Grace Ulerey Spice (1897-1950). His siblings were Clyde Garrett "Sid" Spice (1922-2005) and Donnelly "Don" Dean Spice (1925-2018). He is buried in the Akron, Indiana IOOF Cemetery.
Stoppiello, Pvt. John - Private Stoppiello was born in 1931, a son of Arthur Stoppiello (1897-1973) and Antoinette Stoppiello (1900-1986). His siblings were Catherine (1926-2005) and Louis J. (1923-1992). There is a marker for him in Saint John Cemetery, Middle Village, Queens County, New York.
Strickland, Pvt. Royce Urah - Private Stickland was born January 25, 1930, a son of Benjamin Wilson Strickland (1885-1951) and Lula Strong Strickland (1891-1966). His half siblings were Mrs. Oliver Wendell (Eva Pauline Strickland) Perkins (1914-2007), Mrs. Loyd Markus (Geneva Louiza Strickland) Allen (1916-1984). His other siblings were: Lois S. Strickland Johnson (1920-2001), Mrs. Herman (Mary Strickland) Leigeber (1921-2002), Bennie Mae Strickland (1923-2004), Mrs. Bernard Joseph (Lavada Strickland) Heslin (1924-1989), Buddy Wilson Strickland, and Norma Strickland Chandler. There is a monument to him in Enon Baptist Church Cemetery, Enon, Alabama.
Tefft, Pvt. Frederick - Private Tefft was the son of Lester Charles Tefft and Ethel May Lewis Tefft. He attended Richmond Grammar School, Hope Valley (Rhode Island) Junior High School and Westerly High School. He was a mechanic at Main's Auto Service in Hope Valley and a member of the Hope Valley Fire Department and the Grange. He enlisted in the Army on January 19, 1951, completing basic training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, and combat training in Japan. In December 1951 he arrived in Korea and spent seven months on the front line. He was scheduled for rotation home at the time of the drowning. His body was recovered from the river and he is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.
Valenzuela, Pvt. Edward Salcido - Private Valenzuela was born August 14, 1931. There is a marker for Edward in Evergreen Cemetery, Bisbee, Arizona.
Globemaster Crash Casualties (Larson AFB) -
(Names of all of the deceased and wounded casualties of the December 1952 Globemaster crash at Larson AFB, Moses Lake, Washington.)
Globemaster Crash Casualties (Tachikawa JP)
(Names of all 129 deceased casualties of the June 1953 Globemaster crash near Tachikawa Air Base in Japan.) (COMING SOON)
Akers, James F. - September 12, 1930 - December 2, 1950. From Roanoke. Was registered to attend Virginia Tech when his Marine Reserve unit was called up. Killed in the withdrawal from Chosin Reservoir. Sat down behind a rock to eat lunch, when he was shot by a sniper. Survived by his parents, Peter and Lillian Akers, and brother, Peter Jr. Body never recovered. Memorialized in the Court of the Missing at the Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his brother, Peter L. Akers Jr., of Florence, Ala., and his cousin Mary A. Crotts of Troutville]
Brown, Ralph G. Jr. - September 6, 1922 - March 3, 1953. From Roanoke County. Worked as an aeronautical engineer before the war. Served in the Air Force in World War II and Korea. Killed in Korea while transporting wounded to a hospital. Survived by his wife, Jean; sons, R.G. and Rick; sister, Jean; brothers, Charles and David; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Morgan. Buried in Fair View Cemetery. Says his sister, Jean Talley: "Ralph Jr. always went to the Roanoke airport since he was 12 years old - observed, helped. Went to air races in Kansas. Always interested in planes." [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister, Jean Talley of Hillsville.]
Craighead, Ruphus P. - December 4, 1930 - December 1, 1950. From Bent Mountain. Worked on a farm before the war. Served in the Army. Survived by his parents, Edward and Minnie Craighead, brothers, Clifton, Randolph, Roy, Joseph, Preston, Fred and Thomas; sisters, Mary Frances and Evelyn. Body never returned. His sister Evelyn C. Ragland says the family often wonders what became of his body. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister Evelyn C. Ragland of Roanoke.]
Crowder, Paul E. - September 4, 1929 - June 20, 1951. From Roanoke. Worked for a cold storage plant before the war. Served in the Army. Drowned in the Han River in Korea. Survived by his parents, Charles and Bertha Crowder; sisters, Katherine Johnson and Shirley Little; brother, Lawrence. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his niece Doris Johnson of Rocky Mount]
Custer, Vernon Cecil - May 17, 1929 - September 26, 1950. From Roanoke. Went by his middle name, Cecil. Served in the Army. Reported missing in action in Korea two months before he was reported killed, Sept. 26, 1950. Stationed with the occupation forces in Japan for 18 months before being sent to Korea with the first unit to enter the Korean War. He was the second Roanoke Valley man reported missing in action in Korea. Survived by his father, Chafe Custer, and sisters, Norene Angell and Frances Angell. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister Norene C. Angell of Boones Mill.]
Dent, Daniel W. - August 13, 1931 - November 6, 1950. From Roanoke. A student before the war. Served in the Army and was killed in action. Survived by his parents, Eula and Terrill Dent, and sister, Joyce Dent Wilson. Buried at Evergreen Burial Park. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister, Joyce D. Wilson of Roanoke.]
Dille, John A. Jr. - November 2, 1926 - April 13, 1952. From Roanoke. Attended Virginia Military Institute before joining the Air Force. Later graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Married his high school sweetheart in the cadet chapel on graduation day. Served in World War II and Korea. Killed on Easter Sunday, when his aircraft crashed. Survived by his wife, Barbara; son, John III; parents, John and Marian Kirk Dille; sister, Jane D. Klise; brother, James. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his widow, Barbara Minter Barnes of Arlington]
Duncan, Raymond E. - July 9, 1930 - June 16, 1951. From Roanoke. A dispatcher for the Virginia State Police in Norfolk before the war. Nicknamed "Buddy." Loved football, oatmeal cookies and classical music. Served in the Marines. Killed by machine gun fire while on an advance patrol behind enemy lines near Yang-Gu. Survived by his parents, Clifton and Sally Duncan; sisters, Mary, Patricia and Carol; brother, Richard. Buried in Happy Valley Memorial Gardens in Johnson City, Tennessee. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his mother, Sally C. Jones of Pinellas Park, Florida.]
Edwards, Elzia M. - 1932 - 1951 From Roanoke. Was driving a tank in the hills around Heartbreak Ridge and volunteered to get out of the tank and remove something that needed to be moved, and was killed by enemy fire. His brother says he was "big, strong and brave." Survived by his parents, Charles and Ida Edwards; brothers, Charles, Elden and Leon; and sisters, Mae, Ruby and Rita. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his brother, Charles R. Edwards of Roanoke]
Lowe, James A. Jr. - January 7, 1921 - September 13, 1952. From Roanoke. Worked part time for his uncle's plumbing and heating company and attended Virginia Tech before the war. When World War II broke out in 1941, Lowe joined the Army Air Forces to become a pilot. Served in World War II, the Berlin Airlift and Korea. He had just returned from a bombing mission over North Korea when, because of an emergency, he was sent back out in a B-29 to bomb a hydroelectric plant on the Yalu River near the Chinese border. Says his daughter Susan Lowe Hall of Roanoke, "the last known position of this plane was after bombs-away. The plane was flying over the target when it was caught in a battery of searchlights and hit by enemy flak." The plane spiraled down and exploded. There were conflicting accounts about how many parachutes were seen. One crewman was captured; the rest were classified missing in action. Survived by his wife, Frances Cronk Lowe; daughters, Susan and Anne; mother, Allena; brothers, David and Alton; sister, Frances L. Fleshman; grandmother, Clemmie Lankford. His daughter adds: "Jim was an accomplished pianist, played the accordion and loved to read. Among his hobbies were building model planes and flying them." [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his daughter Susan L. Hall.]
Martin, Paul E. - July 8, 1928 - November 28, 1950. From Roanoke. Played football and wrestled at Jefferson High School; also was active in the Boy Scouts. Worked in the engineering department of the Norfolk and Western Railway before the war. Served in the Marines. Survived by his wife, Frieda Martin; son, Wayne Martin; parents, Mark and Della Martin; brother, John Martin; sisters, Margaret Sours, Corinna English and Joan Helm. Buried at Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his widow, Frieda M. Toler, and sister, Corinna English, both of Roanoke.]
Rule, Lawrence G. - March 4, 1923 - 1954. From Roanoke. An auto mechanic before the war. Served in the Army. Reported missing in action in 1950; declared dead in 1954. Survived by his wife, Mary Louise; son, Lawrence Jr.; daughter, Jerri ; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry G. Rule. Buried at Arlington National Cemetery. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his son, L.G. Redden of Roanoke.]
Underwood, Guy L. Jr.. April 30, 1930 - September 1, 1950. From Salem. Nicknamed "Sonny." Enlisted in the Army at age 17. Survived by his parents, Guy and Louise Underwood; sisters, Helen Graham, Margaret Martin, Betty Myers and Patty Ross; brothers, James and Bobby. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park. Says his sister Margaret: "He was proud to be in the Army; his death left his father with a nervous breakdown and his mother with a broken heart." [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister Margaret Goad of Roanoke]
Ware, Cecil O. - March 1, 1919 - February 7, 1951. From Roanoke. Worked for the electric company in Roanoke, then joined the Air Force, intending to make it a career. Killed in Japan while on a mission to the Korean battle front. Survived by his wife, Dorris; daughters, Barbara and Marsha; sisters, Helen Slusher and Evelyn Martin; mother, Minnie Ware. Buried at Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke. Says his daughter: "Being a pilot was his lifelong dream. He served in World War II and didn't see his first child until she was more than a year old. [Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website bSubmitted by his daughter Barbara W. Holmes of Collingswood, New Jersey.]
Witt, Wallace D. - September 21, 1930 - September 2, 1950. From Roanoke. Worked for Clover Creamery before the war. Served in the Army. Killed by a sniper, reportedly while eating his C-rations. Survived by his father, Archie Witt; his mother, Ruby Bernard; stepfather, Davis Bernard; brothers George Witt, Elwood Witt, Ronald Bernard, Donald Bernard, Harold Bernard; sisters, Loama Dunbar and Mary Chambers. Buried at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem. Says his sister Loama: "My mama cried for weeks. ... Wallace sat with me when I was little and helped me color in my coloring books."[Submitted to the Roanoke Valley War Memorial website by his sister, Loama Dunbar of Vinton, and cousin, Coye Witt of Roanoke]
In 1973, a large fire destroyed records at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. As a result, approximately 80% of Army personnel records (not the IDPFs) from WWI to WWII, were destroyed, including a significant number of Korean War-era records. (The files of servicemen and women from other branches were also among the destroyed.) However, there are thousands of documents still available regarding men who are KIA/MIA in the Korean War. They are known as "Individual Deceased Personnel Files" (a/k/a "293 files), and they are held by the U.S. Army Personnel Command. These files, maintained by at the Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI), are the records for those casualties who remain unaccounted for from the Korean War. All IDPFs are maintained and controlled by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at their facility in Maryland. A copy of the contents of the IDPA file on particular veterans is available free of charge to direct relatives of Korean War KIA/MIA. As of 2014, there was a large contract underway to scan all the IDPFs into a database for posterit. The Korean War IDPF were among those being scanned at that time.
The IDPF records can contain (but are not limited to) the following information: how a serviceman died; where he died (map coordinates, longitude/latitude), and his unit assignment at the time of his death. It can also include autopsy, anthropology studies, or the identification process used to identify a serviceman’s remains. If the body was recovered, who the military escort was. How or where a serviceman was originally buried. What unit provided the military honors at graveside. A word of caution: some of the material found in the IDPA files can be very graphic. The IDPF documents are extremely fragile. According to Major Keith Orage, Repatriation and Family Affairs Division, CILHI is in the process of imaging these documents because they are used to assist with search and recovery operations planning and execution.
Do you have a MIA/KIA/POW query? Family members are encouraged to contact a Service Casualty Officer to obtain information regarding your missing loved one. An approved family member may visit the DPMO office to review their loved one’s case file and meet with government officials, if desired. (The Service Offices will determine who constitutes an approved family member.) The Individual Deceased Personnel File is only a phone call away, which means that a trip to Washington DC is not necessary to find out about your loved one if distance and financial resources do not permit traveling to Washington DC. Call your Service Casualty Officer to establish the entitlement to review the file, then follow up with a written request. The Army Casualty Office is now located at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
Note that there is a difference between families that have already received closure, i.e., their loved ones remains have been recovered and brought home for burial, and the families that are still waiting for answers on the fates of their missing or their loved ones to be brought home. When contacting a Service Casualty Officer be sure to mention which category fits your situation.
Iowans Killed in Action in the Korean War (Photo Album)
(Photos in an era newspaper)
This information was taken verbatim from page five of the Spring 2001 edition of The Commemorator, newsletter of the U.S. Korea 2000 Foundation, 4600 Duke Street, Suite 416, Alexandria, VA 22304-2517. Credit for the availability of the information goes entirely to the U.S. Korea 2000 Foundation. [For KATUSA casualties attached to French units, see "North/South Korean & Chinese Casualties" on the Casualty Index of the KWE.}
KATUSAs saved American Lives! It’s time their sacrifice is acknowledged!
Too few Americans, and sadly, too few Korean War veterans know of the blood shed by those Korean nationals who were assigned to US units during the Korean War. The United States chose to meet maintaining our front line strength by using KATUSAs instead of US soldiers. This was done for several reasons: (a) all available US manpower was needed to build our NATO Forces because the US feared Soviet aggression in Europe, (b) in an effort to reduce US casualties in Korea for fear of losing public support and (c) we misjudged the ferocious nature of the war.
In simple truth, every KATUSA killed, wounded, captured or missing would have meant that a US soldier would have been killed, wounded, captured or missing! Thus when we are considering our Korean War casualties, this nation ought to add the KATUSAs to the total—for in their place would have been an American.
Between 16% to 24% of our front line Infantry strength in US units were KATUSAs. The best available data suggests that their casualty rate not only equaled US casualty rates, but exceeded them by 10% in several of our Infantry Divisions. The KATUSAs were many times in the forefront of heavy engagements.
Using the median of 20% and evaluating a US rifle squad, that meant that between 2 to 3 were KATUSAs. Extrapolating casualties, using as a basis US casualties and factoring 5% for the KATUSAs higher ratio, the following results:
Not counted in the foregoing are the losses from the Korean Service Corps (KSC). Had there not been the KSC, the US would have had to deploy seven each additional Transportation, QM, Engineer Battalions with the attended losses that would have resulted within these battalions.
*These statistics are based on the 1954 Department of Defense data base and the 37-month breakdowns reflect information based on the period of hostilities between June 25, 1950 and July 26, 1953 when the Armistice was signed.
The Kum River in South Korea was the site of several days of intense fighting, and resulted in hundreds of American casualties over a series of days. The plan was for troops already existing in Korea to try to hold the line at the river until strong reinforcements could arrive from Japan and the United States. This casualty page of the KWE lists only those killed, missing and taken prisoner onJuly 14, 1950. According to a Korean War veteran who was a participant in that day's battle, there were 11 officers and 125 enlisted men lost. The KWE has attempted to locate the names of all the 136 who were lost. It should be noted that dozens of those taken prisoner of war were forced by their captors to march north to prison camps in what is known as the infamous "Tiger Death March."
[KWE Note: All of the soldiers listed below were captured on July 14, 1950. However, we cannot confirm if those men whose battery or unit is not listed were involved in the Kum River Battle.]
Let It Be Remembered
G-3-1 served with distinction in Korea 1950 thru July 1953.
May it never be forgotten that all gave some and these gave all.
[KWE Note: This casualty list was provided at a G-3-1 Reunion in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2001. It was compiled by SSgt. Philip H. Heath, G-3-1.]
The Korean War: Forgotten Soldiers of a Forgotten War….No longer forgotten!
Chapter Three - The Korean War: A Statistical Inquiry
Part I - Selected Hostile and Non-Battle Dead
Part II - Army "Non-Battle" Deaths [1954]
Part III - "Other" "Hostile"/"Non-Battle" Deaths
Part IV - Synopsis of Parts I, II, and III
Part V - DMZ & Offshore Post War Deaths
Part VI - Hemorrhagic Fever
Part VII - Analysis of 8,177 Body-Not-Recovered Cases
Part VIII - The Sad Spectacle of Americans Blaming Americans
Part IX - POW/MIA Issues
Part X - Secret Wars
Part XI - The Korean War In a Nutshell: A Synopsis of Parts I-X
Dear Reader:
Over the years, looking at a multitude of books and articles on the Korean War, I noticed that the stated casualty statistics for Korea were all over the place. Some claimed that over 54,000 men died in Korea, some said over 60,000, others opined 27,000, 33,000, etc. Everyone and his brother seemed to have a different set of figures!
So I started to investigate. I contacted a lot of agencies and individuals who were knowledgeable. I got a lot of help. What I finally concluded is contained in a study that I published in September 1998 and now is published in e-form on this site.
Based on my research, I found that the best estimates at the time were that 36,651 men died in Korea from both battle and non-battle causes; and, another 17,355 died in other locations worldwide from non-hostile causes. My digging also provided me with an unexpected bonus! It enabled me to be able to ferret out the Army non-battle deaths by name and publish them in print, for the first time ever - anywhere!
Naturally, I shared my research with officials at the Department of Defense, whose Directorate of Information Operations and Reports used the information to crosscheck and update their entire casualty data base, and to add over 2,000 Army non-battle casualties, which previously had not been listed.
I also shared my work with officials of the American Battle Monuments Commission, who at the time were building a data base (Honor Roll) for an interactive computer system, which linked the ABMC with the kiosk at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. They were happy to be able to add hundreds of names which they did not have in their data base, or on the ABMC website at www.abmc.gov. And, the statistics have been of help to literally hundreds of individuals who have contacted me over the years with questions and requests for information - including authors, newspaper and magazine editors, and researchers.
On January 1, 2001, the updated DOD roster hit the street! Prior to that date, Department of Defense rosters contained only Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force hostile and non-hostile deaths. Now, for the first time, over 2,000 Army non-battle casualties were officially listed in print.
Since then, the Department of Defense has continued to work on the data base. As of March 2004, the statistics once again have been revised. As it stands now, the data base contains the names of 36,576 battle and non-battle casualties.
A total of 17,670 deaths which occurred outside of the Korean Theater, and outside of the dates of the Korean War, June 25, 1950 and July 27, 1953, or elsewhere in the world, have yet to be published. The DOD is working with the Services to create lists. When, and if they ever are published, both the war deaths and the other worldwide deaths will total 54,246 - the number engraved on the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C.
As you read through this 1998 study, please keep in mind that even though the casualty stats have changed, you might find some of the statistics researched to be of some value. In addition, there may be other information in the book that you may find interesting, perhaps thought-provoking!
The second edition of my book is no longer available in book form; there will be no third edition. The study has served its purpose. Pull up a chair, grab a beer, start reading and enjoy! - Martin J. O’Brien, Augusta, Maine, May 6, 2004.
Please visit The Cpl Clair Goodblood Medal of Honor Memorial.
"I wish to personally thank you for furnishing me with your list of non-battle casualties. I had picked up all but 210 names from our record books….Thank you again for your exhausting work on getting the names off the microfilm. You made a major impact on the Kiosk and the [American Battle Monuments Commission] "Honor Roll." - Col. Frederick C. Badger, USA Ret.
"[Letter to Rep. Susan Molinari] Please convey to Mr. O’Brien, our [American Battle Monuments Commission] appreciation of the extensive labor and dedication he has made to ensure that those who have made the supreme sacrifice so that others may live in freedom are honored."- Col. Anthony N. Corea, USAF
"Marty, have just finished reading your excellent "booklet," which is much more than that. You have truly done a tremendous job and I am sure it has taken a great deal of work and dedication. This is truly a magnificent contribution to the subject!" - Norman Zehr, Korean War Veteran
"Marty, I’ve just finished reading your Korean War manuscript—very masterful. Well done and obviously deeply researched and scholarly presented. I wish you luck in placing it in as many libraries and study centers as possible so it will be of maximum help to all who desire to enhance their knowledge of our Korean War and its ghastly costs in casualties among all of the participating countries." - Sherman Pratt, Korean War Veteran
"Quite a book, Marty. Sorting out the numbers must have been an awful chore—but a real public service." - Phil Tiemann, Korean War Veteran
"An outstanding production; very neat and well put together. I know that a lot of effort and emotion went into this excellent publication. I think it is an important historical document."- Rose McKinley, Sister of Deceased POW
"O’Brien’s book is superb; you have to go over it a thousand times and learn something more each time. You can’t digest it all at once, that’s for sure." - Mike Thomason, Korean War Veteran
"There are many myths and misunderstandings about the actual figures for Korean War casualties, but Marty O’Brien has checked, double-checked and searched out the truth. The Korean War Museum and Library strives for historical accuracy in presenting the facts about the Korean War to the men and women who served in it and to the members of the general public who want information about it. Marty does not claim that his information is one-hundred percent mistake-proof, but to date the O’Brien research is the best compilation of data the museum trustees [Korean War Museum & Library, Tuscola, IL) have seen on the topic." - Lynnita Sommer Brown, Trustee
"I really enjoyed reading your book, and thanks to men like you and others we may some day close this chapter out for good in our lifetime." - Donald D. Down, Korean War Veteran
"Marty, you have really put a lot of time and energy into this. It really shows. It also shows a lot of compassion and dedication. Thanks. Quite a job you did."- Jerry Bryant, Korean War Veteran
"We find your book very helpful and have been using it for our research. We never had a listing of the Army non-battle fiche. We did have info from ABMC we used to update DNB. However, between the time of the TAGO file and this file, there appears to have been a scrub that we were not aware of which changed some DNB to other categories. As a result, these personnel were missing from out files until we researched the info in your book. We really appreciate the work you did. We are also using it to complete our research where DPMO is looking for bodies of personnel that we don’t show at all." [May 22, 2000]
Dedicated to the memory of Corporal Robert M. Englehart, a boyhood friend. Bob, a member of Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was captured on November 4, 1950 along the Ch’ongch’on River near the Sinanju area. He officially was declared dead on August 17, 1951. Bob survived all of the early battles of the Korean War, only to die of neglect and disease in a brutal, godless Communist prison camp along the Yalu River. Corporal Robert M. Englehart, Regular army, died in a uniform he loved, for a service he loved, for a country he loved—and not too many Americans cared at the time. But, he and the men and women who served, fought, bled, died in that terrible war in Asia so many years ago shall never be forgotten by those who were there.
After basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, he was assigned to Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division at Beppu, Japan, and went to Korea with his company. He was wounded twice. He was captured by Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) on November 4, 1950. He died while a POW at CCF prison camp #5 at Pyoktong, North Korea. He died from pellagra and was declared dead on August 17, 1951 by the U.S. government. His actual date of death probably was around April 10, 1951, according to a fellow POW who saw him being taken to the camp "sick house", never to return.
The first thing that the reader must understand is that this is not a book in the traditional sense. I prefer to call it a study in progress. My main purpose is to assemble my research and thoughts on the subject of Korean War casualties in one place. I originally started out to write a small booklet, but it soon became apparent that I eventually would finish between 200-250 pages.
As the work progressed, it occurred to me that others might find my study useful in understanding some of the myths and mysteries surrounding the subject of Korean War casualties. So I have made it available to anyone who wants a copy—although it is by far not the ultimate last word on the subject.
The information in this work is based on knowledge and data taken from a variety of sources; I have taken deliberate care to provide accurate and authoritative data and sources in regard to the subject matter covered to the best of my ability. The information presented is believed by me to be accurate, or it is believed to be accurate as presented by the cited authors, one or the other is true. However, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by me as to accuracy, use or application of any of this information.
The presentation of this material is my sole responsibility and is provided so that you, the curious reader, may make an informed decision. I claim no official government agency endorsements; nor are any of them in any capacity associated with me. - Martin O’Brien, Augusta, Maine, January 1999
The following people helped make this research possible; their assistance, knowledgeable advice, suggestions, encouragement and data are very much appreciated!
In addition, much thanks to numerous other Korean War veterans and others from all over the country for their kind words of encouragement, thoughtfulness, cogent insights and information. This is a work in progress, and I’m sure in time there will be many more people to thank.
The Korean War, which followed five years of Cold War between Washington and Moscow, forced a test of will for the United States and developed into the first major armed "conflict" between the Free World and the Communist Bloc since World War II. It was a costly war for the United States. Officially, 54,268 men and women died in the Korean War and other operations across the globe during the period June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955. Of that number, officially, 36,913 Americans died in Korea during the Korean Operation as a result of "Hostile" or "Non-Battle" causes, including over 8,100 KIA, MIA and POW whose exact fates remain un-revealed to their loved ones even today.
Most, but not all, of the 36,913 Korean Theater "Hostile" and "Non-Battle" dead are listed in official files. However, the names of some 17,366 others who died outside of the war zone in support of the Korean Operation (Many who undoubtedly died in Korea itself) and other worldwide operations, for the most part, are not listed anywhere.
The Department of Defense is on record as saying that it is not aware of any consolidated, detailed record set or listing of total worldwide Service casualties during the Korean War era; nor is it involved in any effort to validate out-of-theater Korean War era casualties—nor, do I believe, it wants to!
After the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, the shooting did not stop. Another 641 Americans (included in the 36,913 figure) would die in Korea through January 31, 1955, mostly Air Force. The evidence shows that there were others, though not recorded. And from February 1, 1955 through 1995, another 98 Americans (that we know of) would die in Korea on or near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), in the air, and on the water from "Hostile" and combat-related actions.
The primary goal of this study is to present the statistical story of the Korean War era as it appears to exist. I have put down the facts as I have found them, and I have made a few analyses based on what I have found. With respect to the history and politics of the Korean War, I have found that everyone has his or her own interpretation. The statistical story, however, is a story that continues to be relatively unknown to the general public, and generally unclear to the Korean War veteran community at large.
Most of the information in this study has been gleaned from official sources, some of it has been given to me by Korean War veterans across the country who believe, as I do, that the story needs to be told; it is by no means the bottom line. The MIA data is in a constant state of flux as new information is received, and we learn of new revelations from our government. It is my intention, however, to keep on top of the project as best as I can and make any necessary important changes as they are learned.
In this study, I also relate just how difficult a task it is to dig up diverse facts and statistics (as they are officially presented) and consolidate them into one place. An exclusive feature of this work is Appendix I. For the first time in one place anywhere, the names of 2,392 Army "Non-Battle" dead in Korea between 1950-1955 are listed in one roster. Also included is a list of names of probable war casualties that do not appear in the official files given to me. In addition, the names of the 98 post-war casualties in Korea are listed in just one roster.
The story that unfolds in the following pages is as I found it, and by no means should it be considered the bottom line. There is a lot that we don’t know, and a lot that the government will not reveal to us.
One of the most troublesome areas for me personally is believing the Army’s accounting for all of its casualties, despite everything that has been released to the public. The reports by Generals Mark W. Clark and Matthew B. Ridgway after the war, that they believed that 8,000 Americans, mostly Army, [included in a total of 11,622 UN POWs] had been deliberately "murdered" by the Communists, tend to make me somewhat skeptical about the official numbers.
Also disturbing is the claim by some that MIAs were reclassified to KIA-BNR ("Body-Not-Recovered"), not because there was any information that they had died, but solely because it was cheaper to pay death benefits than to continue them as MIAs. How many were so reclassified is not clear; but, my study shows that 535 POW/MIA deaths were reclassified to KIA and another 34 were reclassified to Died of Wounds between 1954 and 1994.
As you read through this study and consider the official POW/MIA numbers, keep in mind that there is very little information available as to HOW they died. Even in the "Non-Battle" area, the Army’s explanations fall short. In 1954, the DA coded the almost 2,400 DNB ("Died Non-Battle") as MIA—why they did that is a mystery! Today, we know with some certainty that they were indeed DNB. [See Appendix I for update.]
We don’t know the deep, dark secrets and that is a problem. But, we must know what happened—so we must keep digging! Hopefully, this work will stimulate more thought and research—and ultimately, more truth.
President Harry S. Truman, June 28, 1950
Q: "Mr. President, everybody is asking in this country are we or are we not at war?
A: "We are not at war. The members of the United Nations are going to the relief of the Korean Republic to suppress a ‘bandit raid’ on the Republic of Korea."
Q: "Mr. President, would it be correct under your explanation to call this a ‘police action’ under the United Nations?"
A: "Yes, that is exactly what it amounts to."
Russell Spurr , author of Enter the Dragon
"The origins of the Korean Conflict are more obscure than those of the Punic, Pyrrhic, or Peloponnesian wars—more is known today of the maneuverings that led up to Alexander’s invasion of Persia more than two millennia ago." -
General Mark W. Clark author of From the Danube to the Yalu
"I speak of the atrocities committed by the communists in Korea. I speak of the 10,032 individuals whose murdered bodies stand as mute witness to the savagery of communist aggression. We have evidence that not just 10,032 but 29,815 murders were actually committed by the communists, of which 11,622 were your soldiers." [Draft of speech to the United Nations, 1953]
Richard Savero & Lewis Milford, authors of The Wages of War
"If we were a people who remembered and we required such honesty from Government, we would not be simply a nation indivisible. We would be a most formidable people; we would be indestructible."
The Korean War, officially styled as the "Korean Conflict" raged in Korea from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, the date of the signing of an armistice between the United Nations Command (UNC) and the military forces of the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) and the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF).
After the truce was signed, 641 more U.S. service members died from hostile actions through January 31, 1955, mostly Air Force; since February 1, 1955, 98 Americans have died from hostile and combat-related action. 132 more have been wounded along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separates the two Koreas.
The truce in Korea still is in effect. The military representatives of both sides meet periodically to discuss alleged violations of the long-standing period of relative peace in that troubled land which continue to this day.
Why was there a Korean War in the first place? The causes of the war remain murky and shrouded in political secrecy.
Retired USAF Colonel Fletcher Prouty, a writer and researcher who for years was the Pentagon’s liaison to the CIA, believes that both the Korean and Vietnam wars were hatched at the Teheran conference of December 1943 between Josef Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt, and Chiang Kai Shek; with Winston Churchill in disagreement. He said that plans called for the de-colonization of Southeast Asia as well as independence for Korea.
For centuries, Korea’s three powerful neighbors—China, Japan, and Russia—have competed for its control. By 1910, Japan ruled over Korea until Japan was defeated in World War II. Seven days before Japan surrendered, the USSR declared war on Japan. By agreement, the Soviets accepted surrender of Japanese troops north of Korea’s 38th parallel, while the U.S. accepted surrender of Japanese troops in the south.
Many of the Japanese who surrendered to the Russians never got to go home and were sent to prison camps in the Gulag system in Siberia where they perished. The Soviets quickly sealed off the border and soon the government was run by Soviet-trained Communist officials. The new government was proclaimed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with Pyongyang as its capital.
Initially, the U.S. maintained a military government in the south; then in 1947, after a period of unrest, democratic elections were held and Syngman Rhee was chosen president. A National Assembly was formed and the new democracy was named the Republic of Korea. By 1948, Soviet forces began to withdraw from North Korea, leaving behind a well-trained Communist regime and a well-trained and equipped North Korean Army.
United States occupation forces withdrew in 1949, leaving a shaky government and an army lacking cohesion, air power, tanks and artillery. In the following months, South Korea resisted North Korean attempts at subversion and successfully fended off Communist-supported guerrilla activities and border raids.
If the Teheran plan called for a period of struggle, during which time war profits would be made by suppliers on both sides, resulting in a unified Korea and later a unified Vietnam, then 1950 was the time for action. Early in 1950, North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union, decided on war to achieve the goal of Korean unification under Communist rule. One can only speculate if the Teheran plan approved of the unification of Korea under Communist rule—as later happened in Vietnam.
Prouty believed, at least, that both wars were designed to continue the vast expenditures demanded by the military-industrial complex in the aftermath of World War II. Although there is a lot of truth in that belief, another probable theory is that the Korean War primarily was a post-World War II "squabble" between the victorious World War II allies over the hegemony of land, ports, industry, oil, precious minerals, hydroelectric power, and other natural resources on or in the Korean peninsula—a battle for the spoils of war, and political and economic influence in Asia and world power.
If you’re going to have a conflict of interests why not make some money in the process? Perhaps the real reason for the name "Korean Conflict."
In any event, the war would cost millions of lives and millions more would be wounded or incapacitated—mostly Asian civilians—before it ended shortly after Stalin’s death in 1953. As a result of the three-year plus war, large areas of North and South Korea were laid to ruin; millions of people perished, more millions suffered from wounds, injuries and diseases.
The war resulted in a stalemate and an armistice which continues to this day. It was not a war that either Josef Stalin or Harry Truman—World War II allies—could be proud of. A war that even those who honor Truman’s legacy today would like people to forget! Thus, "The Forgotten War?"
On April 12, 1995, the Harry S. Truman Library Institute held fund-raising dinners to benefit the library in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington. In Los Angeles, the theme was U.S. recognition of Israel; in Chicago, the focus was on the Marshall Plan; and in Washington, the event centered on Truman’s reorganization of the military and the creation of NATO. No mention anywhere of the Korean "Police Action."
Nor was it a war that China could be proud of; after the war Mao Tse-tung rounded up every book that was written about the Korean War and had them destroyed, except a limited few in archives. Having suffered a humiliating defeat, both on the battlefield and the aftermath of the war when most of the Chinese POWs chose freedom rather than return to China and Communism, they too wanted the Korean War to be a "forgotten" one.
In retrospect, to those on the UN side who served, fought and bled in the war to keep South Korea free from Communism, the war against the expansion of Communist power in Asia in the 1950s largely was successful—from both military and moral perspectives, and worth the sacrifice in human capital.
During World War II, the Allied Nations fought the Axis nations of Germany, Italy and their confederates in Europe as "The United Nations." As a formal body, the UNITED NATIONS was formed in 1945 by the "Big Five" World War II powers. Ostensibly, the UN was established as the primary instrument for establishing and maintaining international peace, and to prevent war by settling disputes between nations.
By 1950, the UN Security Council had been formed consisting of 15 members. The Council had five permanent members: the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, France and China (Taiwan). [The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) was not a permanent member in 1950. It was admitted to the UN in 1971, replacing Taiwan.]
The Korean War would be the first time in the post-World War II period that members of the world body found themselves politically and militarily disunited (and that proposition is open to speculation)—at least in the public eye—and on opposite sides of a bloody war in Asia.
There are historians who argue that Korea was just a battleground of competing economic interests—an Anglo-American bloc on one side and a Soviet-bloc on the other, a disagreement between socialist friends over the control of resources on the Korean peninsula. Others, like Prouty, believe that the war was contrived for the benefit of the military-industrial complex. Others argue that the Korean War was a contrived "conflict," artificially engineered by competing interests in the UN to legitimize the involvement of the formal United Nations in foreign disputes--one of a series of global hot spots which would be created by the international body to pave the road to global government.
Whatever the reasons—perhaps all three pertain—the United States, Britain and France for political reasons rallied to the defense of South Korea and the majority of the members of the UN SECURITY COUNCIL voted to send troops to Korea.
Within hours after the invasion of South Korea began, the Council called for an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of North Korean forces from South Korea. Predictably, North Korea ignored the resolution. Two days later, the Council urged UN members to assist South Korea in repelling the invaders.
Both resolutions passed because the USSR, as the story goes, was boycotting Council meetings. Had the Soviet delegate been present, supposedly he would have vetoed the measures. One must say "supposedly" when reviewing the events leading up to the Korean War; while keeping in mind that in politics, if something happens, it probably was planned that way.
Just as predictably, the Soviet Union supported its puppet, North Korea. In essence, the UN technically found itself on both sides of the conflict, both winning and losing at the same time. That pattern of involvement would repeat itself in all of our post WWII conflicts throughout the world--a pattern of involvement in which the word "Victory" was not a consideration.
However, in the opinion of many historians, the combined FORCES OF FREEDOM won an unparalleled military and moral victory in Korea by successfully withstanding an array of immoral and political pressures brought to bear against them from all sides. And in the process they saved South Korea from Communist rule and oppression.
That victory was achieved thanks to a strong, tenacious—often non-compliant—American military leadership, and the patriotism and tenacity of South Korea’s President Syngman Rhee, as well as the heroic efforts of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, the U.S. Armed Forces, and the forces of the Allied Nations who came to South Korea’s assistance in her darkest hours.
In the United States another war raged between those who wanted victory and those who wanted "containment," - a number of whom, it was suspected, secretly worked for a policy of a re-unified Korea under Communism.
In the end, however, the policy of containment won out, and the political war at the negotiating table resulted in less than a complete victory for the South Korean people—to the extent that their countrymen once again were abandoned to Communist rule in the North.
In Vietnam, the generals were unable to withstand the overpower, immoral and political pressures arrayed against them and lost the war—despite the heroic efforts of the U.S. fighting forces, who reportedly never lost a battle there. Thus in Vietnam, the forces of freedom, in the larger sense, lost both militarily and politically—and in the process, the whole of Vietnam was abandoned to the forces of military—industrial exploitation and Communist domination—and again, in the post-war period, to economic exploitation.
The war in Korea would be the first time since the formation of the UN that a structured UNITED NATIONS COMMAND would attempt to carry out the "peace" mandates of the UN CHARTER. The war itself, however, was not run by the UN; that role was left to the United States—a superpower and the major financial contributor to the war.
Early in July 1950, the UN asked the U.S. to appoint a commander for all United Nations forces in Korea. U.S. General Douglas A. MacArthur, an American hero of both World Wars, was designated to command the UNIFIED UN FORCES as Commander-in-chief, United Nations Command (CINC, UNC); thus rendering the UN presence in Korea largely nominal and symbolic.
The Communist forces were supplied by the Communist bloc of nations—which ironically, in many instances, were in turn being supplied by the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition to the United States, 22 other nations would come to the aid of the Republic of Korea (ROK).
The Far East Command (FECOM), established on January 1, 1947, was the entity in place on June 25, 1950 when the war broke out. Shortly thereafter, FECOM became the UNITED NATIONS COMMAND under General MacArthur; it had operational control over all Republic of Korea forces, all UN battle forces, 8th Army, the independent X Corps until December 1950 when General Matthew Ridgway took over from General MacArthur and unified 8th Army and X Corps.
The Far East Air Force (FEAF) operated as a parallel command; it had operational control over the 5th Air Force, Bomber Command, plus Navy air in the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan. A third entity, Naval Forces Far East (NAVFE), also operated as a parallel force. It controlled 7th Fleet and the rest of the ships in the area. All three commands operated independently until October 1952, when General Mark Clark unified the three organizations.
The United States and the Republic of Korea provided most of the combat and combat-support troops; as well as major command, control and direction for the conduct of the war. The Republic of China (Taiwan) would not be permitted by the United States to participate in the fighting in Korea, ostensibly out of a fear by the U.S. government that such an action would widen the war to mainland China and ultimately involve the Soviet Union. But it was more believably because of UN and U.S. policy which did not support the nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, which sought to retake the mainland, and a global policy which tilted toward rapprochement with China in the post-Cold War era.
On the Communist side, the Soviet-backed North Korean Peoples Army and Chinese Communist Forces backed by the Peoples Republic of China provided most of the military manpower and equipment in support of North Korea’s aggression; China also supplied the manpower to run the brutal Communist prisoner of war camps. Some Soviet and Soviet bloc ground and air units also participated in the fighting in North Korea.
Hostilities began on June 25, 1950, when the Soviet-trained NKPA—consisting in large part of seasoned veterans of years of fighting in China against the Japanese in the Sino-Japanese War and later during the Chinese Civil War—rolled across the 38th parallel and attacked South Korea in force. The United States immediately sent troops to the aid of the embattled South Korean republic. On June 26, 1950, U.S. air and naval forces were directed to support South Korean ground units and safely evacuate U.S. civilians and supply weapons and ammunition ROK forces.
Two weeks after U.S. jet fighters were committed, the North Korean air force ceased to exist as a viable unit. Later Russian pilots would take to the air, but generally the UN air forces were able to establish air superiority during the entire course of the war. The Russian-built jets, equal or superior to the aircraft flown by the UN, proved no match for the skill of better-trained UN pilots; the kill ratio was 14-1 in favor of the UN.
At sea, North Korea’s small navy consisting of a few patrol boats met a similar fate in short order. After the fall of Seoul, the North Koreans stopped their southward drive to regroup; South Korean forces resisted bravely, but were pushed back steadily.
Initially, U.S. forces were committed to the battle in piecemeal fashion, relatively untrained for combat and inadequately equipped and supplied. They consisted of elements of three U.S. divisions, 24th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, and the First Cavalry Division (Infantry).
During the first several months of combat, U.S. forces suffered severe battle losses; but their quick reaction to the crisis, however, saved South Korea from being totally overrun by the Communists. By late July, U.S. and South Korean units were holding a small, roughly rectangular area, Taegu to the north and Pusan to the south, called the "Pusan Perimeter"—a line roughly 150 miles long.
While the North Koreans continued their attack on the south, General MacArthur was planning an amphibious assault in the enemy’s rear at the port city of Inchon, northwest of Taegu. On September 15, elements of the First Marine Division and the Army’s 7th Infantry Division hit the port defenses after intense naval and air bombardment.
Simultaneously, Eighth Army forces broke out of the Pusan Perimeter and raced north to join up with the amphibious forces in Seoul. By the end of September, 1950, as additional U.S. and other UN forces, equipment and supplies arrived to reinforce the UN presence, the tide of battle had reversed dramatically. The NKPA had been thoroughly defeated and routed on the field of battle—utterly destroyed as a fighting force, its remnants had retreated above the 38th parallel. The UN forces were driving north.
Bloodied and demoralized, North Korea indicated that it was ready to accept restoration of the 38th parallel as the border between the two Koreas. Syngman Rhee and Harry "the buck stops here" Truman decided to reunite the Korean peninsula under Syngman Rhee; to the chagrin of certain officials deep in the bowels of the government in the U.S., U.K. and France who were opposed to that policy—officials who favored a policy of "containment" at least, possibly reunification under the Communists at best.
In the coming months, the spy apparatus in the three nations’ capitals, of those who sympathized with the Communists, swung into full gear, resulting in the undermining and betrayal of General MacArthur’s conduct of the war. In addition to severe restrictions on his command, MacArthur’s instructions and orders somehow would find their way into CCF hands via certain UN circles. In addition, MacArthur began to receive unreliable and conflicting intelligence information about enemy troop strength and dispositions, which caused him to make faulty judgments about the tactical situation on the ground. MacArthur was fighting two enemies, the CCF and his "friends" in high places.
In explaining the unprecedented and unconscionable restrictions placed upon him, MacArthur said: "I realized for the first time that I had actually been denied the use of my full military power to safeguard the lives of my soldiers and the safety of my army. To me, it clearly foreshadowed a future tragic situation in Korea, and left me with a sense of inexpressible shock."
MacArthur said: "Brigadier General Walton Walker continually complained to me that his operations were known to the enemy in advance through sources in Washington." Later, with reference to the so-called "peace" talks, General Mark Clark said: "I could not help wondering and worrying whether we were faced with open enemies across the conference table and hidden enemies who sat with us in our most secret councils."
Strong stuff! After the war, Red Chinese General Lin Piao made this shocking admission: "I would never have made the attack and risked my men and military reputation if I had not been assured that Washington would restrain General MacArthur from taking adequate retaliatory measures against my lines of supply and communication."
Until October 1950, the drive north met with light resistance. In mid-October, elements of the First Cavalry Division and supporting troops had taken the North Korean capital of Pyongyang; shortly thereafter, elements of other units reached the Yalu River, the border between North Korea and China. United Nations forces had advanced northward in two columns, the Eighth Army in the west and the X Corps, an independent unit, in the east. The units were separated by some 50 miles by mountains and rugged terrain, thus dispersed and open to attack.
By October, units of the CCF began to cross over the Manchurian border into North Korea to face the UN advance. Ostensibly, United Nations air patrols detected no sign of them. Contact with CCF units began in late October and early November; several elements of the 24th Infantry Division and First Cavalry Division came under heavy attack, resulting in the loss of several companies.
Russian-built MiG-15 fighter jets began to appear in early November. Due to faulty intelligence, MacArthur’s UNC woefully underestimated the strength of the Chinese forces. In late November, the CCF, consisting of several field armies, struck hard at the UN line, overwhelming the main line of resistance and inflicting heavy casualties on UN troops.
Although the CCF also suffered high casualties, their numerical superiority worked in their favor and slowly the UN was forced to withdraw to positions in the south. As their drive intensified, the Chinese continued to suffer tremendous losses in manpower—even as they drove the UN forces before them.
There also were heavy UN losses; in the west, the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division got trapped at Kunu-ri, suffering thousands of casualties. In the east, X Corps units battled their way south to Hungnam and Wonsan where they were evacuated; surrounded far inland, the 1st Marine Division engaged the CCF in one of the great fighting withdrawals in history, inflicting tremendous casualties on the Chinese attackers before they were withdrawn by sea.
By the end of December, the UN had been pushed back to a position just south of Seoul; by January, the UN once again abandoned the South Korean capital and withdrew south to more open terrain. The UN continued to withdraw slowly, exacting a terrible toll on the advancing CCF. By mid-January, the front stabilized along an undulating line close to the 38th parallel.
The entry of China into the war caused the U.S. administration to increase draft calls and impose emergency and economic controls at home in order to sustain the war. Despite the fact that the Nationalist Chinese on Taiwan were ready, willing and able to assist Gen. MacArthur in the battle against the CCF, the Truman administration nixed the idea because, supposedly, it did not want to broaden the war.
By late January 1951, the Eighth Army had reformed in strength and organization under General Matthew B. Ridgway and was ready to advance against the CCF and NKPA forces in front of them. The time was ripe to deal the CCF in Korea a crushing and humiliating defeat; far from home with little or no line of supply for food and equipment, the CCF was a sitting duck.
Thrusts of infantry and armor were supported by vastly superior UN artillery and air power. Where the CCF chose to fight, they were slaughtered; in one action alone, 6,000 Chinese were killed, another 25,000 wounded. By mid-March, Seoul had been recaptured and the battle line ran roughly along the 38th parallel.
Again, the Truman administration backed off from delivering a coup de grace against the Chinese because they said it would mean widening the war, and it would cost too many American lives from a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Any hope by Stalin and others for the re-unification of Korea’s wealth under Communism had disappeared. It began to appear to "containment" diplomats on both sides of the struggle that it might be time to wind down the family "squabble." This resulted in a new U.S. policy, backed by the UN; MacArthur would repel China from South Korea, but would not seek to retake the north.
After the loss of millions of lives to rid the Korean peninsula of Communism once and for all, Harry Shipp Truman caved in to those around him who, for their own reasons, did not want to widen the war. Not only did Truman, a World War I artillery captain, put the brakes on administering the final coup against the CCF; he ridiculed and held to disgrace one of America’s greatest fighting generals in the process.
MacArthur was enraged at the new policy and felt betrayed once again; he called for an expanded war against the CCF, including attacks on political "sanctuaries" north of the Yalu River in Manchuria. His campaign to buck the powers to be failed and on April 11, he was replaced by General Ridgway as CINC, UNC, who had commanded the Eighth army since the accidental death of General Walton H. Walker on December 23, 1950.
Command of the Eighth Army passed to General James a. VanFleet. After General MacArthur addressed the Congress on April 19, 1951, a speech which probably was one of the most politically important events of the Korean War, a sneering President Harry S. Truman contemptuously referred to it as "nothing but a bunch of bullshit."
In April and May, CCF and NKPA forces once again hurled raw manpower against highly defended UN lines. In response, General Van Fleet used the now familiar tactic of withdrawing, while at the same time massively punishing the attackers with superior firepower.
By late May 1951 the CCF, their lines of supplies once again cut off, had suffered tremendous losses; at that point General Van Fleet counter-attacked and drove the Communists above the 38th parallel. The CCF attempt to eject the UN from the Korean peninsula once again had failed.
Reeling from horrendous personnel and equipment losses, the CCF, and the remnants of the NKPA, were forced to sue for peace. Truce talks opened on July 10 at Kaesong, near Seoul; it was agreed that hostilities would continue during the negotiations—both sides strengthened their forces. While the truce negotiations went on, so did the war, further enriching the coffers of the suppliers of the war.
Late in August, the site of the "peace" talks moved to Panmunjom, east of Kaesong; the Communists broke off the talks and General Van Fleet went back on the attack. By mid-October, having unsuccessfully tested UN resolve, the Communists rejoined the negotiations.
For two additional years, a war of stalemate replaced the fluid war of maneuver which characterized the first year of the war—and in the process created a lot more Gold Star mothers in the United States, North Korea and China. However, no more major offensives were conducted during the war.
What the Communists could not win on the battle field, they attempted to win at the truce table; they made every attempt to delay, embarrass, humiliate the UN delegates, and to force concessions through intransigence, propaganda and delay. If the first year of hostilities resembled the war as it was fought in Europe in World War II, the second and third years saw fixed front lines and trench warfare which resembled the scenes of battles in France during World War I; the final two years also saw outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever.
Much of what the UN forces had won in battle in 1950 and early 1951, the politicians lost in the subsequent "peace" negotiations. The war, which should have ended in July 1951, dragged on until July 1953 causing tens of thousands more deaths and suffering.
Finally, on July 27, 1953, after two unnecessary years of hard, protracted warfare, the combatants signed an armistice at Panmunjon. Josef Stalin was dead; the "family squabble" was over.
Prisoners on both sides were repatriated; on the U.S. side only 21 men refused to come home, although most of them did come home later on. On the Communist side, thousands chose to remain in South Korea rather than return to Communism, and undoubtedly the Soviet Gulag system. Nearly half of all POWs held by the UN and three-quarters of the Chinese did not wish to return to Communist rule.
After the truce was signed on July 27, 1953, the opposing forces each withdrew two kilometers from the truce line, creating a narrow demilitarized zone.
While the military-industrial complex made a whole lot of money during the three-year period of the war, millions were given away in foreign aid to our friendly "enemy," the former Soviet Union. Romancing the thugs, as it were!
And while the war raged in Korea, Great Britain, in preparation for the post-war era of reconciliation, unabashedly traded with China, while British troops died on Korean battlefields and rotted in Communist prison camps.
Politically, the Korean War ended in stalemate and no appreciable territorial gains were made by either side; essentially, the war ended where it had started—along the 38th parallel. In the following months, through January 31, 1955, 641 more Americans, mostly Air Force, would die in actions attributed to the Korean "conflict" chasing "bandits" in the air and up and down the peninsula.
Although political accommodation triumphed in Korea, the "Cold War"—the continuing struggle for world hegemony between the world’s "superpowers" continued in other quarters of the globe. Militarily, the war resulted in a significant victory for the rank and file troops who fought in Korea.
Although a complete military victory over the Communists was not to be, South Korea at least was saved from the terrible specter of Communism, thanks to the South Korean and UN forces who fought, bled and died there. If there was a secret plan to reunite the entire peninsula of Korea under Communism—it failed miserably! In that sense, the war ended in a moral victory--thanks largely due to the stubborn will power of the American generals, many of whom had fought and won in World War II and would not permit a total military defeat of American arms in Korea to occur.
They would have preferred total victory; witness the remarks of General George E. Stratemeyer, Air Force Commander, Far East, in a Congressional hearing after the war: "You get in war to win it. You do not get in war to stand still and lose and we were required to lose. We were not permitted to win." In the end, though, the best that those who plotted in secret in London and Washington could hope for was that the memory of the war be erased from historical memory—a "Forgotten War."
A horrendous price in blood and suffering was paid for that victory, however.
Forty three years after the war, it still is difficult to get a reliable accounting of overall casualties—due to both the insufficiency of recorded data and a plethora of political obstacles. But we have to keep digging. The following information has been selected from a number of different sources. Due to variances in the reporting, however, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of the numbers.
It has been estimated that some four million men, women and children were killed, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated on the Korean peninsula during the three-year plus struggle; two million of whom were civilians. One source put the toll of Communist combatants killed, wounded or missing at about 1.5 million; the total for North Korea was 214,899 killed, 303,685 wounded and 101,680 missing.
Patrick Brogan in The Fighting Never Stopped, 1989, cited early UNC estimates which put North Korean "KIA" at 316,579. Another source puts Chinese losses at 401,401 killed, 486,995 wounded and 21,211 missing; after the war, the UNC put Chinese casualties for KIA at 422,612.
Marine Colonel W.S. Brown, Commanding, 1st Marines, had this to say in a June 14, 1951 regimental memo: "You have counted many hundreds of dead in the various positions taken in spite of the enemy’s propensity for burying his own dead, so that is most probably only a small part of his casualties. His wounded will probably die, ours won’t."
Whatever the true numbers, the PRC refused to release casualty numbers and they remain a state secret. In his Korean War Almanac, Col. Harry G. Summers, Jr. Said that from 1950 to 1953: "Using the Korean War as an excuse to eliminate all those who might challenge his newly won power, Mao unleashed his "Resist America and Aid Korea" campaign. During the three years in which it was waged, estimates are that as many as 10 to 15 million victims perished. Even sympathetic observers report that at least two million people were slaughtered in cold blood by the Chinese Communist Party—four times as many as died on the Korean battlefield."
On the United Nations side, the Republic of Korea, by far, provided the largest number of troops throughout the war and suffered the largest number of casualties. Brogan cited South Korean losses at 103,248 KIA and 159,727 WIA, according to the UNC; but, the government of the Republic of Korea itself reported that 113,248 South Korean soldiers died in the war and 159,727 were wounded; it has been estimated by the ROK that altogether 1,312,836 South Korean soldiers and civilians died during the three-year conflict. By war’s end in 1953, South Korea had 590,911 personnel under arms.
United States forces in the war zone suffered the second highest number of casualties among the UN forces. According to updated statistics provided by the Department of Defense (DoD) in October 1995, approximately 5,720,000 Americans served worldwide during the Korean War era (1950-55); of whom some 1,500,000 served in the Korean War theater of operations.
During the Korean War era (1950-55), there were 54,268 American deaths worldwide. Deaths attributed solely to the Korean Operation (Korea and surrounding waters), as reported by the service branches, were significant:
(a) According to the DoD, between June 25, 1950 and January 31, 1955, 33,651 U.S. personnel died from "hostile" causes; 23,835 were killed in action, 2,535 died of wounds, 4,845 died while missing, and 2,436 died as prisoners of war. [Of the 33,651 personnel who died in the Korean War, 8,135 remains officially have not been identified or recovered though 1996.]
(b) In addition, 3,262 U.S. personnel died of "Non-battle" causes, including a high incidence of hemorrhagic fever in 1951-52.
(c) Elsewhere in the world, 17,355 personnel died in "Other" operations [Korea-related and "Cold War"] from a variety of causes, including combat and combat-related deaths.
Of 105,785 personnel who were wounded in-theater in Korea and who were hospitalized for wounds, 103,284 survived. No record was maintained of non-hospitalized wounded in Korea which may have quadrupled the number of WIA; a high percentage of the wounds were caused by fragmentary weapons mortars, grenades, etc.
The United States, the major supporting participant in the war, committed seven army divisions; 1 marine division; army and corps headquarters; almost all logistical and support forces; one tactical air force and supporting elements. In addition, 1 combat cargo air command; two medium bombardment wings; 1 complete naval fleet, including a fast carrier task group, blockade and escort forces, reconnaisance and antisubmarine units; supply and repair units; and military sea transportation services.
Personnel totals are shown at peak strength and unit contributions do not include augmentations:
The source for the above peak strength is the Korean War Almanac, 1990. The sources for the above casualty data are World Almanac and the Korean Overseas Information Service. See Korean War, 1990, by Stephen Badsey as an additional source for Turkish losses. A number of sources, including Korean War Almanac, were used for the unit contributions data.
Over the years, there has been a marked degree of misunderstanding among veterans of the Korean War, myself included, as to the correct number of casualties incurred by United States Armed Forces. Issue after issue of The Graybeards, the official magazine of the Korean War Veterans Association, is replete with erroneous information pertaining to casualties.
Incorrect casualty numbers also have appeared in the American Legion and VFW magazines in the past; however, both of these publications now are careful to present correct data.
The reason why there is so much confusion about Korean War statistics lies squarely with Department of defense and the Services; for they have not managed to collect all of the information into one officially validated data base. Nor had DoD, since 1980, provided updates on changes and casualty re-classifications to the National Archives and the public.
A continuing, annoying factor is the reluctance of the Services to reveal the full particulars of their casualties to DoD for publication. For example, until recently the Army had claimed that it did not have a list of 2,452 Army "Non-Battle" dead which the Army Surgeon General said had died in Korea.
In a letter to a friend of mine dated June 5, 1992, in response to his FOA request to the Surgeon General for information on Korean War era out-of-theater "other" deaths and in-theater "non-battle" deaths from injuries and diseases, Major General Frederick N. Bussey, MC, Acting TSG, told him this:
We have conducted a thorough search of our Patient Administration Division Statistician’s files and no information germane to your inquiry for that period of time is available. We also contacted Headquarters, U.S. Army Health Services Command, Patient Administration System and Biostatistics Activity (PASBA), Fort Sam Houston, Texas with negative results. Based on the above search, it is our opinion that no records exist that are responsive to your request.
Almost two decades earlier, TSG had published a thorough, comprehensive study of U.S. Army casualty "hostile" and "non-battle" experience in the Korean War between 1950-52 based on Surgeon General records (See Part I, Exhibit 3). At the same time, the Department of the Army had on file a listing of all Army casualties on microfiche.
In order to get at the truth, I have been asking a lot of questions of a whole lot of people; and thanks to a number of friends across the country, I’ve been able to gather quite a lot of interesting information in my files. I don’t expect that I will ever get the complete story, but maybe I’ll get close—for I, and my friends, believe that we need to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Thus, thanks to their help and encouragement, this work is an honest attempt to sort out, reconcile and generally make some sense out of the myriad of statistics which have been published in the past.
To do this, I have relied on a number of other sources for data also, including the U.S. Congress, Library of Congress, National Archives, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, The American Battle Monuments Commission, authors, and researchers.
Some of the information I have uncovered is old; some of it is new; but, to my knowledge, the complete data has never been assembled into one place until now. A gratifying aspect of my research has been the satisfaction I have gotten being able to look up information for Korean War veterans across the country.
Veterans who are involved in gathering, checking names for Korean War memorials or who want details regarding buddies who didn’t come home from Korea. These are veterans who have been given the run-around in getting information from their government.
It is my sincere wish that this work will help them to better understand the statistics; however, I can neither confirm nor deny the reliability of any of the information that I have received from the various sources which are included in this booklet. I am only acting as a reporter.
In order to frame this study, I start with the premise that the DoD is held harmless to the extent that over the years they have published only what was reported to them by the Services. I have to assume that the 1994 Department of Defense numbers especially are correct, for they have had 40+ years to question and analyze the casualty data from the Services and get it right.
At the time the tabulations were prepared in the 1950s, the four branches used different standards for identifying the various casualty categories; sometimes, they differed within a Service. In the Army, for example, the Adjutant General and Surgeon General casualty records differed due to reporting variances; in his study on Army casualties, Frank A. Reister detailed these variances.
In one early report: the Army Adjutant General’s report showed 19,585 KIA (of which 251 were killed after capture), whereas, the Surgeon General’s report showed 19,353 KIA by matching serial numbers from AG and TSG records. In addition, whether a man was listed as "captured" or "missing" largely depended on the interpretation of the person who handled the casualty data.
The Air Force, particularly, insisted on a stronger standard of evidence before concluding that a man had "died while captured or interned" and preferred the category "died while missing" in the interim. For this reason, the DoD identified the 1954 findings as being "tentative."
I cannot vouch for the contents of any of the data either, or the veracity of any of the circumstances surrounding the descriptions, classifications, or other information with respect to losses and identifications. It will be necessary for the reader to ask the various agencies of the government directly; their addresses are listed in Appendix III to this booklet.
This study does not purport to have all the answers; it is, finally, a study based on materials presented to me as being true. Remember, this is one man’s analysis. If any reader has information which will add to, or clarify the understanding of the statistics; or if someone has reliable data that can correct or modify the information I have presented here, I would like to hear from him or her.
In preparing this booklet, at times I have had to repeat the same information in several of the parts; I felt this was necessary in order to better explain the material. I hope the reader will bear with me as he or she pours over the information. When your eyes begin to glaze over, take a break—grab a beer—but don’t quit.
Here are some common misconceptions oft repeated by Korean War veterans which this booklet hopes to zero in on; they are outlined below briefly, and more thoroughly explained in the following parts to this booklet:
One very common misconception is that "54,000" men died in Korea. This simply is not true. In the first place, according to the ABMC "Non-Hostile" list and other references, a small number of women also gave their lives in service in Korea; and many more worldwide during the Korean War era.
However, in the explanation of the Korean War in-theater statistics, the masculine gender will be used (for the most part) to denote both male and female losses. According to official 1994 DoD statistics, of 54,268 worldwide deaths during the period of the Korean War, June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955, a total of 36,913 men died in-theater and 17,355 others died out-of-theater—for a total of 54,268. The superseded 1980 statistics show the total worldwide figure as 54,246—the number inscribed on the Washington, D.C. Korean War veterans memorial.
The second most common misconception is that 8,000+ men are "missing" from Korea; hopefully, this study will help to explain that:
(1) There are 8,177 body-not-recovered cases (BNR) listed by the Army’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI); all of the names are memorialized on the marble panels of the Court of Honor at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. The men are "missing" in the sense that their bodies (not all MIA, but a mix of KIA, MIA, POW) did not come home from the war, or if remains were recovered they were not identified.
(2) Less than 10% of the remains have been recovered since 1954, and hundreds of them have not been identified to date due to the poor condition of the remains. See Exhibit 8.
(3) Today most of the men are believed to be dead or are presumed dead (PFOD)—although there is the possibility that an undetermined number of them may have been alive after the war, and some of them may still be alive. In March 1998, researchers discovered that four servicemen believed to be dead were listed in International Red Cross records as POWs. An investigation is underway. Work to recover and identify remains goes on slowly; the Pentagon’s POW/MIA office continually is updating their PMKOR (Personnel Missing—Korea) database.
While each number in itself has a basis in fact, the portrayal of 8,177 and 7,140 numbers are two distinctly separate casualty categories that can be added together is incorrect. In 1954, there were 7,129 POWs + 11 men held in a special category; thus the true POW figure was 7,129. In 1953, a total of 4,428 men were repatriated just prior to the Armistice on July 27, 1953, leaving a total of 2,701 men who were believed to have died while in POW status. That number has since been reduced to 2,436. All of the POWs whose bodies were not recovered, or if recovered were not identified, are included in the 8,177 list.
While it may very well be true that a number of the men on the so-called "389" (now 388) list may still be alive, it is not correct to say that they are missing in addition to the men listed in the 8,177 list. Simply put, the current list of 388 Body-Not-Recovered cases is included in the larger list of 8,177 BNR names, which in turn is included in the larger 1994 DoD DIOR roster of 34,461 validated "Hostile" and "Non-Battle" names. Put another way, the 389 list is not a list in addition to the 8,177 list, nor is the 8,177 list a roster in addition to the roster 34,461 validated "Hostile" and "Non-Battle" casualties.
In an article in the New York Times on August 8, 1953, General James A. VanFleet, the Commander of the Eighth Army in Korea between April 11, 1951 and February 10, 1953, stated that he believed that a large percentage of the 8,000+ soldiers listed as "missing" were alive. Van Fleet, like General MacArthur, believed that we could have had a total victory in Korea; however, like MacArthur, he would get no political support. [General Van Fleet suffered a personal loss when his son, Air Force Captain James a. VanFleet Jr., was lost in a bombing raid over North Korea in April 1952.]
Shortly after VanFleet’s article was published, a list of 944 names was drawn up in September 1953 by the United States Command after Operation Big Switch and thereafter presented to the Communists for accountability; before the "944" list came into being, it was commonly believed that as many as 954 men may have been alive during and after Operation Big Switch. The list was not a list of un-repatriated POWs, nor was it a list of Americans who were known to have been left in the custody of the Communists.
More accurately, the list contained a mix of reported POW, KIA, and MIA who were classified as "missing and presumed dead." The UNC did not know with any certainty if any of the men on the list were still alive; but the overriding presumption was that there was a possibility that a number of the men may have been captured and held as hostages.
As stated previously, the reader must keep in mind that the list of 944 men was just a part of the larger list of 8,000+ men who were un-accounted for at the time; the "944" list included 610 Army; 19 Marine Corps; 312 Air Force; and three Navy personnel.
Just two and a half weeks after Big Switch, General Mark W. Clark, who wore two hats as Commander in Chief, Far East Command and Commander in Chief, UNC, announced that he had furnished the Communists on November 21, 1953 with a revision of the September 9, 1953 UNC original list of un-accounted for UN personnel. The new list increased the number of U.S. personnel by eight to a total of 952. By the end of December 1953, the number was revised to 965, by august 1954, the total had been reduced to 526.
The reductions came about because of continual efforts made by the U.S. that produced conclusive evidence of death for 418 men on the original list. This information is contained in a study prepared by the U.S. Congress, House Subcommittee on the Far East and the Pacific, "Return of American Prisoners of War Who Have Not Been Accounted for by the Communists (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1957), pp. 2-5 and a DoD release in June 1960.
By June 1955, the figure was reduced to 470 then 450 through partial accounting by the Chinese and North Koreans; it subsequently was increased to 452 based on re-examination of intelligence and information from repatriates. By June 1960, the figure had been reduced to 391.
In response to a question about a "398" list, the Defense Intelligence Agency had this to say on December 8, 1989: "There is no evidence to suggest that any U.S. personnel were not released from captivity in Korea. The 298 "known to have been left in North Korea after the war" is a misleading statement that unfortunately has gained public acceptance. Many of these men disappeared when their units were overrun by Communist forces, others were air crews believed to have parachuted from their aircraft. There is no evidence that 398 (or any other number) [of] Americans were held in captivity and not released at the end of hostilities."
By 1992, the list had been reduced to 389. In 1994, a revised list containing 389 names was presented to the Communists by the UNC for further resolution. The casualty data for each man on the 389 list is included in Cole’s POW/MIA Issues, Volume 3, in narrative form; sources include UNC Military Armistice Command (UNCMAC) and CILHI. Since 1994, one Marine case has been resolved.
Breakdown of the Current List of 388
Status USA USN USMC USAF TOTAL
POW 76 3 4 98 181
MIA 112 0 7 88 207
Totals: 188 3 11 186 * 388
*Now believed to be 235 (unverified)
A provision of the armistice agreement stipulated that each side would render to the other side a full accounting of each and every POW whether alive or dead. However, the accounting has been accomplished largely through the efforts of U.S. Graves Registration Units and the U.S. Intelligence Agencies.
Insofar as it is known, all except 388 of the original list of 944 have been accounted for; all of the men have been presumed dead and are listed on the DoD DIOR roster of 8,177 names which in turn is listed in the DoD roster of 34,461 "Hostile" deaths. The possibility that a number of them may still be alive cannot be foreclosed. If our government has current information as to live sightings, or HOW, WHERE and under WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES any of them died, it isn’t telling.
Recent sensationalized reports in the national press have revisited the claim that "more than 910 American prisoners may have been left behind" in Korea; most of the material has already been published; a great deal of it is contained in Cole’s trilogy and Soldiers of Misfortune.
The recent media stories are based primarily on documents obtained from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library as well as 1953 Congressional subcommittee reports which have been in the public domain for years. Recent reports in the international press tell of glimpses of middle aged white and black men in prisons and in labor gangs in North Korea, possibly 15. Another report claims that Czech Communists used American POWs to test chemical and biological war agents—such claims have drawn little official comment.
With respect to the "910" list, POW transfers to the former Soviet Union and other issues, see:
According to Soldiers of Misfortune (Page 320): "Two U.S. POWs from Korea are still alive in 1960 after almost a decade of slave labor in the Soviet Union." The authors noted that the State Department knew who the men were but refused to release their names; it is not known if the men were included in the original list of 944 names or the 1960 list of 391 names.
"The US Government has ongoing efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans missing and unaccounted for while serving their country In the case of Korea, 8,177 Americans are unaccounted for, including 389 who were listed as prisoners of war (POWs). Discussions with the North Koreans on the subject of unaccounted for personnel are conducted by the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC), which provides updated information to the Korean People’s Army/Chinese People’s Volunteers Military Armistice Commission (KPA/CPV/MAC) as it surfaces. The UNCMAC acts on behalf of all 16 nations, as well as the Republic of Korea, whose men fought and died in the defense of freedom in Korea.
For the past 34 years, the UNCMAC repeatedly has called upon the KPA/CPV to account for the 2,233 unaccounted for UNC personnel, including the 389 Americans, known to have been under enemy control during the Korean War. Also, from 1955 to 1957 the U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia met in Geneva with Chinese representatives 77 times to discuss the accounting of missing Americans. In August 1982, the UNCMAC specifically requested, for the first time, the repatriation of any UNC remains buried in North Korea, even though the Armistice Agreements called for each side to return the other’s war dead.
In keeping with the provisions of the Armistice Agreements, the UNCMAC has returned the remains of CPV soldiers discovered in the Republic of Korea in the years following the war. In May 1987, the UNCMAC attempted to return the remains of 25 North Korean soldiers found in a wartime mass grave, but the KPA refused to accept them even though the KPA had on previous occasions accepted from the UNCMAC the bodies of post-war North Korean civilians who had drowned and washed ashore in the South.
In August 1986, the UNCMAC turned over to the KPA/CPVMAC a thick file of material regarding the locations of UNC remains. The detailed maps and charts pinpointed the burial sites associated with 13 former POW camps and a POW hospital, identified seven former UNC cemeteries in the North and listed 291 crash sites from which lost UNC airmen had not been recovered. In a spirit of compromise, the UNCMAC on July 30, 1987 formally offered to field a Multi-National Team comprised of representatives from UNC nations to assist the KPA in searching for UNC remains. This humanitarian initiative was rebuffed by the KPA.
*Other than the 4,439 U.S. POWs returned in 1953 and the 1,868 American remains returned in 1954, there has been little progress, despite U.S. and UNC efforts, on the part of the other side to resolve the cases of Americans still unaccounted for in North Korea. However, the lack of responsiveness thus far by the KPA on this issue will not blunt the determination of the U.S. Government to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans missing and unaccounted for as a result of the Korean War.
*DoD statistics in 1954:
Source: The Frank Reister Report - According to the Reister Report, which covered only a three-year period, 50 Army hemorrhagic fever (HF) patients died while admitted to the 8228th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH)/48th Surgical Hospital in Korea. Other sources indicate that a number of deaths may have occurred in other MASH and Army evacuation hospitals; as well as in a variety of other UN medical facilities operating in Korea, Japan and elsewhere during the Korean War. An unknown number of deaths occurred prior to hospitalization; thus, are not included in the report.
Source: The Ho Wang Lee Report - It may surprise the reader to know that altogether there were almost 3,000 cases of HF among U.S. forces in Korea between 1951 and 1983 with a fatality rate of 6%. Additionally, another 9,000 Korean soldiers and civilians contacted HF—with a similarly high mortality rate.
That startling revelation is contained in a paper presented by Ho Wang Lee, a noted epidemiologist. Entitled "New Implications of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS)", the paper was presented at the First International Symposium of Public Health convened in Hawaii in March 1983. According to the report, there were 2,422 U.S. cases of HF in Korea between 1951 and 1954 and 503 cases between 1955 and 1983.
Beginning in June of 1951, U.S. troops in large numbers suddenly fell ill with high fever, renal and other failures, diffuse hemorrhages and sometimes fatal shock. At that time, the virus was widely described as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) because of an high incidence of death from renal failure—even though over 60% of all HF cases involved pulmonary and other symptoms which resulted in mild to moderate flu-like symptoms characterized by fever, headache, pain in the back and abdomen and a flushed face.
Strangely, reporting of HF among South Korean soldiers did not occur until 1956. Between then and 1983 there were 4,810 cases with a fatality rate of 6%. Between 1951-1954, the report noted that only 19 Korean civilians had the disease; whereas, 4,117 Koreans came down with HF between 1964 and 1983—at an 8% mortality rate.
Altogether in Korea, there were about 12,000 American and Korean cases through 1983. As late as 1986, newspaper clippings indicate that another 14 cases occurred among U.S. Marines in Okinawa. Altogether, there were about 800 American and Korean deaths. The precise breakdown of American deaths from HF during and since the Korean War is uncertain. Since 1983, Japan and Korea each have reported about 10 cases per year.
According to the Reister Report, the hospital was organized to treat HF patients exclusively. It opened between April 6, 1952 and June 30, 1953. On July 1, 1953, it was renamed the 48th Surgical Hospital and operated until June 30, 9155 when it closed.
Several individuals who served with the unit in Korea, or were patients there, confirmed that the hospital primarily treated HF cases. The biggest problem encountered by the medical staff was renal shutdown. Patients who exhibited routine medical problems were transferred to other hospitals after initial treatment. The later function of the hospital was to conduct research on hemorrhagic fever and hepatitis, to include autopsies. The unit treated mostly Koreans and Americans; but, a small number of Turks, British, Canadians and other UN soldiers also were admitted.
In an article in the May-June 1996 issue of The Graybeards, entitled "The 219th Medical Detachment (PMS) and Hemorrhagic Fever," Henry Augustine reported that malaria and HF were the main areas of concern, but that Korea was a land of many other diseases—encephalitis, leprosy, plague, tuberculosis, dysentery, helminthic infestations and polio, to name the chronic ones.
He said that the unit, a preventive medicine survey outfit of some 11 men, operated under the administrative aegis of the 25th Station Hospital in Taegu. Much of their efforts, he said, involved trapping mice and rats which were then chloroformed, put in plastic bags, frozen so that the parasites would then leave and die.
At that time, they were mounted on slides, identified, and survey reports completed. Then the rodents were shipped to John Hopkins University or other labs for additional study. Augustine reported that some 28-30 years later he "came across an article in a weekly newspaper (he couldn’t remember the name or when he saw it) that said that hemorrhagic fever in Korea was caused by ‘coughing’ rats."
Other than the "Reister" study, it is not known if a comprehensive breakdown of HF cases exists in published form anywhere; including admissions, releases and deaths which occurred throughout the U.S. (or UN) hospital system operating in Korea, Japan, U.S. etc.
One source that possibly could be of historical interest if it were available is "Proceedings, Study Group on Acute Renal Failure (U.S. Army Surgical Research Unit, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, October 14-16, 1957). However, all of the study remains unpublished data according to John P. Merrill, an HF researcher and author.
No public figures appear to be available on the experience with hemorrhagic fever among the North Korean or Chinese armies, or civilians—if indeed any were kept.
In the fall of 1951 a joint U.S.-Japanese medical team visited South Korea just after the outbreak of HF occurred there. The Japanese members of the team had considerable experience in experimenting with hemorrhagic fever and respiratory diseases in Manchuria during the second World War.
In an article which appeared in the Journal of Pediatrics in June 1962, Dr. Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, who was on the staff of the army Medical Service Graduate School at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., wrote that both russia and Japan fielded medical research teams in the Far East between 1936 and 1942. He said that Russia operated to the north of the Amur River, Japan to the south. Both teams used human "volunteers" for bio-medical experimentation.
Gajdusek said that the teams worked independently of each other. Both established infectious and probably virus etiology, and conducted extensive clinical and epidemiologic studies. A number of reports have noted that the Japanese used mostly Asian subjects and some Allied and U.S. POWs held by the Japanese in Manchuria during WWII. The Russians also reportedly used humans in their experiments, including mental patients.
The gory details of the extensive Japanese testing of chemical and biological warfare agents in the Far East during WWII, hidden from the world until recently, now have been made public and have been written about in Military and other publications. It is now a matter of general publication that after World War II General Douglas MacArthur cut a deal with Lt. Gen. Ishii Shiro, the former CO of the 731 Regiment, which conducted the experiments.
Ishii and his staff were spared prosecution for committed war crimes in exchange for information about Japanese biological experimentation. Both Ishii and Kitano Masaji were employed as consultants during the Korean War, and more recently in September 1962 in Colorado. Over the years, in interviews with a number of historical researchers, men assigned to the notoriously evil Japanese research unit in Manchuria have admitted that they cultivated more than a dozen pathogens, including typhoid, cholera, plague and others, and used them to infect prisoners or spray villagers in occupied areas. Several of the men testified that doctors studied the progress of the disease, then concluded by dissecting prisoners without anesthetic while they were still alive. At least 3,000 people are believed to have been victims.
Gavin Daws, in Prisoners of the Japanese, writes that Unit 731 in Manchuria operated a compound numbering 150 buildings. He said that both whites and Asians were used as guinea pigs. They were called maruta, meaning logs of wood. The Japanese also experimented with hemorrhagic viruses. According to Daws: "Others were cut up alive to see what happened in successive stages of hemorrhagic fever. Others had their blood siphoned off and replaced with horse blood."
In the February 1996 issue of the American Legion, Cliff Kincaid in his "Washington Watch" wrote that VA Secretary Jesse Brown, some 50 years later, has led a behind-the-scenes attempt to get special compensation for U.S. victims who survived the inhuman medical experimentation.
Although the Japanese researchers employed a deadly mix of science and evil in Manchuria, due to the questionable MacArthur-Ishii deal, the U.S. was able to learn what the Japanese knew about hemorrhagic fever and that knowledge saved lives in Korea.
In the beginning months of the HF outbreak in Korea, there was little knowledge as how to treat the disease. But thanks to the availability in nearby Japan of living Japanese medical personnel who had been assigned to the 731st during WWII, and a great deal of literature, American doctors were able to study the results of that barbaric and reprehensible research in detail. In the process, they were able to develop effective therapy to combat the various sub-strains of the disease.
According to Dr. Gajdusek, investigative work similar to some of the work done by the Japanese and Russians in the Far East had been conducted by the 8228th MASH in Korea. He said that "American efforts, more extensive than earlier Russian and Japanese attempts, likewise failed to establish the disease in any of the wide range of experimental hosts, including tissue cultures of human cells." He did not explain the extent of the experiments.
It is interesting to note, that although West Germany was not listed as a participant in the Korean War, there was a German medical unit in Korea that operated under the auspices of the World Health Organization of the United Nations. The unit worked independently of U.S., British and other medical organizations. It handled hemorrhagic fever cases, performed autopsies and conducted research. In January 1956, a report of 18 such autopsies was featured in an article by W.D. Germer in the German Medical Journal. The findings of death due to hemorrhagic fever pointed mostly to renal causes, a few pulmonary and other causes.
Before 1992, there were several deaths from hemorrhagic fever in the U.S. of military personnel who had returned home from Korea during the incubation period of their disease. Then in 1992, an outbreak of a new strain of fever described as "hantavirus," a sub-strain of the HF virus, occurred at the juncture where Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico meet in the U.S.
Purportedly, the dung of the "deer mouse" was the suspected reservoir for the disease in that outbreak. How the dung came to harbor the virus was not explained. There was some panic, due to the deadly and gruesome nature of HF which can cause severe pulmonary infection, or intensive bleeding and shock, resulting in death—but the epidemic was short-lived.
Deaths from similar diseases over the past decade in the U.S. so far has resulted in the deaths of at least 43 people. According to a recent report on the News Wire Service, July 3, 1996, the death of an Illinois resident, due to confirmed Hantaviral infection (a.k.a. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome "HPS") occurred in a Madison, Wisconsin hospital.
Some 45 years after the first case of HF in Korea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a call for proposals to do a records-based follow-up on 1550 veterans who survived "Korean Hemorrhagic Fever," one of the sub-strains of HF in Korea.
According to an article written by Michael Strysick in the May-June 1996 issue of The Graybeards, the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of sciences, has agreed to collaborate with investigators at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in doing the research. The research will be conducted as soon as the CDC funds the project.
Veterans who were hospitalized with "Epidemic Hemorrhagic Fever," "Songo Fever," of "Korean Hemorrhagic Fever" between January 1951 and August 1953 are strongly advised to contact the Institute of Medicine National Academy of Science, 2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20418.
History tells us that a number of such viruses have been around for a long, long time—perhaps as long as a thousand years as suggested by descriptions of similar viruses in old Chinese medicine journals.
Before Korea, epidemics occurred in western Europe and in the vast land masses of China and territories of the former USSR and west to Finland and Scandinavia—mostly in times of war—variously called:
At one point in doing this study, I revisited Reister’s book for additional clues as to the HF deaths and noted that on a worldwide basis there were 2,410 U.S. Army deaths due to disease alone. Inasmuch as there ere 509 cases of infectious and parasitic diseases in Korea, as noted above, then there had to be 1,901 cases in other parts of the world—leading up to the questions, where and what kinds of diseases were they?
News Article, Evening Star, Washington, DC, February 21, 1952:
"There has been a decline of frostbite cases among Army troops in Korea this year, but little progress has been made so far in combating epidemic hemorrhagic fever there, Maj. Gen. O.E. Armstrong said yesterday. The Army surgeon General told a news conference that 6 ½ percent of the 1,000 cases of the fever among United Nations troops, excluding South Koreans, have proved fatal. There are few cases among South Koreans, he said.
The disease, first encountered by the Japanese in Manchuria in 1938, is believed to be transmitted by mites which live on rats. It begins with a fever, redness of the eyes and finally kidney hemorrhages. Now a medical team, headed by Dr. Joseph Swadel of Walter Reed Army Medical Research School, will leave next month to be on hand for any new outbreaks.
But the progress in combating cold weather injuries has been more encouraging. So far this year there have been some 700 cases of frostbite, compared with 4,400 last year, Gen. Armstrong said. The general, who only last week returned from a trip to Korea during which he studied the whole battle front by jeep, reported greater precautions to eliminate frostbite. Reprimands are handed out to victims who contract frostbite through negligence, he said.
Asked about neuropsychiatric cases in the battle area, Gen. Armstrong reported there was an average of 54.1 cases per 1,000 men annually. But out of every 200, roughly 65 recover without leaving the front-line area and only five ever have to be brought back to the United States for treatment. The objective, the general said, was to treat such cases as far forward as possible.
There have been 6,000 cases of malaria among troops who have been rotated back to this country, he said, but the United States Public Health Service does not think this presents a menace because the mosquitoes that transmit it are under control. Malaria in Korea itself is being kept down, and Gen. Armstrong reported that primaquin is being used successfully among suppressed cases, which developed among the returned soldiers."
A. The Cole Trilogy:
From October 1991 to April 1993, the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Department of Defense, sponsored a study which focused on U.S. POW/MIA issues from the Korean War. The research was conducted in the National Defense Research Institute, RAND’s federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff. The research and study for the trilogy was conducted by Paul M. Cole and a team of RAND researchers and others.
In 1994, RAND published the results of the study in three volumes: POW/MIA Issues:
Volume 1, The Korean War addresses issues relating to American Prisoners of War (POW) and U.S. servicemen who were declared or presumed to be Missing in Action (MIA) following the Korean War—men who were not repatriated and whose bodies were not recovered, or if recovered were not identified—including men who may have been transferred to the Soviet Union [8,177 Body-Not-Recovered (BNR) cases in 1954; 8,140 in 1994 and 8,135 in 1996].
Volume 2, World War II and the Early Cold War examines the plight of American POWs who were held in Soviet custody in World War II; early Cold War incidents; and recovery and accounting efforts and issues.
Volume 3 contains appendices, maps and lists which complement the material in Volumes I and II.
B. The CILHI Mapper Data Base:
In a letter dated June 22, 1995, Charles W. Henley, Director, External Affairs, Defense POW/MIA Office, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. advised me that Cole used the CILHI Mapper data base of 8,140 Body-Not-Returned (BNR) cases as a starting point for much of the calculations in his work. CILHI is the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Honolulu, Hawaii. Henley said CILHI continues to research archival sources of Korean War casualty and POW/MIA statistics to improve the data base.
The data base continues to be revised and should not be considered as a final authoritative source of BNR statistics. Since the publication of Cole’s study, five identifications have been made, reducing the BNR count to 8,135.
He cited a fire in 1973 at the National Personnel Records Center at St. Louis, Missouri and a 1990 fire in D.C. which destroyed the American Battle Monuments Commission’s (ABMC) historical record of the "8,177" list as two events which has made the task of researching data more difficult. Henley said: "We hope to resolve this issue as soon as possible, but currently have no deadline in sight."
No explanation was offered, however, as to why the total information had not been retrieved by CILHI and researched thoroughly prior to the fires in 1973 and 1990. According to Military, November 1996: "The VA now says they have found 10 million duplicate records of those destroyed in the fire of 1973. If you are one of those who was told your records were burned, contact VA at National Personnel Records, GSA, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132."
C. Court of Honor
In a letter dated March 7, 1995, William E. Ryan, Jr., Colonel, ADA, Director of Operations and Finance, The American Battle Monuments Commission, Washington, D.C., informed me that the names of 8,182 members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives and whose remains were not recovered, are memorialized on the marble panels of the "court of Honor" in the Honolulu Memorial at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii. Included are 8,177 men listed as Missing in Action, lost or buried at sea or whose remains are un-identifiable; and the crew of a United States Navy loss not directly related to the Korean War—except for the time period.
D. The "Selected Korean Conflict Casualties" Roster and "Korean Conflict Casualty Summary": See Part I of this study.
This analysis examines the relationship of the information contained in references A through D above, in conjunction with a number of other documents from a variety of different sources.
Cole’s Volume I report concluded that the total number of BNR cases from the Korean War stood at 8,140 in 1994. See Exhibit 8 for subsequent changes. Of that total, 5,945 cases had been confirmed or verified by eye-witness testimony or documented by U.S. forces in Korea—leaving 2,195 officially un-confirmed and un-documented cases of men who indeed can truthfully be referred to as the "truly missing."
They are believed to include:
3,107 men listed as MIA; an unknown member of whom may have been transported to the former USSR, and
88 Air force MIA for whom some existing collateral documentation supports the belief that they may have been in fact transferred from Korea to the former Soviet Union (see Paul M. Cole, POW/MIA Issues: Volume 1, The Korean War, 1994, pages xv and 182. Also see Working Papers, "The Transfer of U.S. Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union," prepared by the Joint Commission Support Branch, Research and Analysis Division, DPMO, Department of Defense (DPMO) (DoD’s "POW/MIA Office"), August 26, 1993, which study complements the information contained in Cole’s study published by RAND in 1994.
[Universe of POW-BNR and MIA-BNR (including KIA-BNR) and some PCK-BNR ("Post Capture Killed") Cases]
A./ Prisoner of War Body-Not-Recovered (POW-BNR) Cases
Confirmed/Documented POW-BNR Cases 2,119 2./
B./ Missing in Action (MIA-BNR) Cases (to include Killed In Action (KIA-BNR) and Some Post Capture Killed (PCK-BNR) Cases
Confirmed U.S. Graves in North Korea 2,096 3./
Deaths Not Confirmed/Documented 2,107 4./
Total = 4,203
USSR (Air Force) - not confirmed/documented 51
USSR (Air Force) - some existing evidence 37
Total = 88 5./
Documented Deaths During Forced Marches in North Korea 959
Burials Linked to Aircraft Crashes 412
Lost at Sea (All Services) 293
Post-War Identifications (CILHI) 13
Cases Outside of Korea (e.g., Japan/
/Between Japan & Korea) 53
Total =1,730
Overall Total Cases: 6,021
C./ Recapitulation: 2,119 POW-BNR Cases + 6,021 MIA-BNR Cases [3,096 + 2,107 + 88 + 1,730] = Total 8,140 BNR or "unaccounted for" cases. The total 6,021 MIA-BNR cases include a small number of KIA-BNR and PCK-BNR cases. Over 50% of the cases have an incident date.
Footnotes
1./ 8,140 Body-Not-Returned Cases:
In 1954, the list of BNR cases totaled 8,177 (all categories, MIA, POW, KIA (including PCK-KIA); according to the Cole/RAND study, a total of 37 cases were "resolved" independently of "Operation Glory" reducing the number to 8,140, not recovered from the Korean War (See Cole, Volume, page 23).
At the end of "Operation Glory" in 1954, the DoD stated that the remains of 4,023 United Nations Command personnel, including 1,868 Americans were returned by the Communists; including, according to Cole (pg. 247), a total of 556 remains returned to U.S. control from Pyoktong (Communist Prison Camp No. 5) between September 1 and October 12, 1954).
Of the Americans returned, 1,020 were identified and 848 were unidentified and declared unknown casualties. Over the years, an additional 11 Americans were added to the list, bringing the total up to 859. The 11 are believed by some to be Navy air personnel who were shot down during the "Cold War," who were known to be detained in Siberia, but who never returned home. See Cole, Volume I, page 73. The 859 remains are buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Unfortunately, the DoD DIOR "Korean Conflict Casualty Summary" does not explain the casualty categories of the 859 (now 854) unidentified remains. According to Cole, the 859 (now 854) deaths were attributed to KIA, MIA and POW. Until DoD/CILHI releases more information, the true make-up of the list will not be known to the public at large. Because the remains are considered to be un-identifiable, they remain in the BNR list which in 1994 stood at 8,140 cases, according to the Cole/RAND study.
According to an article written by Donald M. Cush, "One Man’s Long Journey Back to Korea," in the May-June 1996 issue of The Graybeards, KWVA, an undisclosed number of remains were transferred from the United Nations Cemetery in Pusan to Hawaii to the Punch Bowl. Whether the remains from Pusan were included in the original 859 is unclear.
According to a Korean cemetery official, only 29 Americans were interred in the Pusan cemetery, purportedly at their own request. A cemetery official told Cush that, "The few Americans which remain had requested to be interned (sic) in Korea." According to a recent visitor to the cemetery, only three Americans are now interred. According to DoD, since 1994, a number of remains have been recovered and identified. See Exhibit 8.
In a letter dated December 1, 1994, John F. Manning, Assistant Chief, Mortuary Affairs and Casualty Support Division, Department of the Army, U.S. Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, Virginia 22331-0482, advised me that:
"In May 1990, for the first time since 1994, the Korean People’s Army (KPA) released remains alleged to be those of Americans who died in the Korean War, to United Nations Command officials in Panmunjom. A total of 208 coffins containing remains have been released since that time, incremental, in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994. ‘Thirty-eight of these remains were returned with name associations by the KPA. The remains have been taken to the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, for identification processing. Four of these remains have been identified to date….Due to the condition and co-mingling of the remains, the lack of recovery information, and the lack of antemortem records and X-rays, a considerable amount of time will be required before many of these remains are identified."
In a letter dated January 6, 1995, James W. Wold, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (POW/MIA Affairs), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, 2400 Defense Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-2400 informed me that:
"Since 1990 the North Koreans have returned to the United States 208 coffins containing the probable remains of American servicemen. The inclusion of more than one set of remains per coffin, as a result of co-mingling, has complicated our ability to determine the total number of repatriated remains. To date four identifications have been made. The mains of United States Army Sergeant Frank Morales of Puerto Rico were identified in early 1994, followed by the most recent identification of Captain George Aaron of New York, New York; First Lieutenant Elmer T. Bullock of Concord, New Hampshire; and Master Sergeant Robert W. Jones of Dekalb, Texas—three United States airmen."
Based on the above information, Cole’s analysis logically is amended as follows: 2,119 POW-BNR Cases = 6,016 MIA-BNR Cases = Total 8,135 BNR—leaving 854 unidentified remains. See Exhibit 8 for a recapitulation of the above BNR identifications.
Validated Deaths (DoD DIOR - 1994)
"Missing Remains" (Cole Study)
Recovered Remains (Deduced)
*Indicates 6,016 KIA/DWM ("missing") and 22,664 KIA/DWM presumed recovered.
Since 1996, additional remains have been recovered, further reducing the 8,135 figure. See Exhibit 8. Whether or not the information gleaned from CILHI daa by Paul M. Cole, and subsequent recoveries, is true and correct is open to question.
The Stars and Stripes, 8-14 April 1996 had this to say: "There will never be a ‘fullest possible accounting’ for American service members missing from the Vietnam War. There can never be such an accounting, because there is no one who can be trusted to make such an accounting. The government agencies charged with the job have made such a hash of it—sometimes through honest error but also through outright falsehood—that no one seriously interested in the issue can ever trust them again."
The editorial gave numerous examples of "scientific fraud" perpetuated by CILHI over the years with respect to the identification of remains from the Vietnam War. According to Stars and Stripes, "The final nail in the coffin may have been the case of Mateo Sabog. One year ago, the United States government through its high-tech sophisticated Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI) identified the remains of Mateo Sabog, missing since 1970, and buried them with full honors. Last month, Sgt. Sabog, now 73, walked into a Social Security office in Georgia and filed for benefits."
2./ Korean War POW Deaths:
In 1953, as many as 2,730 POW deaths were reported by repatriated prisoners. Over the years, the number of POW deaths has been modified based on a continuing program of re-examination of data. By 1954, official reports of POW deaths ranged from 2,660 to 2,701 (7,129 POWs—4,428 men who were repatriated in 1953).
A report dated November 4, 1954, prepared by the Office of Secretary of Defense, Progress Reports and Statistics, indicated that a total of 2,701 POW had "Died while captured or interned." The official total of 7,129 captured POW did not include 11 men held in "special" status [some 1954 reports show 7,140 as the POW total].
The 4,428 men repatriated in 1953 consisted of 149 returned in Operation Little Switch; 3,597 returned in Operation Big Switch; plus 682 escapees, evadees and others released after capture and returned to military control by the Communists. Branch of service totals were: 3,973 Army; 224 Air Force; 200 Marine Corps; and 31 Navy.
In 1980, the official number of POW deaths was changed to 2,415; and as of October 27, 1994 the total stood at 2,436. [Korean War Educator note: An update on these figures can be found elsewhere on the "People Not Statistics" page of this website.] These data suggest that at least since November 4, 1954 a total of 265 DWC cases have been reclassified from DWC to KIA or DOW (2,701-2,436). See "Summary Comparison of Selected "Hostile" Casualties" in PART 1 of this booklet.
Heavy POW Death Toll in 1950-1951
One interim estimate by the DA, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, dated September 30, 1954, serves as a terrible reminder of the heavy death toll of POWs during the early months of the war. The report shows a total of 6,654 men captured between June 50 and July 53, of which 2,660 died during that period of time for a 39.98% death rate:
June-October 1950
November 1950-February 1951
March-June 1951
First Year
July-April 1952
May 1952-March 1953
April-July 1953
Totals 1950-1953
Considering the 1994 (current) DoD statistics, the ratio of men who were POWs (7,129) to deaths (2,436) is 34%--a vivid testimony to the cruelty and barbarism of their Communist captors when you compare the ratios with other recent wars: Vietnam (12%) and World War II (10.8%).
3./ Known Graves:
According to Cole/RAND, there are 2,508 known graves in North Korea (2,096 + 412; see above chart). Of these, 1,520 are in United Nations Command temporary cemeteries and 576 are in isolated burial sites (Army 217, USAF 4, branch/nationality unknown 108, and 247 identified from Army Quartermaster data). See Cole, Volume 1, Page xvi.
4./MIA Deaths Not Confirmed:
It is possible that hundreds, possibly as many as 1,000-2,000, of the 2,107 undocumented/unconfirmed MIA deaths, noted in the above analysis may have been transported to prisons in the former Soviet Union (according to a DoD DPMO POW/MIA Office) study—based on testimony and data provided by Lt. Col. Philip Corso and Journalist Zygmunt Nagorski.
Corso told a Senate investigations committee in 1992 that a high-level Soviet defector confirmed to him the transfer of hundreds of American POWs to Siberia in rail cars during the war, but that President Eisenhower chose not to force the issue on the grounds that a confrontation might escalate into all-out war. An unlikely story—the real reason more than likely had to do with cost-benefit analysis.
In 1996, a document dealing with the smuggling of U.S. POWs to Siberia, dated January 31, 1955, stamped "Secret" has surfaced from the White House files of President Dwight D. Eisenhower naming the Soviet official as saying that "U.S. and other U.N. POWs were being held in Siberia."
Also see Cole, Volume 3, page 102; Corso’s testimony regarding two train loads of U.S. POWs, 450 per train, with "ample evidence" of a third train—for a total of 1,200. Also see Soldiers of Fortune, page 152, by James D. Sanders, Mark A. Sauter, and R. Cort Kirkwood, 1992. Also see John M.G. Brown, "Our Unknown POWs," The American Legion Magazine, September 1995, who said that 1,200-2,000 POWs may have been transferred to the former USSR. [Brown served as a POW/MIA expert for the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. He is the author of Moscow Bound: Policy, Politics and the POW/MIA Dilemma.]
In May 1996, an article with a Washington dateline appeared in the press indicating that the "Remains of as many as 4,000 of the more than 8,100 servicemen unaccounted for from the Korean War could be recovered in field searches that may begin in North Korea before year’s end, a Pentagon official said Friday." By September, the joint effort had been put on hold. (See Part IX.) Inasmuch as 2,096 deaths/burials have been confirmed in North Korea, the 4,000 number is suspect—unless the number includes the 2,107 unconfirmed/undocumented cases.
In February 1998, Robert Burns, an Associated Press writer, reported that the Army has declassified a series of eight "secret" reports written at different intervals during the Korean War by Army intelligence officers attempting to track POW movements. The intelligence summaries, each entitled "UN Prisoners of War Camps and Conditions in Korea, Manchuria and China," led to the conclusion that American servicemen were shuttled through a clandestine network of prison camps in Manchuria and China during the war, with Manchuria being used as a collecting area.
So-called "peace" camps were established in Beijing, Dandong and Shanghai. Other camps were located in Harbin and Tsingtao (now Qingdao). One of the reports indicated that the POWs who were not sent to China for political indoctrination were sent to mines and labor camps in Manchuria. An August 1952 report said that the largest of this type of camp as of May 1952 was at Chungchun in the Manchurian region of northeastern China: "2,000 POWs here; they will not be exchanged." [Contradiction: Currently living in the U.S. is a Marine ex-POW who escaped from the Manchurian coal mines. He said that the Soviets on occasion bought POWs from the CCF for labor in Siberia.]
5./ Russians Confronted Over POWs:
On September 27, 1993, the Houston Post reported that the U.S. government confronted Moscow, allegedly for the first time, with evidence that hundreds of U.S. Korean War POWs were secretly moved to the former Soviet Union. The "evidence" is spelled out in a report, dated August 26, 1993, prepared by the Joint Commission Support Branch, Research and Analysis Division, DPMO, DoD—the "POW/MIA Office"—entitled "The transfer of U.S. Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union."
A copy was given to the Russians at a meeting in Moscow early in September 1993. But, according to the Houston Post, "the Clinton administration has refused to release it." Notwithstanding, a copy of the report was obtained by the Associated Press. I got a copy from Congresswoman Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME). Part of the "evidence" is a list of 37 airmen (35 pilots and two enlisted men) missing from the Korean War whom the U.S. believes may have been captured and sent to the USSR. See Appendix II to this booklet for the list. Also see Cole, Volume 1, pages 161 and 166.
Exhibit 8 - Recap of Rand/Cole Study of Body-Not-Returned (B NR) Cases
Korean Operation BNR Cases
"Operation Glory"
5 (8./)
Total Bodies Not Returned = 6.272
Total Bodies Returned = 1,868
Total Cases Resolved = 1,025
Total Cases Not Resolved = 843 (9./)
Total Other Cases Not Resolved = 11 (9./)
Overall Total = 8,135 (10./)
Explanations:
1./ The ABMC lists 8,182 BNR cases.
2./ Five of the 8,182 BNR cases were not related to the Korean Operation.
3./ Thus, in 1954, the BNR count was 8,177 cases.
4./ Unrelated to "Operation Glory," 37 cases were resolved.
5./ That reduced the BNR total to 8,140. This constitutes the CILHI Mapper Data Base (and it is the total arrived at by the Cole/RAND Study published in 1994 for the Korean Operation). Of the total of 8,140 cases [2,119 POW(BNR) cases and 6,021 MIA/KIA (BNR) cases], some 5,945 were witnessed/documented cases. However, 2,195 cases were not documented/witnessed and an unknown number of the 2,195—"The Truly Forgotten"—were believed to be transferred to the USSR, estimated to be anywhere from 50 to 1,200.
6./ In "Operation Glory" in 1954, the remains of 1,868 Americans were returned. 1,020 were identified/resolved and 848 were not identified or resolved. The co condition of the remains was deplorable.
7./ Over the years, an additional 11 Americans were added to the roster of those whose remains have been recovered by not identified. The 11 men may be Navy personnel shot down during the "Cold War" known to be alive and detained in Siberia, who never returned.
8./ Since 1990, 208 coffins have been returned containing probable remains. Four identifications were made in 1994/95. A fifth ID was made in 1996. The condition of these remains also were deplorable, and there were stories in the press that remains were co-mingled and no one was sure if all the remains were American or for that matter all human.
9./ Thus, the cases not resolved from just the Korean Operation now stand at 843. [843 + 11 = 854 total cases Korea & Other]
10./ At the end of 1996, the total BNR count was 8,135. In February 1998, the Air Force Casualty Office discovered information in the National Records Center in St. Louis, MO which confirmed that the remains of four USAF personnel listed as KIA-BNR were in fact recovered. Thus, the BNR count was effectively reduced to 8,131.
In 1998, an identification of a soldier was made stemming out of joint U.S.-DPRK recovery operations in North Korea in 1996, further reducing the BNR count to 8,130 (see Part IX for information). The forensic identification of the soldier was made by the U.S. Army’s Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, using dental records.
Part VIII - The Sad Spectacle of Americans Blaming Americans
A large number of Americans are against sending U.S. troops to foreign lands under the aegis of the United Nations to intervene in international disputes. But if our troops are committed, as patriotic Americans we will support them 100%, even though we do not support the policy.
Should significant hostilities break out during one of these missions and prisoners are taken, it is our hope that we will do everything in our power to rescue them. Not aid and abet the enemy, as some Americans did in the 1950s during the Korean War, by callously blaming our POWs for their own misfortunes and dehumanizing them in the process—while they were in captivity and when they returned home.
According to the Department of Defense, a total of 2,436 POWs died in Korea in the brutal Communist prison camps and their environs. Most of the deaths resulted from murder, disease, starvation, maltreatment, and medical experimentation (the so-called "monkey gland" experiments in the so-called "sick houses"), etc. In 1957, a Senate committee gathered evidence that showed:
"The treatment given American prisoners in Communist prisoner-of-war camps was a sequel to the brutalities and indignities suffered by the prisoners on death marches. The prisoners at these camps were survivors of marches and were necessarily in poor physical condition. The deliberate plan of savage and barbaric handling of these men was a continuation of he policy which existed on all the marches and violated virtually every provision of the Geneva Convention of 1929. They were denied adequate nourishment, water, clothing, and shelter. Not only were they denied medical care but they were also subjected to experimental monkey-gland operations. Housing conditions were horrible, resulting in widespread disease."
In a five-month period ending in the spring of 1951, some 1,600 POWs died in Camp 5 and several of the smaller surrounding camps situated on the Yalu River, according to eye-witnesses. Hundreds of others died in other camps. No major effort was staged by the United States to rescue them. Another 4,845 Americans were listed as missing in action, many of whom may have died in enemy hands. Many of them were written off in 1953 despite credible evidence that some of them were still alive. Perhaps as many as 700-1,200 may have been spirited off to the USSR.
Altogether, by the end of 1995, the remains of at least 8,135 American fighting men officially have not been recovered. If any of them have been recovered, they have not been officially identified. In 1954, the total stood at 8,177, thus it is apparent that not much progress has been made over the past 40+ years to recover or identify remains.
Most of the men who wound up in the Communist camps fought valiantly on the field of battle before being captured. But once cut off and abandoned along the frozen Yalu they had no hope of rescue. 67 tried to escape in vain. At the end of 1953, 149 POWs were repatriated during Operation Little Switch. Later 3,597 were repatriated in Operation Big Switch. Within a year, all remaining MIAs were written off as dead.
In January 1996, the Pentagon confirmed that four U.S. deserters were still alive in North Korea but dismissed as "totally false" accounts in the South Korean press that some U.S. POWs were alive there. In the 24-30 June 1996 issue of The Stars and Stripes, writer John Herrara reported that 10 to 15 U.S. soldiers may still be alive and held in North Korea, according to another Pentagon report.
The two-page report, leaked to the press by Rep. Robert Dornan, R-California, summarizes the conclusions of In Sung Lee, an analyst at the Pentagon’s POW/MIA office. The Pentagon, however, said that the memo was a draft report that does not reflect the official position of the office or the Department of Defense. It would be interesting to know how the men were carried on official casualty lists—if at all.
As time passes, more information on Communist cruelty to our POWs comes to light. On June 21, 1996, AP military writer Robert Burns reported that "up to several dozen" Americans and other UN prisoners taken prisoner in the Korean War may have been used as "laboratory specimens" in drug tests run by Soviet and Czech doctors and then executed to preclude public exposure of the testing.
According to a formerly secret U.S. government report dated April 27, 1992, source unnamed, Air Force intelligence officials first learned of the alleged testing program in 1990. The information may not have been shared with Congress. Copies of the report were made public in June 1996 by Rep. Robert Dornan, R-California in a hearing that focused on POW/MIA issues. The drug experiments allegedly were done at a Czech-built hospital in North Korea during the period of the three-year war.
In a note attached to the report, Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper, Jr., then director of the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, revealed the details of the program. He wrote that: "The purpose of the program was to develop comprehensive interrogation techniques involving medical, psychological and drug-induced behavior modification."
Although the AP report did not identify the source of the information, it said that Gen. Clapper had described the source of the information as reliable. Speaking of the source, Gen. Clapper said: "The source was well placed in that he personally saw progress reports on the work in North Korea that were forwarded to top leadership in the Czech Central Committee and Ministry of Defense." It would be interesting to know how their deaths were reported in official casualty reports also.
There are a number of myths about the Korean War POW experience which need to be addressed, but for the purpose of this part, only the charge of "cooperation" by the POWs with their captors will be discussed.
American POWs in Korea were held to much stricter standards by their fellow Americans than their World War II fathers and older brothers who died in the prison camps in that war—and they were severely criticized for the slightest infraction of rules.
During World War II in Germany, it was commonplace for Americans who were captured by the Germans to cooperate with them in order to make life easier for themselves. In some of the Stalags, Germans and Americans cooperated quite freely and even put on Christmas shows together. Trading between the captors and the captives was winked at. Red Cross parcels were given up for privileges. In some instances, lasting friendships were developed between the enemies. The two sides got along quite well and there were no instances of Germans killing Americans in a systematic and brutal way in the prison camps.
Although POWs in other wars were regarded differently, in Korea, no slack was given to American G.I.s who were forced, upon threat of certain death, to cooperate with the enemy. The POWs behaved no differently than U.S. and allied POWs during the war in the Pacific in such places as Bataan, Corregidor, Singapore and Mukden, China, where the murderous Unit 731 operated.
The perfidious slander of our POWs came mostly from an alarming number of Americans who seemingly were sympathetic to or duped by the Communist propaganda apparatus and who were too willing to believe the worst about their fellow Americans. Others, who had never been POWs themselves, honestly believed that Americans under no circumstances should ever cooperate with the enemy even in the face of certain death.
The harsher standards dictated that even passive "cooperation" with the enemy was deemed to be traitorous "collaboration." Sadly, too many Americans peddled that line and in the process slandered everyone unfortunate enough to get captured by the Communists. That rigid mind set led to the establishment of a new Code Conduct. Although the 1955 code had beneficial aspects, it should be noted that it was, nevertheless, scrapped in 1977 as unrealistic and unworkable—so much for good intentions!
History tells us that the slander of our Korean War POWs had its roots in Cold-War Communist propaganda in an attempt to discredit Americans as weak and decadent while at the same time portraying Communists as strong and invincible. The propaganda also served as a means to exonerate the Chinese Communists from their despicable propaganda-driven behavior in Korea by shifting blame from themselves onto American POWs for the POWs own suffering and deaths in their brutal prison camps—places reminiscent of Stalin’s death camps in the Siberian Gulag system.
If one takes the time to look, there is an abundance of evidence to refute the Communist lies, making it difficult to believe in 1995 that some people still are willing to parrot long-discredited misrepresentations about American POW behavior during the Korean War.
During and after the Korean War, there seemed to be a willingness, almost eagerness on the part of some Americans, including members of the media, government officials, and others to blame the Korean War POWs for the misdeeds and misfortunes of a few miscreants in order to paint them all with the same wide brush. And, they seemed too ready and anxious to exonerate the Communists for their savage and brutal behavior toward our comrades-in-arms and to blame the POWs for their own deaths at the hands of their captors--deaths which actually were caused by inhuman and barbaric treatment, disease, murder and medical experimentation in prison "sick houses".
Don Snyder, an author who researched conditions at camp 5 from National Archives documents, described the prison as a "miniature holocaust." He found, curiously, that Camp 5 had been built by the Communists before the Korean War started in anticipation of receiving American prisoners of war—a camp ready and waiting for its victims. He said that upon arrival, prisoners:
"were packed tightly into dozens of floor-less mud-and-stick huts. Packed so tightly they slept like sardines, no one able to stretch out his legs. It was an arctic place, with little sunlight and no warmth. At night the rats burrowed between their bodies to keep alive. The prisoners’ cries for food and water were ignored. There was no medicine to kill their pain. At night they prayed for the wind to howl hard enough to drown out the sounds of men vomiting and weeping. Below the sound of the wind there were death rattles to awaken them. The Chinese were in charge of this subjugation, carrying out a program of systematic torture and torment that went on day and night. Prisoners were thrown into holes in the ground too shallow and narrow for them to lie down or stand up in. For days they were kept there, crouching and calling out. They were kept in cages and stabbed with sharpened sticks by the passing guards. As a form of entertainment for their captors, they were tied with ropes and strung up on wooden beams in such a way that when they moved involuntarily they would die by hanging themselves. There were prisoners with their eyes gouged out of their skills and others with limbs missing. Twice a day they were given a meal, but here, too, it consisted of cracked corn like chicken feed. They were covered with lice. There was pneumonia and beri-beri and dysentery. Men had dysentery so bad that their bowels moved every half hour for months. Every night there were more horrors, and in the morning more men to bury, their bodies already gnawed upon by the rats. Those wounded prisoners who had made it this far submitted to the Korean ‘sick houses’ hoping for refuse. Instead, they were used a guinea pigs for indescribable medical experiments."
Between the fall of 1950 and the spring of 1951, anywhere from 1,600 to 2,000 American fighting men, who had the misfortune to fall into Communist hands, died under such circumstances.
After the Korean War, two primary POW studies were conducted—an Army-sponsored study at George Washington University and an Air Force study at Maxwell Air Force Base. Both efforts were terminated before they were completed without comprehensive reports being compiled by the study groups.
Out of these studies emerged a recommendation from the Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Defense on Prisoners of War (1955) which formulated the new Code of Conduct rules—a code which did not stand up under the test of time.
In lieu of a report, the Defense Advisory Committee published a pamphlet which contained only summary information and almost no documentation. It must be assumed that whatever was not in the pamphlet, including individual dossiers, was for the most part held in secret. The reason why, perhaps, there never was an official public report. Thus, the whole truth was never told to the American people, and thousands of America’s servicemen were smeared in the process. And a slanderous myth was allowed to continue into perpetuity by our government and the U.S. Army, whose uniform, even though reduced to rags, the POWs so proudly wore until the time of their untimely deaths- -most of whom were in their late teens or early 20s—thousands of whom were murdered or died from causes arising out of malnutrition or disease—men who were not around after the Korean War to defend themselves against the malicious slander of their fellow Americans—for dead men tell no tales!
One of these POWs was Robert Englehart, Infantryman, Company C, 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division—captured by the Chinese in November 1950. He died of pellagra, a horrible disease, in May 1951. He was a boyhood friend, who followed me to Korea only to be murdered there after several months of intense combat. Listen to what Life magazine, December 1950, had to say about the 19th Infantry Regiment after receiving a Christmas card from them:
"The card was from Korea, and it was late in arriving. On the outside was the regimental shield and identification pictured above. A simple legend inside conveyed ‘best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year—from the officers and men of the Nineteenth Infantry.’ In reply, we cannot very well wish the officers and men of the 19th Regiment a happy 1951, for we know they are not going to have a happy year. Not a happy start of the year, anyhow. They are giong to have more fighting, and killing and dying for their country. And they are going to have it without much thanks from their country or notice in the press. Theirs is the kind of Regular Army outfit which gets the mean jobs, and little else besides.
"Just a so-so outfit with a home-spun sort of fellow (Colonel Ned Moore of Guthrie Center, Iowa) for a commander. The 19th has been getting mean jobs since the first week of the war, and not many of the men and officers who first went into battle are left now. No, there isn’t much to say about or to the 19th Regiment. Except this, from the heart—God bless you and keep you. Others may win the laurels. You win the wars."
My boyhood pal, Bobby Englehart, spent his Christmas along the Yalu River in a brutal Communist prison camp. He didn’t win the war or get any laurels--to those Americans who blame Americans, just another forgotten soldier in a forgotten war.
In 1992, Steve Otto, a journalist with the Tampa Tribune, wrote: "Korea, a war that most of us today would not know about except for the MASH TV series." Otto may not know or remember, but Englehart and too many others who gave their all for their country—sons of Massachusetts—are remembered by his fellow Korean War veterans. His name is engraved on the beautiful Massachusetts Korean War Memorial located at the Boston Navy Yard.
A lot of young Americans, like PFC Englehart, who was captured on November 4, 1950 by Chinese troops—who at the time were reconnoitering in North Korea in an intelligence capacity—may have survived the war if it had not been for the treachery and deceit of traitors operating in London, Washington, and in the United Nations.
On his deathbed, Donald Maclean, the KGB spy who headed the American desk of the British Foreign Office, admitted that the highlight of his nefarious career came when he passed on President Harry Truman’s secret orders to General MacArthur to limit the Korean War to the Korean peninsula—an act which doomed hundreds of U.S. soldiers, like Englehart, to captivity and brutal death.
Norm Jeffers in an article in the September 1993 issue of The Graybeards, pointed out that: "Before the traitor to Britain revealed Truman’s secret orders to MacArthur, Mao Zedong had adamantly refused the Kremlin’s request that China enter the war, because he feared that American forces would invade China. However, with information supplied by the KGB spy, Stalin convinced Mao that U.S. forces were ordered by Truman to fight only in Korea. On November 26, 1950, then days before Truman ‘muzzled’ MacArthur by Presidential Order, some 300,000 Chinese ‘volunteers’ swarmed across the border."
The UN’s military staff, headed up by the Communist Constantine Zinchenko during the Korean War, also had access to orders going from the Pentagon to General MacArthur, and passed them on to the Communist enemy before he got them. [Under a secret agreement made in 1948 by U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius, a Communist would always fill the second most important UN post, that of Under or "Assistant Secretary for Political and Security Council affairs.]
In 1953, Army Secretary Robert Stevens considered it "utter nonsense" that such treachery occurred. According to Jeffers, the practice of passing on battle plans to the enemy by the UN Military Secretariat before UN field commanders got them, was affirmed in a report of the Committee of the Judiciary of the 84th Congress, titled, "The Korean War and Related Matters."
The genesis of the Korean War POW myth that two-thirds of American POWs had cooperated or collaborated—in the sense that even passive behavior was dishonorable or treasonous—started with Eugene Kinkead, a former editor and writer for The New Yorker magazine, in a book he wrote in 1959 entitled In Every War But One. To the un-knowledgeable, the book is a damning portrayal of POW disloyalty and treason. However, the careful student of history knows otherwise. For when you read and study the large amount of rebuttal evidence written by responsible scholars and historians, such as by Albert D. Biderman in his March to Calumny (1979), you begin to see that the so-called "evidence" portrayed by Kinkead in his book is extremely flawed in its accuracy and presentation.
By his own admission, Kinkead said he wrote his book in large part based on conversations with Army officials. Much of it is anecdotal—merely bits and pieces of random, unrecorded conversation. A careful reading of Kinkead’s book brings one to believe that Kinkead used the information to fashion a story to agree with beliefs that he may already have held on Americans and American society in general. In short, Kinkead may have been predisposed based on his own personal value system to think the worst of his fellow Americans. It is likely that he may have found it very easy to believe and accept negative images based on his beliefs rather than images based on real events.
In the 1950s, many well-meaning liberals and conservatives may have wittingly or unwittingly played into the hands of Communists by accepting Communist propaganda in order to bolster and prove their own political propaganda. While liberals were decrying American society, conservatives may have been too willing to believe the communist propaganda that passive cooperation by our POWs in captivity somehow reflected an alarming weakness in the American national character, as well as social rot and decay.
They may have been too willing to blame Americans to prove that they were not "soft on communism." Caught between a rock and a hard place were the POWs. What the dupes perhaps did not know (some of them) was that the Communists had set them up.
The World Peace Council was formed in 1949; just three months before the North Koreans attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950. The WPC organized the World Peace Appeal (known as the "Stockholm Petition Against the Korean War") which launched the most extensive campaign of psychological warfare ever conducted on a world-wide scale for the purpose of screening the communist attack.
The Communists also had their supporters in the United States. According to the Congressional Record, April 21, 1971: "The outbreak of war in Korea in 1950 caused a predictable knee-jerk reaction among the world’s communists. As strongly as they had supported the military effort against Hitler and fascism, they opposed any military effort against communist expansion in Korea. In the United States the communists launched a major propaganda offensive designed to aid the communists in Korea, China and the U.S.S.R. by attempting to discredit the United States before the rest of the world as a nation guilty of the foulest war crimes, including alleged germ warfare against innocent Koreans." In the post-truce period after 1953, the Communist propaganda machine continued to work globally.
Kinkead said that he based his book on the five-year investigation and study by the Army of POW behavior in the prison camps, as well as on a number of interviews with individuals involved in the Army’s POW study. But Kinkead’s "investigation" of the Army’s investigation was a very curious undertaking indeed, mainly because the Army study itself had never been published, nor had it ever been interpreted for the American public!
In he preface to his book, Kinkead admitted that the so-called Army Study lay: "Buried in bits and pieces around the military landscape—in the voluminous and now retired prisoner files, in official briefings, in reports before various committees, in diverse memoranda gathering dust these days [1959] in forgotten cabinets…and in the minds of the men who composed its now disbanded research groups and who are presently scattered in new assignments across the country and the world."
In short, nowhere. Whether Kinkead was qualified at all to conduct such a study into such matters was highly questionable when one considers that he had no military background or special qualifications in sociology or psychology. Although a writer and editor of the liberal New Yorker, his favorite field of study, self-admittedly, was natural science.
One book that he wrote, Spider, Egg and Microcosm (1950), highlighted the studies of three scientists in the fields of arachnology, embryology, and microbiology. Why would someone with no military savvy, want to, and be allowed to, re-interpret the Army study—especially when the Army itself could have published its own study—is highly suspect and open wide to conjecture.
Whatever the Army’s reasons, Kinkead was allowed to pick and choose as he could on a catch-as-catch-can basis the bits and pieces of information for his book from available records and so-called "interviews" with Army officials. Along the way, he asked several psychologists to help him write the book, to explain the "psychological" dimensions of POW behavior, but much to their credit they turned him down cold.
In 1954, he got official permission to begin his "investigation" from Earl Johnson, the Under Secretary of the Army. When it was published, the Kinkead tract, rife with distorted depictions and interpretations about the events in Korea, over-simplifications, out-of-context quotations and suspect illustrations, offered a damaging and negative portrayal of the POW events in Korea. One of those distortions was that two-thirds of the POWs had in some way seriously cooperated or "collaborated" with the enemy.
To advance this outrageous charge, Kinkead relied on a not-too-well-thought-out statement by a high Army official on POW cooperation—purportedly given to him in an unrecorded meeting at which no notes were taken. According to Kinkead, Hugh M. Milton II, the Assistant Secretary of the Army said: "If we use as a standard the committing of some perhaps understandable act of ‘technical’ collaboration, such as broadcasting Christmas greetings to relatives at home, the percentage might run as high as thirty percent."
Yes, Virginia, Milton was talking about POWs sending Christmas messages home! The 30% figure is the one that got the most publicity in the press then and continues to be oft-quoted to this day by Americans willing to blame other Americans. Even excluding such technical collaboration, Milton said that: "One man in every seven, or more than thirteen percent, was guilty of serious collaboration—writing disloyal tracts, say, or agreeing to spy or organize for the Communists after the war."
As to the 13%, he was, of course, talking only about the POWs who had been repatriated, interviewed and charged by the Army. He was not referring to the 2,436 men who died in the prison camps under inhumane and barbaric circumstances—who could not, of course, testify on their own behalf. Dead men tell no tales!
What was the "serious collaboration" all about? The Army decided to investigate. In 1955 the Department of Defense published information which gave a breakdown of the 13% figure as follows:
Total Repatriated:
Number "Required Further Investigation"*
Percentages
[*Indicates Little Switch 149; Big Switch 3,597 plus others "returned to military control."]
For some reason, the Army was intent on prosecuting its POWs, whereas the other services refused to do so—much to their credit. The investigation, though, would prove that Kinkead’s charges were great exaggerated.
Why then would the Army choose to take such a hard line? Was it because the top brass was embarrassed about the conduct of the war and their inability to rescue their own—and so decided to save their careers and capitalize on the misfortunes of the POWs whose history they could not change? Perhaps there were darker reasons. One can only surmise.
As part of their campaign, the Army apparently utilized the services of an Army psychiatrist named Colonel William E. Mayer, M.D., who traveled around the country giving speeches at hundreds of liberal colleges to the sons and daughters of the privileged elite who never would have to worry about gracing the hilly, barren countryside of places like Korea. [While the truly "best and the brightest" serve, fight, bleed and die in America’s wars, the sons of the elite are safely and comfortably ensconced in liberal institutions of "higher" learning where their skulls get filled full of liberal mush.]
A tape-recorded speech by Mayer was disseminated to thousands of active and reserve military units and government organizations and media throughout the county which painted the POWs in a bad light--in the opinion of many, a disgraceful display of America-bashing. Mayer used selective examples gleaned from his own experiences in interrogating returning POWs, to "prove" his points. The tape hammered away at scurrilous themes which later were echoed by Kinkead in his book.
It is interesting to note that few scholars of the Korean War gave credence to Kinkead’s writings, yet only a few important rebuttals were printed; namely, The Reporter (1959), New York Times (1959), Army, Navy and Air Force Register (1960), and Encounter (1960).
The most scholarly book, in my opinion, written to date on the issue of Albert D. Biderman’s March to Calumny (1959), which thoroughly discredits the works of Kinkead, Mayer and other Americans who chose, for whatever reasons, to believe the worst about our American fighting men. Sadly, the phenomena of Americans blaming Americans persists to some extent today.
Worldwide—and on the home front during the Korean War—the Communist propaganda blitz, stemming out of the Stockholm "Peace" conferences, lead a lot of gullible people to believe that the POWs who died under brutal circumstances in the prison camps were somehow responsible for their own deaths. And too many people also were willing to believe the worst about those who survived.
But what are the facts? The record shows that of 4,428 repatriated POWs in 1953, some 565 or 13% of them were investigated on charges of misconduct, including "collaboration." Many of them were hounded by the CIA and the FBI. But the record also shows that the investigations exonerated most of the men so charged, resulting in only a small number of men who indeed were found guilty of egregious crimes and sentenced for their crimes.
With respect to the ARMY, some 425 men were investigated. 82 were selected for courts martial. Of those only 14 went to trial and 11 were convicted. The rest were cleared—by strictly legal criteria-only 10 out of over 4,000 men were proved guilty of collaboration. Subsequently, other agencies which conducted independent investigations also came to similar conclusions.
In 1954, the Foreign Claims Commission paid claims in full for 7,626 claims filed on behalf of POWs, alive or dead, presuming all POWs had been inhumanely treated—despite a finding in their investigation that not more than 57 men out of 7,600-odd who had been captured had been active or passive "collaborators" in one sense or another. Chairman W. Gillilland came down squarely on the side of the POWs.
Paul M. Cole, who completed a study of POW/MIA issues for RAND/Pentagon in 1994, noted that the Army psychiatric survey of all POWs repatriated in the Little Switch (1147) and Big Switch (3,596) prisoner exchanges in Korea in 1953 indicated that 82.1% of the men returned were in "good mental health and morale." Only 17.90% suffered from psychoses (0.9%), psycho-neuroses (7.2%), character behaviors (5.9%), mental deficiency (0.8%), personality disorders (3.0%), and other (.01%)—except for the character cases, salvageable.
Not a bad report when you consider that the prisoners were not exactly checked into comfortable country clubs along the scenic Yalu River where they received excellent educational and psychological training from their Chinese and North Korean benefactors—in between sunny bouts of golf.
But was the report biased in an attempt to minimize the horrors and cruelty of prison life as both sides led up to the Armistice? Perhaps. Or did the report reflect the reality, that the POWs who were lucky enough to be repatriated before the so-called "Peace" talks began, fared far better than the POWs who were captured in the early months of the war?
Because the Army failed to produce an official accounting of the POW experience in Korea and make it available to the public; and because it chose to destroy most of its records, we’ll probably never know the full story.
Thomas Dittmer, Tribune, Kansas, who was held for 32 months by the Koreans and Chinese, had this to say in response to a letter on casualties I placed in the March-April 1995 issue of the KWVA magazine:
"The Koreans and Chinese were always looking for any list of the DWC (Died While Captive) that anyone may have, and those who were found to have a list were severely punished. I don’t know of anyone getting out with any list. What did interest me is that after we were returned to the U.S. Army control we were individually interrogated by Army intelligence personnel. I can’t speak for everyone who was released but the questions I was asked were only if I had seen any large concentration of enemy troops or supply dumps. Not one question about if we knew of any one who died in prison camp or on the long march north to the Yalu River. Every one has buddies that died, if more than one person had named some one, that person would have been confirmed to be dead."
At the time of the truce in July 1953, 21 Americans refused to be repatriated. This was widely (and often falsely) played up in the press, and soon a gullible American public was scared in to believing that the Communists were somehow successfully "brainwashing" our POWs.
Hollywood capitalized on the brainwashing idea by making movies like The Manchurian Candidate which only reinforced public fears on the subject. In 1956, the Department of Defense issued the following statement which should have put the story to rest once and for all, but it was not widely disseminated and so the fiction has persisted down through the years:
"Several celebrated cases of authentic ‘brainwashing’ have been reported during the last decade in Communist Europe and recently [i.e., 1956] in China. However, it is obvious that such time-consuming, conditioning process could not be employed against any sizable group, such as a prisoner of war group, because of the excessive time and personnel required. In Korea, American prisoners of war were subjected to group indoctrination, not ‘brainwashing’…The exhaustive efforts of several Government agencies failed to reveal even one conclusively documented case of the actual ‘brainwashing’ of an American prisoner of war in Korea."
In November 1998, Mike Feinsilber, an Associated Press writer, reported that 12 documents retrieved from the Presidential Archive in Moscow by Cold War historians Milton Leitenberg and Kathryn Weathersby show conclusively that the Soviets lied about U.S. germ warfare in Korea during the height of the Korean War. Lietenberg is a biological warfare specialist at the University of Maryland. Ms. Weathersby is a historian who specializes in the Soviets’ role in the Korean War.
The Communists charged that U.S. warplanes dropped disease-bearing insects over the battlefields using 448 aircraft on 68 missions to spread plague, anthrax, cholera, encephalitis and meningitis. Twenty-five American POWs were forced to sign "confessions." The claims were investigated by Chinese advisors at a time when North Korean soldiers were dying of cholera in large numbers.
According to the researchers, the allegations were fully supported by Josef Stalin and Mao Tse Tung. The charges were given credibility in a 669-page report issued by the late Joseph Needham, a British biochemist and avowed Marxist, who headed a Communist-backed "International Scientific Commission for the Investigation of the Facts Concerning Bacterial Warfare in Korea and China."
The researchers’ documents show that North Koreans facing execution were infected with plague to make the case. In addition, two regions of infection were simulated. After Stalin’s death in 1953, the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution that said, "The Soviet Government and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union were misled. The spread in the press of information about the use by the Americans of bacteriological weapons in Korea was based on false information. The accusations against the Americans were fictitious." The statements made by American POWs were renounced when the prisoners were repatriated.
In January 1996, the Pentagon confirmed that four U.S. deserters—one who wanted to return to the U.S.—were still alive in North Korea, but dismissed as "totally false" accounts in the South Korean press that some U.S. POWs were alive there. In the 24-30 June 1996 issue of The Stars and Stripes, writer John Herrera reported that, according to a Pentagon report, 10 to 15 U.S. soldiers may still be alive and held in North Korea.
The two-page report, leaked to the press by Rep. Robert Dornan, R-California, summarizes the conclusions of In Sung Lee, an analyst at the Pentagon’s POW/MIA Office. The Pentagon, however, said that the memo was a draft report that does not reflect the official position of the office or the Department of Defense.
Lee’s report cited several sightings of Caucasians in their 50s working in the fields in collective farms under the scrutiny of North Korean security guards. Of course, they could be immigrant prisoners from other countries, or possibly Americans from the Vietnam War. If American servicemen are still alive today, it would be interesting to see how they are carried on official casualty lists—if at all.
The ordeal that our POWs suffered in the brutal, godless Communist prison camps along the Yalu is now well known. What is less known is the apparent intentional policy of the Communists from the very beginning of the war to treat American prisoners of war savagely. In the first few months, the Communists perpetrated a number of war crimes against captured American soldiers on the battlefield or on the way to the prison camps in North Korea. The following are just a few of those stories:
Massacre at Hill 303
That atrocity featured a mass killing and wounding of 41 prisoners of war, all members of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, who had their hands tied behind their backs at the time the shootings occurred. See Exhibit 11. In August 1950, 31 platoon members of Company H, 5th Cavalry were defending a position near Hill 303, located a few miles northeast of Waegwan and east of the Naktong River, when the North Koreans began to infiltrate the lines.
The platoon leader asked for reinforcements and was told that 60 South Korean soldiers were on the way to join them. Soon afterwards, a large number of Koreans appeared from a nearby apple orchard. The G.I.’s assumed they were the reinforcements. Not until the Koreans were almost on top of their positions did the Americans realize their mistake. The "reinforcements" were heavily armed North Korean troops which outnumbered them about 10 to 1. A small number of others, from other platoons, similarly were taken.
The Reds marched the Americans to a nearby cemetery where they were kept under heavy guard. The next morning the North Koreans tied their wrists behind their backs. A few resisted and were clubbed to death. The next day, the Communists tried to escape across the nearby Naktong River but were beaten off when U.S. mortar fire began to drop nearby. On the following day, U.S. troops began to advance up the slope of Hill 303.
Before they retreated, the North Koreans walked up and down the line of trussed prisoners shooting them as they went. According to Time, August 28, 1950, when General Douglas MacArthur heard of the murders, he issued a stern warning to North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung. The warning was widely broadcast by radio, and leaflets were dropped over enemy lines.
"These crimes are not only against the victims themselves, but against humanity as well," he said. "I shall hold you and your commanders criminally accountable under the rules and precedents of war." MacArthur would not be able to carry out his promises. In less than a year he would be sacked by President Harry Truman for "insubordination." There would be other atrocities in the months ahead, but the leaders at the top would go unpunished.
Death March
On August 3, 1996, at a reunion of former American Korean War POWs in Chicago, the Army awarded Wayne "Johnnie" Johnson, Lima, Ohio, the Silver Star, in a long-delayed salute to his courage and ingenuity while a prisoner of war in North Korea for nearly 38 months. A member of Company L, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Johnson was captured in July 1950 near Chochiwon, South Korea.
During four harsh summers and three brutal winters in captivity, Johnson, then an 18-year-old Private First Class, managed to secretly record the deaths of some 500 captives held with him who died of starvation, exposure to freezing weather and murder. Although he knew that if he got caught, it could mean instant death or torture, throughout his long period of captivity Johnson secretly recorded each occurrence on scraps of paper as he went along, using stolen ink and a makeshift pen to make copies.
The first 100 or so deaths that he recorded occurred during a nine-day death march in November 1950 ending at the Yalu River. Ironically, the first to die were men who were killed by an American fighter pilot who unknowingly strafed a building containing some of the POWs. Along the way, others would inform him of eye-witness accounts of deaths, putting themselves at risk, too.
The Death March survivors call themselves the "Tiger Group" after the North Korean colonel who led the death march and whom the prisoners called "Tiger." Wilbert R. "Shorty" Estabrook, Oakland, Maine, Company B, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, founded the group in 1970.
Johnson remembers a particularly horrifying experience which took place on the morning of November 1. According to Johnson, the colonel "….halted the procession. He climbed atop a dirt mound and ordered 1st Lt. Cordus Thornton of Dallas to join him. The colonel wanted to show the prisoners the price they would pay if they straggled and slowed up the march. He put his pistol to (Thornton’s) head and shot him. It splattered his skull and brains on us right there in the front row. That stays with you a long time."
The log that Johnson maintained contained only essential facts—name, rank, unit, date of death and hometown:
The letter "F" meant PFC. The letter "P" mean Private; the number 34 was the 34th Infantry Regiment. 21 was the 21st Infantry Regiment.
About a year and a half later after he was captured, a guard in the prison camp found his list and he was severely punished. But Johnson had made a second copy and had it hidden away—and he kept on recording. In August 1953, the Red Cross gave the POWs, who were in the process of being repatriated, a bag of toiletries that included a metal tube of tooth paste. Johnson washed out the toothpaste, rolled up his list and inserted it in the tube. Soon he was on his way home with the evidence.
Strangely enough, Johnson said he shared his information with Army interrogators at a debriefing, but according to the AP story, "….some of the information fell through the cracks and was not passed on to victims’ families." In addition to the military deaths, the names of 24 civilians are recorded on Johnson’s list—including one Roman Catholic bishop (USA), three Roman Catholic sisters (2 Belgium, one France), six Roman Catholic priests (5 France, 1 Ireland), one Anglican nun (Ireland) and one Anglican priest (Britain).
The full import of Johnson’s list came to light in 1995 when retired Command Sergeant Major Timothy F. Casey brought the fact of Johnson’s list to the attention of the authorities. Then, Sergeant Victoria Bingham, an Army researcher who dealt with Korean War POWs, met with Johnson at a reunion of former prisoners of war in California. Thanks to them, Johnson’s list now is being used to cross-check information contained in the Defense POW-MIA database.
Robert Burns, the Associated Press writer who ran the feature story, had this to say: "That his (Johnson’s) deed went officially un-rewarded for more than four decades is an example of how thoroughly the United States tried to forget a war that took more than 54,000 American lives (worldwide) and ended in an unsatisfying stalemate." [Parenthetical information inserted.] A copy of Johnson’s list is included in Exhibit 9. A printed version of the list can be viewed on the Internet at Korean War Project at http://www.koreanwar.org.
Into the Tunnel
That is the title of chapter 8 of Rudy Tomedi’s book, No Bugles, No Drums, an oral history of the Korean War. The chapter details the ordeals of PFC Lloyd Kreider, a medic with the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, who was taken prisoner in early August.
Between July 2 and August 23, the division was decimated in a series of delaying actions at Osan, Cho’nan, Choch’iwon, the Kum River and Taejon. The 34th Infantry was particularly hard hit, enough so that by the end of August the 34th Infantry Regiment would be deactivated. Kreider, in a group of about one thousand men, was marched north. At the time of the Inchon landing, he was in Seoul.
After a series of initial defeats, a renewed American army was on the move—the NKPA was thoroughly defeated. Out of the original 1,000 or so men in Kreider’s group, only about 700 survived the march to Seoul. The rest were murdered along the way—some were used for bayonet practice.
For a short time in September 1950 there was hope. General MacArthur’s war summary reported that some 300-400 POWs were liberated in Seoul. The story proved to be false when an AP field dispatch reported that army units in Seoul found a list of prisoners but no prisoners.
Leg two of the death march to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang was just as bad. Men were shot or bayoneted for the slightest infraction along the way. By the time the group reached the North Korean capital, only about 350 men remained Then they were put on a train and on October 2 they pulled into a tunnel near Sunchon. In the middle of the tunnel, the train stopped and the shooting and bayoneting began.
The 187th Airborne RCT made an airborne assault on Sunchon-Sukchon on the same day in an attempt to cut off about 30,000 fleeing North Koreans and hopefully rescue the prisoners. Although the 187th managed to capture 3,818 NKPA troops, no US prisoners were recovered. Somehow, PFC Kreider managed to survive. He got help from a friendly Korean family who turned him over to the South Korean Army which in turn escorted him to the 187th Airborne.
Enter the Dragon
In November 1950, after a series of probes and ambushes above the Ch’ong’chon River, the Chinese Communist Forces entered the fray in force—committing about a half million men along a wide front aimed at driving the UN out of North Korea. With the exception of reports of CCF brutality along the northeast front in early December, little has been written about atrocities by the Chinese forces. See Exhibit 10.
In Korea, our POWs had a cruel enemy to deal with and those who made it home were shabbily treated by their government and shamefully ignored by an apathetic public—including, sadly inexplicably, a large percentage of the GIs who had fought in World War II.
Throughout the period of the 1950s, there was a lot of misinformation/dis-information put out to the public by a sorry lot of Americans, both on the right and the left of the political spectrum, who, for ideological reasons, found it easy to scapegoat their fellow Americans. In my opinion, they were the real collaborators whether they realized it or not. It’s even sadder to note that some still think that way today. The ghosts of the Korean War continue to haunt America!
Part IX - POW/MIA Issues
Some 45+ years after the signing of the Korean War Armistice on July 27, 1953, there has been little progress on POW/MIA issues between the UN Command and the American Embassy with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). In January 1996, James W. Wold, Deputy Associate Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA affairs, told the Associated Press that if the Communist government in North Korea would be more "cooperative," the remains of as many as 1,000 to 3,500 U.S. servicemen who died in Korea could be recovered and brought home in the near future.
Wold quickly explained that the range of recoveries was realistic "for planning purposes" only. That is understandable, for it is highly unlikely that the North Koreans will fully "cooperate" about anything. In addition, no one—probably not even the North Koreans themselves—know for sure where all of the remains are buried. In May 1996, Wold predicted that an intensified search would be jointly conducted by the U.S. and North Korea in 1997 to recover up to 4,000 remains.
Wold’s high expectations turned out to be wishful thinking. According to March 1993 CILHI data (See Paul M. Cole’s POW/MIA Issues, Volume 1, The Korean War, 1994, Pg. 279), there are 5,908 probable remains sites inside North Korea (2,122 POW-BNR + 3,298 MIA-BNR and PCK-BNR + 488 undetermined BNR cases), 73% of total. Plus, 2,232 sites outside of North Korea (84 DMZ + 1,607 South Korea + 53 other locations + 488 undetermined BNR cases), 27% of total. Plus, 13 post-war BNR sites.
Recap: 5,908 + 2,232 = 8,140 Korean Operation; plus the 13 post-war BNR cases. It is interesting to note, that the CILHI data shows all of the losses to have occurred in either North or South Korea (with a small number attributed to offshore and Japan). [Important Note: The breakout of information in the burial analysis deals only with probable burial sites. It differs from the breakout of information in Part VII of this study which deals with data pertaining to other topics of interest, and to some extent is speculative (note that both breakouts = 8,140 however.]
Cole was not asked by DoD (See Cole, pg. Xvii) to suggest a recovery strategy for the 2,232 + 13 BNR cases outside of North Korea (South Korea, offshore and Japan). He explained: "The central elements of this strategy derive from the requirement to retrieve additional identifications media from North Korea."
Of the 5,908 probable sites, there are 2,508 known graves in North Korea (See Cole, pg. xvi). The graves mostly contain the remains of battle dead (2,096 MIA-BNR, KIA-BNR and PCK-BNR + 412 burial sites linked to aircraft crashes). Some 1,520 of those remains are buried in United Nations temporary cemeteries which later were overrun by Chinese troops after their entry into the war. Another 576 were buried in isolated sites. It is not clear if the North Koreans recovered those sites intact after the Chinese withdrawal from Korea.
Thus, information about 3,400 burial sites in all casualty categories appears to be unknown (5,908 - 2,508 = 3,400)--unless the Communists know something about the location of remains that we don’t. And are all the sites in fact located in North and South Korea? And why so many un-recovered remains in South Korea?
According to DoD DIOR data (See Part I of this study), there were a total of 2,436 POW deaths (of which 2,122 were BNR cases in North Korea). Little is known, however, about the whereabouts of those grave sites. According to Cole, three areas around Camp 5 (pg. 244) were used as burial grounds for POWs who died in captivity: Site 1 on a slope near the Yalu River containing approximately 1,500 bodies; Site 2 contained an unknown number of remains; and Site 3 contained a small number of remains.
Cole reported that 556 remains were returned to U.S. control from Camp #5 in "Operation Glory" (see Cole, pg. 247). However, as previously noted in this study, none of the 556 have been identified by CILHI to date due to the incredibly poor condition of the remains. According to the POWs themselves:
One POW reported that over 2,000 POWs were buried in unmarked graves at the Pyoktong prison camp and other camps. One POW reported that as many of the 1,600 bodies were buried or re-interred across the Yalu River in Manchuria, using Turkish and other POW labor.
One POW, who had been held for 32 months, remembers that in the summer of 1951, a small number of Turkish POWs were taken out of his camp and didn’t return until the fall. They told stories of having to burn the bodies of POWs that died during the winter.
History tells us that those areas, on both sides of the river, have been subject to massive flooding over the years. Thus, it is not likely that too many of the remains would be recoverable today.
The U.S. government would not have the problem it has today, if, in the early 1950s, someone had carried out a rescue mission to get the POWs out of the brutal Communist prison camps. In Korea, there was no Colonel Edward H. Lahti to come to their rescue.
On February 23, 1945, according to his autobiography, Memoirs of An Angel, 1966, Col. Lahti, Commanding Officer of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment (the "Angels"), 11th Airborne Division, led his troops on a daring rescue mission that succeeded in saving the lives of 2,200 POWs who had been earmarked for slaughter by the Japanese in a Philippines prison camp.
n a textbook operation, one battalion went behind enemy lines across Laguna del Baie in amphibian craft. A second unit created a diversion to distract and block the nearby Japanese Tiger Division, and a third unit consisting of a company of paratroopers dropped onto the Los Banos Concentration camp itself, 20 miles behind enemy lines. All of the POWs were rescued and all of the Japanese guards were killed.
Here in the U.S., the idea of paying cash for remains continues to be a political hot potato, but the negotiations continue.
April 1995:
While on a state visit to Japan, President Bill Clinton decided to give North Korea $2 million in food aid through UN organizations. According to Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, the announcement regarding food aid did not mention U.S. interests in the MIA issue. In addition, the agreed-upon framework between the U.S. and the North Koreans committed the U.S. to give North Korea free oil and to supply them with two highly-advanced light-water reactors—a total package to exceed $5 billion--$4 billion alone for the reactors and some $500 million for the oil—plus potential future aid for a grid system to distribute the power.
At the time, Senator Murkowski said that North Korea simply did not have the transmission capability to handle the new reactors, so the U.S. could be expected to be asked for another billion dollars so that the power could be distributed throughout the countryside. The framework envisioned that the U.S. would lift its trade restrictions and normalize relations—regardless, evidently, of any movement on the MIA issue. In addition, South Korea and the U.S. agreed not to conduct an annual "Team Spirit" training exercise held in South Korea to encourage North Korea to live up to the agreement they signed in 1994 to continue not to develop their nuclear weapons program.
January 1996:
In January 1996, Deputy Associate Secretary of Defense Wold, as head of the U.S. delegation, met with the North Koreans for more negotiations at a meeting held in Hawaii. He told the Associated Press that North Korea demanded additional payments totaling $4 million for 162 sets of remains it returned in 1993-1994. The remains were part of the total of 208 sets recovered since 1990—evidently the U.S. caved in.
At the time, according to the AP, Wold refused to specify the settlement amount, somewhere between $1-$4 million, although the two sides reportedly agreed to settle for $2 million. Like the Vietnamese, the North Koreans have insisted all along that the U.S. should pay heavily for U.S. remains; and they view reparations as a sign of U.S. "gratitude" or "appreciation."
In the past, the U.S. government has said that it is willing to pay a reasonable amount to North Korea for compensation for recovering and returning known remains from the Korean War—that and nothing more. Yet, according to earlier AP reports, between 1990 and 1992 the U.S. paid $897,300 for the return of just 46 remains.
May 1996:
On May 9, 1996, U.S. and North Korean officials met secretly in New York, according to the Pentagon, and formed an "agreement." One startling piece of information to come out of the May talks was the revelation that the Pentagon had identified four military defectors living in North Korea, but it had no evidence if the defectors were prisoners.
The United States agreed to pay North Korea $2 million for its past "help" in recovering remains. Previously North Korea had demanded $4 million. According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, on May 20, 1996, the U.S. handed more than $2 million to North Korea through the U.S.-led United Nations Command. A lone officer of the UNC handed over the money to a NKPA officer at Panmunjom. Also, in May 1996, the Associated Press reported that serious work on the recovery of "4,000" remains in North Korea would start in 1997.
June 1996:
A "technical" meeting, which discussed joint recovery operations involving six to ten U.S. military and civilian experts, was held at an undisclosed site. As a result of the meeting, 10-member teams of U.S." experts" were scheduled to visit North Korea—one team to locate the crash site of an F-80C fighter jet near the Chinese border. The other team to search for the wreckage of a B-29 bomber carrying 13 men (of whom four bailed out, three were returned to U.S. custody, the fate of the fourth man remains unknown).
July 1996:
On July 29, 1996 North Korea returned unidentified remains believed to be those of a missing U.S. pilot. The remains were "found" as the result of a joint U.S.-North Korean search—albeit some 20 minutes away by car from the crash site of the U.S. Air Force F-80C fighter, 60 miles north of Pyongyang. The first joint exhumation operation of U.S. Korean War dead also began in July 1996.
1996/1997:
Between July 1996 and December 1997, the remains of seven U.S. servicemen were repatriated through Panmunjom. Five joint search operations for U.S. remains were scheduled for 1998.
1998:
In May 1998, two sets of remains were returned across the DMZ. On July 24, three sets of remains of U.S. soldiers, believed to be soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment who died in battles in 1952, were handed over to the UN Command at Panmunjom. They were found in Kujang County near the Chinese border.
In the fall of 1998, as a result of the fifth joint operation in North Korea in 1998, remains believed to be those of nine Americans missing in North Korea were recovered and repatriated at Panmunjom. The dig was the ninth overall since recoveries began in 1996.
In addition to the above results, there have been additional recoveries. Despite Deputy Associate Secretary of Defense Wold’s earlier optimism, since July 1996 the joint operations have recovered what are believed to be the remains of only 27 soldiers. One set of remains was identified as that of Army Corporal Lawrence LeBeouef of Covington, LA, who was a member of the 8th Cav Regt, 1st Cav Div.
Prior to the joint recovery operations in North Korea in 1996, the North Koreans returned 208 coffins containing the probable remains of American servicemen, but only five identifications were made. The identification of Corporal LeBeouef was number six.
The Clinton Administration agreed to pay North Korea $672,000 to conduct the five searches in 1998 which consisted of five 25-day digs between April and fall of the year. That amount brings to approximately $1 million the amount paid to the North Korea Communist regime over the past two years for "fuel and services." At last report, the Communist’s regime has demanded $20 million.
Prior to the American involvement in Vietnam, France fought a war there and lost large numbers of men. After that conflict, the Vietnamese demanded heavy payment for the return of French remains. Initially, the French balked but eventually they caved in to Vietnamese demands for cash for bones. According to Bill Bell, in "True Lies: Inside the POW/MIA Cover-Up," written for The American Legion magazine, March 1995, between 1954 and 1986 approximately $10 million per year was forked over to the Vietnamese by the French government—because they did not want to deal with the POW/MIA problem at home as a political issue. In the end, the French paid a total of about $320 million, and in 1986 they recovered 24,000 remains.
American policy also tends to favor settling the Vietnam question quickly, but the government is painfully aware that it has a domestic problem involving the families of the POWs and MIAs. On the one hand, the U.S. appears to be predisposed to continue to move slowly on the POW/MIA issue and at once make it appear that the U.S. is getting sincere cooperation from the Vietnamese.
As of November 24, 1998, according to the POW/MIA office, 2,076 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, including 468 at sea or over water losses. The breakdown: Vietnam - 1,549 (North 43%, South 57%); Laos - 444; Cambodia - 75; Chinese territorial waters - 8. At the same time, the U.S. is rushing to do trade and conduct business with Vietnam in every way that it can. The Clinton Administration insists that Vietnam is "fully cooperating in good faith."
Not too long ago, the United States granted diplomatic recognition to Vietnam. Recognition was followed by a report in the press that the U.S. had arranged for a $265 million "loan" to Communist Vietnam through the World Bank. There have been few public details pertaining to the specifics of that deal. In November 1998, Ford Motor Company flew the Vietnam flag over its corporate headquarters.
According to the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA, the remains of 18 servicemen shot down during the Cold War have been recovered and identified. An additional 120 cases are still unaccounted for.
The one thing that South Korea fears the most is the removal of some 37,000 American troops stationed there as a "trip wire" force to discourage a second North Korean military adventure. Continual, sporadic violations of the 1953 truce agreement by the North drive home the potential for danger (see Part V).
As late as April 7, 1996, between 150 and 180 North Korean soldiers entered the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea, placed mortars and aimed machine guns at the South. The incursion was staged in blatant violation of armistice provisions which allows each side to have just 35 soldiers in the zone at any time, armed only with side arms.
Tensions rose and South Korea put its 650,000-strong military on alert; but, the PKA solders stayed only for several hours and left without incident. Later in the year, a small submarine carrying Communist agents came ashore in South Korea. They were discovered and several soldiers on both sides were killed in bloody shoot-outs.
In late 1996, the North Koreans apologized—the very first apology from them for any number of violations since the armistice was signed. In the meantime, the standoff, interrupted by sporadic skirmishes, continues while North Korea is building nuclear reactors and developing missile systems.
Rumor has it that at a propitious time, the stage is set for a severe "crisis" in the North Korean economy. South Korea and Japan are making contingency plans for a collapse of the North Korean government which will set off a mass migration of North Korean refugees.
Of late Japan has been conducting naval operations in the waters between Japan and Korea. China is in on the deal and will not interfere. U.S. and other UN troops may be used to "stabilize" the countryside during the period of the crisis. Gradually, the North and South will be re-unified over a period of 5-10 years. For now, the "crisis" is just in the rumor stage. But, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way."
It was not Korea! After World War II, there was one notable place where Americans served, fought, bled, died prior to and during the Korean Operation period June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955 that has received scant attention by historians. That place was Trieste. The Americans who died there also must be remembered as must all Americans who gave their lives in America’s other secret wars around the globe.
In December 1995, Mike Harden, a columnist at The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch wrote an interesting article on that "conflict." The article was distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. Harden said that in 1945, U.S. and British troops were sent to Trieste, an Adriatic seaport, on what is now the Italian-Slovenian border, to protect it until the UN could appoint a governor of what came to be known as the Free Territory of Trieste.
Yugoslavia’s Marshal Tito tried to grab the area from the Italians after World War II. U.S. troops served there until the end of 1954, including a 5,000-man force called the 31st Regiment. According to Harden, the mission regularly brought American forces face to face with hostile Yugoslavian troops in the rugged Julian Alps terrain. They manned outposts and walked patrol along what became known as the Morgan Line—U.S. troops on one side of the line, Yugoslav troops on the other.
The first soldier killed was on Christmas Eve, 1945. Reportedly, that earned him the tragic distinction of being the first American cold War fatality. U.S. troops often were the casualties when Italian and Yugoslav partisans engaged in street fighting in the city. At one point, Tito massed 65,000 troops along the line. Americans continued to encounter ambushes, kidnappings, sniper attacks and bombings. On one occasion, a U.S. troop transport plane was shot down.
Things got so rough in Trieste that when the Army offered members of its 351st Regiment the opportunity to leave the Yugoslavian front and fight in Korea, 1,000 men jumped at the chance! Finally, a 1954 agreement established a joint Yugoslav-Italian administration to manage the Free Territory of Trieste. Although Americans served, fought, bled, died in Trieste between 1945 and 1954 under the aegis of the State department, the U.S. has never recognized their contributions. None of the men who were killed or wounded ever got the Combat Infantry Badge or the Purple Heart.
No military campaign or theater ribbon was ever awarded by the U.S. or the United Nations. Reliable statistics on how many died in Trieste are hard to come by,--but this is what Col. David H. Hackworth, who served there, told me: "Marty, reckon the total KIAs and WIAs from (19)45-(19)54 were less than 200. No medals. TRUST veterans have tried, but so far failed. Great tight outfit. Iron discipline. Swung many a 16# sledge hammer for the First Sgt. From 6 to 10 breaking rocks behind the mess hall. Hack." Whether or not the deaths are included in the 17,355 "Other" un-validate worldwide deaths [Army 6,977] is unknown.
According to John Prados in Presidents’ Secret Wars, prior to the onset of the Korean War in 1950, the CIA had been involved in covert operations in China for a number of years. After hostilities in Korea began, the CIA increased its intelligence operations in china and undertook new ones in North Korea. And in the following years, it would be involved in secret operations throughout Asia for a variety of political reasons.
Initially, the CIA set up an Office of Special Operations in Yokosuka, Japan. Other than its agency-operated civil Air Transport based in Taiwan, the agency had to rely on Far East Command resources for its paramilitary operations. Shortly thereafter, a CIA base was established at Atsugi AFB in Japan, and an island off Korea in Pusan Bay was hastily converted into a training base to train Koreans for clandestine missions in North Korea.
Under FECOM, the U.S. Navy operated the Horace A. Bass, a ship equipped with four landing craft capable of carrying 160 U.S. and UK navy and marine reconnaissance and demolition experts organized into a Special Operations Group. In addition, the SOG had the use of a submarine transport which also could carry up to 160 men. Generally, the military SOG ran the sea transports while CIA’s CAT operated 40 aircraft.
One of the first successful missions was "Operation Stole," a joint effort with Chiang Kai-shek, to prevent Indian "medical aid" from being transported through British Hong Kong into Communist China. Writing in The Graybeards in September 1993, Norm Jeffers informed us that after Seoul had been captured for the third time by American troops, the 5th Air Force moved from Tokyo and relocated near Seoul. At that time, a secret psychological warfare operation went into effect. Jeffers remembers:
"When I was assigned there, my primary mission was the continuation of airdropping guerrillas into North Korea and China via parachute from Air Force C-46 Commandos. Other missions were saturating the front lines with millions of leaflets, island re-supply, harassing the enemy, and other diversified missions."
Beginning in February 1951, the CIA ran "Operation Paper" in support of an unsuccessful "mini-invasion" of China by nationalist guerrillas based in north Burma. The force was supported by CAT who flew in weapons, supplies and personnel from bases in Thailand and Okinawa. While all this was going on, the CIA was busy building up Thai paramilitary forces.
In late 1951, the CIA was busy ferrying nationalist soldiers from Taiwan to Thailand and Burma. By early 1952, the agency had bases in Japan, Korea and Saipan island in the Pacific where it trained hundreds of Chinese troops and formed them into "strike teams" that engaged in covert operations on mainland. At one point in 1952, OPC strength in the area had increased to about 6,000 personnel. In the summer of 1952, a second mini-invasion of china took place, that also was unsuccessful.
While the CIA was reconnoitering the Chinese mainland, the military was conducting intelligence and sabotage missions along the North Korea coast. As the SOG effort grew, so did the military command structure. Eventually, the 8240th Army Unit was formed, consisting of four groups—one air transport section with its own C-46s and C-47s, and three field sections.
The largest group, Wolfpack, at one time fielded 6,800 ROK troops and 12 Americans organized into eight battalions. A second group, Leopard, at one point reported a strength of 5,000 men. In one 6-day operation in November 1952, FECOM reported that units of the 8250th had inflicted 1,382 casualties on the enemy. In 1952, a separate program of aid to guerrillas in Manchuria was being carried out.
Other exotic locales where American civilian and military personnel served, fought, bled, died during the period of the Korean War include the Philippines, Indonesia, Central America, Taiwan, French Indo-China and Tibet. The exact number of military personnel who died in clandestine operations in our Asian wars is unknown. Whether or not the deaths are included in the 17,355 "Other" deaths also is unknown.
In the 1950s, the U.S. Air Force was active in the air over the Communist countries in Europe and the USSR. In The Graybeards article, Jeffers wrote: "According to the recent release of tens of thousands of secret files in the national archives, there were over 15,000 secret spy missions flown world wide against Communism in the 50s. It began in 1949 after the Soviets tested an atomic bomb. Some 100 bomber/cargo-type aircraft were used on the so-called ferret missions. Even the loss of 24 Americans with 31 aircraft shot down and 138 air-crew members unaccounted for, were kept secret."
Jeffers said that almost all of his missions, combat or otherwise, were classified or had restrictions—even the transporting of body bags from Korea to Japan was conducted in secret. He said that in all of his flying throughout Korea, Japan and Formosa [now Taiwan], he never saw or heard of a news writer. Had Jeffers been an infantryman captured in November or early December 1950 in North Korea, he would have had the chance to meet one.
In late November 1950, the CCF launched a massive attack against American forces at Kunu-ri. Although the 2d Infantry Division’s 23d Infantry Regiment had escaped the worst of the Chinese trap on November 30, the division’s other regiments, the 9th and 38th, had been nearly annihilated. A large number of prisoners were taken.
Earlier in the month, at Unsan, the First Cavalry Division’s Eight Cavalry Regiment came under massive attack by the CCF, and hundreds of prisoners were taken. To the west, POWs were taken from the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. According to David Polk in Korean War: Ex-Prisoners of War, hundreds of POWs received their first taste of indoctrination at a temporary prison camp, dubbed "Death Valley" by the POWs, in the form of a lecture delivered by Wilfred Burchett, an Australian correspondent who worked for the French Communist newspaper Le Soir. Burchett told the POWs that the UN forces were thoroughly defeated at Pusan and were being driven into the sea.
While British troops fought alongside Americans in Korea, other Brits would also create mistrust. According to Jeffers, Brits in high diplomatic places in Washington and London were spying for the Russians and passing on American battle plans to the Communists through the UN. In the early days of the war, Reggie Thompson of the London Daily Telegraph and Louis Heron of the London Times, in the opinion of many, wrote disparagingly of the American G.I.—at the very time the Eight Army was mopping up what was left of the defunct North Korean Army and at a time when it was driving north to Pyongyang.
A real shocker appeared in the February 1997 issue of Military. Author Robert Harper had this to say: "Brigadier Basil A. Coad, commanding general of British forces in Korea in 1950, has a unique distinction. He is the only British commander this century known to have failed to go to the aid of American soldiers when ordered. In 1989 with the publication of Roy E. Appleman’s book, Disaster in Korea, it finally became possible to document that failure. Brigadier Coad’s decision to circumvent an attack order from the IX Corps commander resulted in the needless loss of hundreds of American lives and the near-destruction of the 2d Infantry Division on 30 November 1950."
Despite the alleged actions of a few, undoubtedly inspired by political motivations, the Americans and the Commonwealth forces at the troop level worked wonderfully well.
In the January 1997 issue of Military, W.H. Brockinton, an ex-Marine, tells the interesting story of an incident in the fall of 1945 in China which resulted in uniting Chinese Nationalist, Japanese, and U.S. Marines into an organized defense force in anticipation of an attack by the Reds.
After World War II, the First Marine Division was assigned the mission of disarming and repatriating the Japanese forces in North china. Company I of the 5th Regiment was deployed to guard an airfield in the vicinity of Peiping. Their defensive perimeter was tied in with a Chinese Nationalist battalion. Just after the disarmament process had taken place, word came down from Regiment that Communist forces intended to attack and take over the airfield.
It was necessary to rearm the Japanese troops and integrate them with the Chinese and the Marines. Former enemies found themselves occupying the same foxholes. But the attack did not materialize. Once again, the Japanese were disarmed and this time sent home to Japan. The Chinese and the Marines would meet once again:
"After my arrival in North China I had determined in my own mind that the mission of the 1st Marine Division was more than just to disarm and repatriate the Japanese forces in North China. I felt that the larger mission of the 1st Marine Division and elements of the 6th Marine Division dispatched to North China was to keep apart the Communist forces and those of Chiang-Kai-Shek until our State Department decided to allow the Chinese mainland to be taken over by the Communists. When that happened, hordes of Chinese Communists crossed the Yalu River into North Korea to engage elements of the 1st Marine Division in the Chosin Reservoir campaign."
Finally, we come to the end. The statistical journey has been tedious. This is what we have found to date:
There were 54,258 worldwide deaths between June 25, 1950 and January 31, 1955. Although an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, officially the war has not ended.
There were 36,913 acknowledged deaths in Korea and surrounding waters—both "hostile" and "non-battle," including 641 post-armistice deaths, mostly Air Force. Only 34,641 of the deaths have been validated. The "hostile" deaths include 8,177 Body-Not-Returned cases, a mix of KIA, MIA and POW, of which 47 remains have been identified by Department of the Army (CILHI) and Department of the Air Force [as of January 31, 1999]. Official lists are maintained by the Department of Defense and the various services.
There were 17,355 "other" deaths worldwide, including "hostile" and "non-hostile" deaths—undoubtedly, a number of deaths in the "other" category were deaths not attributed to the Korean Operation or recorded in official casualty lists for Korea. The remainder occurred at other global locations. The figure 17,355 is a "historical" one according to the Department of Defense. The DoD has stated there is no list available for the "other" category of deaths or wounded in action.
There were 103,284 hospitalized wounded in action in Korea who survived their wounds. Some of the men listed in that total are listed more than once. Undoubtedly there were other wounded who were hospitalized in Korea, Japan and other locations, whose wounds were not recorded or attributed to the Korean Operation. No records were kept for non-hospitalized wounded.
There were 98 "hostile" or "hostile-related" deaths in Korea and surrounding waters between 1955 and 1995 [Demilitarized Zone; USS Pueblo incident; Navy EC-121 shoot down; Army helicopter shootdown].
131 wounded in action in the DMZ since January 31, 1955, insofar as it is known.
Along with hundreds of other Korean War veterans, my quest for the truth will go on. Please join with me in digging out the information. When you get new data, please share it with your Korean War buddies, and make sure that you get it disseminated in print.
On July 16, 1998, Associated Press writer John diamond wrote that the Central Intelligence Agency plans to release new information on clandestine operations in Cuba, Guatemala, Congo, Laos, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Tibet, France, Italy, Tran and North Korea during the period of the Korean War. Gather and save any information you may see on this.
In Appendix III to this booklet you will find a list of addresses. Write to these folks, but do it in a gentlemanly or lady-like fashion and push to get the statistics—and more importantly, the truth. At times it is exasperatingly difficult to deal with our bureaucrats in Washington. Keep on top of them though—and don’t give up if you find yourself in a Catch-22 situation or if you’ve just been fed a large dose of Bovine Snacks.
In the October-December issue of The Graybeards, the official magazine of the Korean War Veterans Association, Richard Coate had this to say: "One of the basic tenets of our ‘open society’ is the public’s right to know. To purposely withhold such information is not only counter to the democratic principles of a free society, it is a betrayal of a most sacred trust to the young men who were abandoned for political expediency."
Today, the world keeps a watchful eye on North Korea and those who once again would plunge Korea into chaos and ruin for the same geo-political reasons as existed in the 1950s. Some 43 years after the bitterly-fought Korean War, the United States maintains 37,000 troops in Korea as part of a "sacred promise" to defend South Korea.
Too much blood was spilled in Korea in the 1950s, and too many young men, and a small number of women, died in "The Land of the Morning Calm," to ever allow war to raise its ugly head there again—regardless of the source of any future threats. And we must be VIGILANT to ensure that our politicians do everything in their power to honor the commitment we made to the South Korean people, in terms of blood and sacrifice, so many years ago to defend them from Communism. Most of all, we must NEVER FORGET those who died in the Korean War to uphold that sacred commitment!
The Korean War veteran can take great individual PRIDE in the fact that the military victory that he or she helped to achieve in the 1950s enabled the South Korean people to escape the yoke of Communist tyranny and oppression, unlike their countrymen in the North. Your sacrifices provided a shining example of courage for freedom-loving peoples everywhere!
Looking back, one may ask if the Korean War was worth the expenditure of so many lives and broken bodies? For those who believe in FREEDOM and LIBERTY, the obvious answer is "Yes," for the reasons mentioned above—and they agree with John Toland, who concluded in his book In Mortal Combat that "those who fought and died in that war did not fight and die in vain."
Hell does freeze over. It froze over in Korea in the 1950s—but, none of us want to see Americans involved there in another political war ever again. If America’s sons and daughters are sent off to fight the Communists in Korea in the future, hopefully it will be for the right reasons and, hopefully, it will be a total victory.
Thanks to Korean War veterans everywhere, South Korea today is a modern, progressive industrial nation that enjoys high standards of social and economic development—a nation that looks forward to an enlightened unification of the Korean peninsula—one which will free the people of North Korea from the shackles of Communism going into the next century. Success does not come without problems, however.
If a peaceful and amenable re-unification and reintegration of the North and South under a democratic market regime does not occur soon, South Korea faces the possibility of another conflict with its Communist adversary in the north. In the meantime, the current rapid industrialization of china poses a real economic threat to South Korea’s developing industrial capacity and overseas markets. Furthermore, to the detriment of South Korea’s industrial base, there are signs that Japan and Russia are taking real steps to take economic advantage of North Korea’s un-realized untapped labor force.
Thus, the need for an enlightened re-unification is urgent. Unless the North and the South close in political and economic union, the future seems uncertain. The game can be played out peacefully if the will exists.
Although North Korea’s future may develop along democratic lines in the future, the country today, under Communism, remains an economic and political basket case. The government and people of North Korea are living in a time frame of 50 years ago, and some of the scenes that recently have been witnessed in the North have been compared to a pre-1940 feudal monarchy. Food shortages abound and starvation stalks the land.
Incredibly, there still are forces within the world body who are divided on the issue of whether Korea should be re-unified under free market Capitalism or militant Communism. And for some, war still is not out of the question. Of late, there have been armed transgressions into the DMZ and other hostile advances by the North. To complicate matters, North Korea is making overtures to several countries to help them with their nuclear programs.
Hopefully, the ruling elite of North Korea and their backers are aware of the fact that they have no chance anymore of winning a war in Korea because of the realities of the current international situation. Today, the technological and military preparedness of the U.S. and South Korea is vastly different than it was in the 1950s—and much more deadly--unless, of course, it is not used and South Korea is allowed to fall.
Cooler heads must prevail, though, for the re-convergence of the two countries into a unified country by peaceful means is a must. For the truly enlightened, one of the world’s last vestiges of the Cold War must be discarded as the nations of the world move into the 21st century!
The role that the United States is playing, and will play in the future to meet North Korea’s needs, will prove to be of paramount importance in charting the course of Korean history. Preferably, both Koreas need to regard economic interaction with each other as an investment in a prosperous and secure future, and reconcile their adversarial differences. In the final analysis, re-unification will not be possible unless there is a joint effort to enter into serious discussions on a rational political and economic program of reintegration—one based on a system of labor division based on Capitalist, not Communist, market principles.
[KWE Note: Because the original document was so faded, Lynnita Brown of the Korean War Educator typed the text onto the website rather than scanning the document.]
Headquarters, 1st Marines
1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force,
c/o Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, California
REGIMENTAL MEMO: 14 June 1951: Operations of this regiment since June 1
NUMBER 40-51:
(signed)
W.S. Brown
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps
Commanding--
"An extra value that comes from the listing of the names of our buddies is that memories of long ago return. Sometimes it arouses in our minds others whom we may have temporarily forgotten. Being separated in time and place is very different from being separated in heart and mind. The remembrance of comrades of their past ought to generate thoughts for their good. If they have died it is easy to think a prayer for their eternal rest. If they still live a prayer that they may remain well and prosperous. A lot of thoughts can occur in a few seconds. Keep your buddies/comrades in your heart and mind always. Never forget them. If we forget, who will remember them or us."
Rev. George M. Rinkowski
Eighth U.S. Cavalry Regiment Association
Appendix II - List of Airmen Transferred to USSR
Appendix III - List of Addresses
Appendix IV - POW/MIA DNA Registry Data
McCain KIA Book
(Confirmed Korean War casualties listed by home state)
The following casualties are listed by name, age, rank, home of record, ship, casualty date, circumstance, place and survivor.
Information on this page was provided by our readers. Please note that other accident casualties such as those received in non-hostile plane crashes, training accidents, ship sinkings, mass drownings, and other accidents can often be found on other Topics pages of the Korean War Educator.
Becker, Sfc. Richard Rudolph - Born February 11, 1924, a son of Walter R. Becker of Des Plains, Illinois, Richard was serving in Medical Company, 5th RCT, when he died in an accident at Nong-Dong, Korea on January 13, 1952. He was a World War II and Korean War veteran. He is buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas.
Brown, Pvt. Wallace - Information provided by Linda Wayman: Wallace Brown - Born April 30, 1931. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on November 14, 1951 and held the rank of Private. He was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division. He died in an accident in South Korea on July 29, 1952. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. He is buried at National Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. (This information is from a booklet called Desoto Descendants, Volume 32, No.2.) - Source: Findagrave
Brown, Pvt. William Russel - Private Brown was born November 03, 1930, son of William Brown and Lillian C. Brown (1904-1977). He was serving in Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT when he died in an accident at Sollae-ri, Korea on September 03, 1951. He is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Beaufort County, South Carolina.
Cardenas, Cpl. Edward Castro "Eddie" - Corporal Cardenas was born May 17, 1927 in San Bernardino, California, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond M. Cardenas. He attended Bakersfield High School. During World War II he served in the Navy in the Pacific. Corporal Cardenas was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He died in an accident near Chokkun-Dong, Korea on July 7, 1951. At the time of his death, his parents were living in Arvin, California. His brothers Richard and Daniel Cardenas also served in the Army. A third brother, Raymond C. Cardenas, served in the Navy in Korean waters. Other siblings included Frank Albert Cardenas (died 1944), Marian Cardenas, and Armeda Cardenas. Eddie is buried in Union Cemetery, Bakersfield, California.
Eckerdt, Pfc. Albert - Private Eckerdt was born October 19, 1930, a son of Alexander C. Eckerdt Sr. and Mary Neiderquell Eckerdt of Michigan. His siblings were Ernie Henry Eckerdt Sr. (1935-1922), who was also a Korean War veteran, and Alexander C. Eckerdt Jr. (1924-2015), a World War II veteran. Albert was serving in Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, when he died in an accident at the Punchbowl in Korea on October 24, 1952. He is buried in Gracelawn Cemetery, Flint, Michigan.
Frazier, Cpl. Edward Mitchell - Corporal Frazier was born March 19, 1931 in Providence, Rhode Island, a son of Walter Loring Frazier (1910-1972) and Mary Louise Osborne Frazier (1910-1972). His siblings were Russell Osborne Frazier (1929-1982), Joan Lorraine Frazier Greear-Preston (1934-2006), and Meridith Louise Frazier Gereear (1936-2016). Corporal Frazier died near Songhwangdang, North Korea on April 13, 1953. He died of asphyxiation and burns after his bunker caught fire. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California.
Gettings, Pvt. Charles Everett - Private Gettings was born May 22, 1931. He was serving in D Company, 1st Battalion, 5th RCT, when he died in an accident at the Punchbowl in Korea on July 29, 1952. He is buried in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky.
Glover, Sgt. Earl - Sergeant Glover was born June 11, 1917 in Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the Army on June 26, 1946. While serving in a medical company near Chonju, Korea, he was killed by friendly fire on October 05, 1950. He received the Bronze Star with Valor posthumously. He was survived by his wife Clarabelle and four daughters at the time of his death October 31, 1950. He is buried in Woodlawn National Cemetery, Elmira, New York.
Holley, Pvt. Richard Rudolph - Private Holley was born on September 06, 1925. He was serving in Company B, 6th Medium Tank Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, when he accidentally fell into the Pukhan River near Kapyong, South Korea, as he was washing his clothes on June 17, 1951. His home of record was Detroit, Michigan. He is buried in Woodlawn National Cemetery, Elmira, New York.
Spertzel, Pfc. Fred Francis - Pfc. Spertzel, 18, son of Charles William Spertzel (1897-1980), Huntington township, Gardners K. 1, was killed in action in Korea on March 12, 1951, according to a telegram received Monday by the lad's father from Maj. Gen. Edward F. Witsell, adjutant general of the army. Pfc. Spertzel was born on September 18, 1932 in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the army on March 32, 1950, when he was a student at York Springs high school. Follow his enlistment he was stationed for a time at Ft. Dix. New Jersey. He went to Korea last September and was attached to the Fifth Infantry Regiment of the 24th Division when he was killed on March 12, 1951. He was born in Huntington township, a son of Charles W. Spertzel and the late Esther C. Fickel Spertzel (1900-1946). In addition to his father he is survived by four brothers: Boyd R. Spertzel (1922-1984), Paul, George Ernest and Howard, all of Gardners, R. D. and two sisters, Mrs. Ruth L. Spertzel Henry (1923-1982) and Mrs. Helen E. Spertzel Bream (1930-2002), also of Gardners R. D. He was preceded in death by a sister Jean Spertzel (1919-1919) and his brother, Albert Edward Spertzel (1920-1922). Private Spertzel is buried in Idaville United Methodist Church Cemetery, Idaville, Pennsylvania.
Thompson, Pfc. Ralph Lewis - Private Thompson was born December 11, 1927 in Boyle County, Kentucky, a son of Floyd French Thompson Sr. (1887-1952) and Mabel Virginia Johnson Thompson (1891-1990). His siblings were brothers Floyd French Thompson Jr. (1918-2004), George Robert Thompson (1923-1983). and Emmett W. Thompson and sisters Ruth Thompson Bowling (1918-1973) and Betty A. Thompson Johnson. Private Thompson was serving in G Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th RCT, attached to the 24th Infantry near Sangam-ni, Korea. He is buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Danville, Kentucky.
Young, Cpl. Gerald Erving - Corporal Young was born March 21, 1926 in Washington, Nebraska, a son of James John Young (1884-1982) and Margaret Rose "Maggie" Harmon Young (1892-1963). His siblings included "Baby" Young (1910-1910), Pat Young (1921-2012), Everett Young (1923-1992), Mary Ellen Young (1929-1929), George W. Young (1930-2002), Dale James Young (1933-1977), Mary Young, Alice Young, Alta Young, Viola Young, Clifford Young and Vern Young. Corporal Young was serving in I Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th RCT when he died in an accident near Sanyang-ni, Korea on September 04, 1951. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Walthill, Nebraska.
The casualty figures of United Nations enemies during the Korean War vary depending on what source is used to document the casualty figures. The UN perspective and the North Korean/Chinese perspectives are different, and no doubt some propaganda is involved. Some figures vary because some sources combine battle and non-battle deaths and some don't. It is up to our readers to decide which source to believe.
Necrometrics.com*
*Reprinted with the permission of Matthew White at www.necrometrics.com. That website particularly shows the discrepancies in figures from source to source that cause it to be impossible to find a definitive answer as to the exact number of North Korean, South Korean, and Chinese military and civilians were casualties of the Korean War. The website's founder and author, Matthew White, states the following:
All the sources I check seem pretty sure of their numbers but they all give different numbers. Okay, some of the discrepancies come from disagreement over what to include - do we count only the 33,741 Americans killed in battle, or do we add the 2,827 non-combat deaths as well? But some of the other disagreements are harder to reconcile:
[MEDIAN: 113,248]
[MEDIAN: 547,000]
[MEDIAN: 595,000]
[MEDIAN: 316,579]
[MEDIAN: 1,000,000]
[MEDIAN: 1,316,579]
[MEDIAN: ca. 460,000]
TOTAL
[MEDIAN of TOTALS: ca. 2,950,000] or [TOTAL of MEDIANS: ca. 2,470,000]
These casualty figures were found on Skalman.nu website at www.skalman.nu. They were posted on two different entries on the Korean War Message Forum under "Chinese Troops."
Number of soldiers from each province in China reported killed in action during the Korean War:
Chinese casualty figures from the Chinese perspective. Source: CenturyChina.com.
This list of KATUSAs who were killed in action was found on a French website, Bataillon-coree.org.
The following figures came from the US Korea 2000 Foundation and do not include Korean Service Corps (KSC). KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army. The program started in 1950 and was created to augment United Nations troops with South Koreans.
See also The KATUSA Experiment: The Integration of Korean Nations into the U.S. Army, 1950-1965 by David Curtis Skaggs, Bowling Green State University. The article can be found in Military Affairs 38, No. 2 (April 1974), pp. 53-58.
Office of Public Information News Releases -
(Department of Defense News Releases - US Casualties in Korean Area)
After the cease fire, United Nations officials negotiated for the return of the remains of deceased war dead on both sides. The plan was called "Operation Glory." This section of the Korean War Educator's Casualty page provides information about Operation Glory, thanks to initial contributions by Andy Wolos, Irene Mandra, and Marty O'Brien. Information and photographs are still being sought.
Condensed from Graves Registration Division, Korean Communications Zone (KCOMZ) Historical Summary, Jul-Dec 1954:
Part of the Armistice Agreement signed in Panmunjom in June of 1953 called for the exchange of military war dead on both sides. In the months that followed, members of the U.S. Graves Registration Division in Korea met repeatedly with UN and Eighth Army officials to work out the details for how such an exchange might be effected. The resultant draft plan was approved and signed by all the major parties on the Allied side in early July 1954, and was forwarded to Communist officials. They, in turn, signed the new agreement on July 20th. Together, they also agreed that the exchange of deceased personnel should formally commence on 1 September 1954 and end no later than 30 October, if possible.
Implementation of Korean Communications Zone (KCOMZ) Op Plan 14-54, better known as "Operation Glory", was put into effect on 22 July 1954. United States engineers furnished by the United Nations Command, Military Armistice Commission Support Group, constructed a railhead and reception area. UN Command also provided a battalion from the 1st Signal Unit to establish communications. The Transportation Corps made plans for the evacuation, by rail, of all deceased military personnel on our side. The Quartermaster Corps issued all necessary supplies and materials, and the KCOMZ Quartermaster Graves Registration proceeded with the disinterment of all enemy remains of deceased military personnel interred in South Korea.
In the month leading up to the actual exchange of military remains, the Quartermaster Graves Registration Committee held three additional meetings with the Communist side to discuss the approximate number of deceased involved, examine the signatures of officers who signed receipts for the remains, and to decide how both sides would proceed from the railheads to the reception areas within the demilitarized zone. They were also to discuss the means of identification, use of vehicles in the prescribed areas, and ground rules for photographers and news correspondents.
On 30 August 1954, the disinterment of all enemy deceased military personnel was completed, and all remains delivered and stored at "Glory Railhead," near Munsan-ni, Korea. At 0930 the next day (September 1st) the Chief of KCOMZ Graves Registration Division met his North Korean counterpart at the reception area within the demilitarized zone, and received the first 200 remains of deceased UN military personnel. At 1300 hours, these remains were evacuated to "Glory Railhead", where a ceremony was held. In attendance were several major figures from the United Nations Command, U.S. Far East Command, Military Armistice Commission, and representatives from the Republic of Korea Army. A religious ceremony was conducted by chaplains of the Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths.
The exchange of deceased military personnel between the United Nations in South Korea, and the Communists in North Korea, continued daily, except Sundays, until 21 September 1954. On that day, North Korean representatives turned over 123 remains, and advised UN Graves Registration officials that there were no more to be delivered. The United Nations group continued delivering enemy deceased until 11 October. A final tally showed that 4,023 UN deceased personnel had been received from the North Koreans, and that 13,528 had been delivered to them.
Of the 14,074 remains of deceased enemy military personnel disinterred in the territory of the United Nations Command, 546 were determined to be civilians who died while interned in prisoner of war camps. The government of the Republic of Korea requested that the 546 remains be delivered to them for further delivery to the next of kin, who reside in South Korea. Of the 546 remains, seven were determined to be unknown civilians. The seven remains were interred in Pusan, Korea. The remaining 539 remains were delivered to the Republic of Korea government on 30 October 1954.
At the last formal meeting on October 11th, both sides agreed to continue searching in remote areas, and if additional remains were discovered, they would be returned prior to the end of the month, if possible. The UN Chief of the Graves Registration Committee further advised the North Koreans that the exchange facilities would be left standing for as long as was felt necessary.
For their part, the North Koreans announced that they had disinterred 78 more bodies, which they forwarded to UN officials the next day (October 12th). Then again 66 additional remains were handed over on November 9th. This brought to 4,167 the total number of United Nations deceased military personnel turned over by the North Koreans during Operation Glory.
During Marty O'Brien's research for casualty information, he found the following from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command:
The KPA/CCF turned over 4,167 "sets of remains" during Operation Glory. Anthropologists determined that 4,219 individuals were actually represented. Of the 4,219 remains received, 3,944 were determined to be American. When anthropologists completed their work in February 1956, they had identified all but 416 individuals received during Glory. These individuals were subsequently interred in the Punchbowl Cemetery located in Honolulu, HI. In March 2003, one individual was identified as Ronald Lilledahl, a Marine who fought at the Chosin Reservoir.
Crawford, Pfc. Grady J.
Born December 16, 1928, Grady Crawford was the oldest of two boys. The Crawfords lived in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas. Grady lettered in football and was active in boxing and swimming. But his passion was Junior ROTC, where he achieved sharpshooter and marksman medals, according to the 1947 high school yearbook. After graduating in 1947, he enlisted in the Marines. A few years later, his brother, Bill, joined the Merchant Marines and was also a Korean War veteran. The year before Grady arrived in Korea, tragedy struck the family back home. Grady’s father, Walter Grady Crawford, died Nov. 5, 1949, from injuries sustained after a city bus struck him near the intersection of Gaston Avenue and Dumas Street in Old East Dallas. The elder Crawford, who was 54, stumbled after getting off the bus and fell under its rear wheels as the bus pulled away from the curb, according to a front-page article in The News....Grady fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, one of the most historic of the Korean War. The battle is one that has come to define the legacy of the Marine Corps, the details of which are shared with every Marine recruit going through boot camp....Only 21 at the time, Grady was part of the 4th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division. Assigned to an artillery unit, his mission on Dec. 1 was to provide cover as other Marines evacuated. Grady was last seen that day in the town of Yudam-ni, and the Marines officially listed him as missing. Grady's brother, Bill, who served in the Merchant Marines during the war, often told his daughters that Grady’s best friend in the Marines told him he last saw Grady running over a hill, and “when he looked again, Grady was gone." [Dallas Morning News, September 27, 2019]
Fink, Army Cpl. Roy C.
A special coming back ceremony was held at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport as the remains of Army Cpl. Roy C. Fink, 20, was returned to his hometown for burial. Cpl. Fink had been missing near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea since December 2, 1950. In 1953, Fink was declared deceased by the U.S. Army. His remains were discovered in North Korea decades later and were then identified by the Department of Defense. Friends may visit the Lombardo Funeral Home 885 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst on November 3rd from 4-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held Friday morning at 10 a.m. in the Forest lawn Cemetery Chapel. The following is information from the Department of Defense about the recovery. In late November, 1950, Fink was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Approximately 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which was deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, when it was engaged by overwhelming numbers of Chinese forces. [November 2, 2016]
Fontenot, Joseph William "J.W."
In February 1951, Fontenot [Whitehall, Louisiana] was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division when he was captured by enemy forces near Saemal, South Korea. He reportedly died June, 28 1951, while in captivity at Camp 1 near Changsong, North Korea. Fontenot was 20 years old. He was from Whitehall, Louisiana and was assigned to the Army's Company L, 3rd Battalion, 38th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in Fort Louis, Washington. He was a Corporal. Before joining the service, Fontenot was a strawberry farmer, along with his father, in Whitehall, LA. His family spent the last 61 years not knowing where he was and if his body would ever be located....He was buried on October 27, 2012 at Whitehall Community Cemetery. [WAFB9, October 24, 2012]
Johnson, Cpl. Gudmund C.
Army Corporal Gudmund C. Johnson, 22, of Red Wing, Minnesota served in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 25, 1950, he was captured by enemy forces near Unsan, North Korea and reportedly died in July 1951 at Pyoktong, a prisoner of war camp. Johnson will be buried on November 9, 2019 in Red Wing.[Fox 9, Red Wing, Minnesota]
Kirtley, Cpl. DeMaret M. - Kaycee, Wyoming (Army)
Lilledahl, Ronald - (USMC)
Lindquist, MSgt. Carl H.
Carl went missing on November 29, 1950 after a battle. He was 32 years old and his hometown was Willmar, Minnesota. In late November 1950, Lindquist was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. The unit, designated the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), engaged with forces of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) in a battle on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Lindquist was reported missing in action during the battle, on Nov. 29, 1950.
Newman, Pvt. Lamar Eugene
A native of Griffin, Newman enlisted in the army in 1949. While fighting there in Korea in 1950, he went missing. Letters home to Griffin stopped coming. His family waited years to hear from him. Dotson said his grandparents always held out hope that he was alive. Their best-case scenario was that he was a prisoner of war....Newman’s remains were flown into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday. Beneath the morning fog, his coffin draped with an American flag was greeted by the Georgia National Guard, the Patriot Guard Riders, the Delta Honor Guard and his surviving family. Tears were shed and his coffin was escorted back to Griffin by men on motorcycles with the Red, White and Blue flying high....According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Newman went missing on Nov. 27, 1950 during a battle near the village of Kujang, North Korea. He was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and taking part in a defensive operation there, the agency said. Newman’s division suffered heavy losses and many soldiers were killed, captured or went missing. Newman never returned to the Army’s base. Before Newman left for the war, he asked a woman to marry him. Carol Morris and Newman never shared an altar. She was there Thursday morning when his remains arrived in Atlanta. "It's sad, but I'm so glad he's home," Morris told Channel 2 Action News. "It's been a long time." [AJC Atlanta News] Newman's remains were identified in November of 2019. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin.
White, Charles A. Jr.
June Chuvalas will never forget the day her brother left for war, more than 60 years ago. It was May 1950. June was a teenager, and her brother, Charles A. White Jr., was 20 years old. He had enlisted in the U.S. Army in McConnelsville, after he was rejected in Columbus for flat feet. By September that year, he would be across the Pacific Ocean, fighting in the Korean War. And by December, he officially would be declared MIA. The day he left, he told June, "Don't worry about me. I'll make it back." Charles died in 1951 in a POW camp in North Korea....According to the American Battle Monuments Commission, Charles was taken as prisoner Dec. 3, 1950, and died of malnutrition and dysentery while a prisoner at Camp 1 on the south bank of the Yalu River in North Korea. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Prisoner of War Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Charles was buried in the New Lexington Cemetery. [Times Recorder, New Lexington, July 9, 2015]
Williams, MSgt. Olen Williams
The remains of a soldier who went missing during the Korean War have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial, the Defense Department announced Wednesday. Army Master Sgt. Olen Williams, of Verbena, Ala., is to be buried Sunday with full military honors near his hometown in Clanton, Ala., according to a statement released by the Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office. Williams was 37 when he went missing. In late 1950, Williams and elements of the 31st Regimental Combat Team were establishing a defensive line near a small village in Sinhung-ni, North Korea, when they were attacked by enemy forces, the statement said. Williams was reported missing in action after the battle. [Stars & Stripes, June 6, 2013]
Winchester, Pfc. William Junior
Winchester was a member of Company D, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He died as a prisoner of war at the age of 20. He and his wife, Millie Ann Cowan, were parents of a son James. Upon identification, Winchester's remains were returned to Lima, Ohio, and he was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Awbrey G. Norris (US Army Retired) of Winter Springs, Florida, served in Korea from October 1953 to December 1954. He was stationed at Munsan-ni, Korea, near the DMZ where he was assigned to the UNCMAC Support Group. During his tour of duty there, he had the opportunity to take slide pictures of the scenes and events taking place in his area, including quite a few involving Operation Glory. Awbrey scanned and sent two of them to the Korean War Educator.
This list of 15th Infantry soldiers killed defending Outpost Harry (April-June 1953) was compiled by Martin Markley of Fullerton, California. Raw information for the compilation was provided by Lt Col. Mike Slater.
The first of two prisoner of war exchanges, Operation Little Switch took place between 21 April and 3 May 1953. It consisted of 149 U.S. military personnel in need of immediate medical treatment who were prisoners of the enemy. There were 127 Army, 19 Navy-Marine, and three Air Force personnel. Almost all of them had been wounded.
The second exchange occurred after the armistice agreement was signed. Operation Big Switch took place between 4 August and 6 September 1953. In it, 2,596 U.S. military personnel were repatriated, including 3,195 Army, 184 Navy-Marine, and 217 Air Force personnel. Slightly less than two-thirds of the former POWs had been wounded.
Personnel returned to the United States were each given physical examinations upon release. The majority of them (93 percent) were between 20 and 34 years of age. An additional 157 were between 35 and 39 years, and 68 were 40-54 years of age. There were also 42 former POWs who were 19 years of age or less. The age of five more was unknown.
[Sources: Department of Defense figures as of June 1, 2000; "Battle Casualties and Medical Statistics" by Frank Reister.]
This page honors the valiant soldiers of the 25th Recon Co, 25th Infantry Division who made the ultimate sacrifice for their Nation and for their fellow soldiers. The 25th Reconnaissance Company is one of the units that contributed to the lineage of the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. The list was found on the 3/4 Cavalry website.
Anderson, CPL William P. - Born in 1931, he was from Ohio. He died November 27, 1950 at the age of 19. He was MIA/KIA in the advance into North Korea.
Clark, SGT Wesley H. - Born July 25, 1923, he was from West Virginia. He died September 27, 1950 at the age of 27. He was declared KIA/died while missing.
Decorrevont, SFC Floyd - Born September 2, 1926, he was from Indiana. He died November 27, 1950 at the age of 24. He was a Silver Star recipient. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Indiana.
Fasick, CPL William F. - He was from Pennsylvania. He died August 12, 1950 at the age of 22.
Franks, PFC Henry A. - Born Oct. 8, 1931, he was from Indiana. He died July 28, 1950 at the age of 19. He was KIA in the Pusan Perimeter. He is buried in Union Chapel Cemetery, Jay County, Indiana.
Hilbert, CPL Willard F. - Born in 1918, he was from Missouri. He died October 19, 1950 at the age 32. He died a non-hostile death of other causes at Taejon, South Korea.
Michaels, SGT Raymond - Born about 1928, he was from California. He died September 12, 1950 at the age of 22;. He received a Silver Star. He is buried in Sunset View Cemetery, San Lorenzo, California.
Millspaugh, PFC Judson - Born Jan. 31, 1930, he was from Colorado. He died July 28, 1950 at the age of 20. He was KIA in the Pusan Perimeter. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Neal, PV2 Frank A. - Born 1933, he was from Iowa. He died July 28, 1950 at the age of 17. He was MIA/Declared Dead in the Pusan Perimeter.
Page, PFC James W. - Born 1927, he was from Missouri. He died August 11, 1950 at the age of 23. He was MIA/KIA in the Pusan Perimeter and is memorialized in Bushy Knob Cemetery, Gainsville, Missouri.
Peckham, MSGT John F. - He was from Massachusetts. He died September 24, 1950.
Radeke, CPL Kenneth C. - Born January 24, 1923, he was from Iowa. He died August 12, 1950 at the age of 27. He was MIA/KIA in the Pusan Perimeter. He is memorialized in Cedar Memorial Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Reifers, SGT Raymond N. - Born in 1923, he was from Mississippi. He died November 27, 1950 at the age of 27. He was MIA/KIA in the advance into North Korea.
Tedford, MSGT Robert A. - He was from California. He died August 12, 1950. He was the recipient of a Distinguished Service Cross and Bronze Star.
Vignes, PV2 Jakie J. - Born August 14, 1932, he was from Louisiana. He died August 28, 1950 at the age of 18. He was listed as MIA/Declared Dead.
Balentine, PFC Ralph B. - Born August 13, 1932, he was from Michigan. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 19. He died as a POW non-battle.
Carlson, CPL Ralph W. - Born in 1928, he was from Minnesota. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 23. He was a POW who died non-battle. He is buried in Rice Lake Cemetery, Braham, Minnesota.
Devries, PFC Wesley E. - Born in 1930, he was from Minnesota. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 21. He was KIA in the Chinese Intervention.
Fitzgerald, PFC John J. - Born in 1923, he was from Wisconsin. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 28. He was a POW who died non-battle.
Maupin, CPL Billie T. - Born July 15, 1929, he was from Texas. He died January 3, 1951 at the age of 22. He was MIA/declared dead.
McGuire, PFC Patrick W. - Born in 1933, he was from Pennsylvania. He died May 30, 1951 at the age of 18. He was MIA/KIA in North Korea. He was a Silver Star recipient.
Mercer, PFC Robert A. - Born in 1923, he was from Michigan. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 28. He was POW/KIA during an air raid on the Suan Bean POW Camp.
Morone, PVT John E. - He was born on May 9, 1929. He was from New York. He died October 21, 1951 at the age of 22. He died a non-hostile death of other causes and is buried in Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York.
Roeske, PFC Richard L. - Born in 1931, he was from Indiana. He died January 4, 1951 at the age of 20. He was KIA.
Cook, PFC Leon O. - Born in 1931, he was from Washington DC. He died July 7, 1952 at the age of 21. He was KIA; and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
Edwards, PV2 James J. - Born in 1930, he was from Maryland. He died May 1, 1952 at the age of 22. He was KIA and is buried in Baltimore National Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland.
Emanuel, PFC Solomon - Born in 1931, he was from South Carolina. He died July 19, 1952 at the age of 21. He was KIA.
Fisher, CPL Walter F. - Born March 14, 1931, he was from New York. He died May 1, 1952 at the age of 21. He was KIA and is buried in Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York.
Graham, PFC William M. - Born in 1925, he was from Texas. He died March 2, 1952 at the age of 27. He was KIA.
Klassen, PFC Fred P. - He was from Ohio. He died July 19, 1952 of wounds from hostile enemy action.
Waldoch, SFC Edward S. - Born 31 Aug 1917, he was from Kansas. He died March 2, 1952 at the age of 35. He was KIA and is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Torun, Dewey Portage County, Wisconsin.
Lane, SFC Donald R. - He wasfrom Kansas. He died May 22, 1953. He was KIA and is buried in Fort Riley Post Cemetery, Fort Riley, Kansas.
Rensselaer County, New York War Dead -
(Posted in memory of Ken Page & Rensselaer KWar Dead)
On September 26, 1954, an advance party of American soldiers from the 99th Field Artillery Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery lost their lives in the capsize of this Japanese ferry boat. There were approximately 1,159 aboard and only 150 survived. Only one American soldier survived, Pfc. Francis P. Goedken from Dubuque, Iowa. Due to high winds of approaching Typhoon No. 15 (Marie), the anchor of the ferry did not hold and the Toya Maru was cast adrift. Water entered the engine room, caused the steam engine to stop, and sent the ferry out of control. She overturned in the high waves. 2Lt. George A. Vaillancourt was awarded the Soldiers Medal posthumously. The list of casualties below was compiled by Peter P. O'Brien, 61st FABn, HQ Battery, 1954-55 in August 2014 at Foxboro, Massachusetts and updated in October 2014.
Thousands of trucks carried personnel, weapons and ammunition, equipment, the deceased, and food supplies during the Korean War. World War II-era Dodge 2 1/2-ton 6x6 trucks (known as "deuce and a half") were used, and the Dodge M37 3/4 ton 4x4 was also used extensively. At the outbreak of the war, the closest nation to Korea that could produce trucks quickly was Japan. On July 10, 1950, Toyota received a request for 1,000 Model BM trucks--200 to be delivered in August 1950 and 400 each in September and October. Toyota later received an order for 2,329 trucks on August 29, 1950 and an additional 1,350 trucks on March 1, 1951, for a total of 4,679 trucks. Korea was a backward country during the war. With narrow dirt (often muddy) roads located on lowlands and mountainous terrain, trucks overturned due to crowded conditions on the road, poor weather conditions, and enemy attacks. Trucks crashed into other vehicles, struck landmines, rolled over into rivers, and caught fire.
This page of the Korean War Educator is probably not complete. The names found here were researched on the Internet and are listed in alpha order, but there were likely many more truck accidents during the Korean War. Our readers are invited to help the KWE give proper honor to those members of the US military who died as the result of truck accidents in Korea. To add information to this page, contact us.
Julius Begley
Julius was born September 26, 1927, son of Oakley Begley (1899-1980) and Sally Napier Begley (1900-1966). He was from Leslie County, Kentucky. On August 11, 1953, he was killed in a truck accident near Chunchon, South Korea. He is buried in John North Cemetery, Dryhill, Kentucky.
Milton Blythe
Milton was born July 2, 1932. He was serving with the 58th Field Artillery Battalion (105MM), B Battery, 3rd Infantry Division. On August 22, 1951, the truck in which he was riding fell off a cliff near Uijonbu, South Korea, killing him. He is buried in Peaceful Valley Cemetery, Mayfield, Kentucky.
John Lee Bruster
John was born January 10, 1928. He was a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion 24th Infantry Division. On August 1, 1951, he was driving a truck near Hupyong, North Korea, when the road under his vehicle failed causing it to overturn and killing him. John was originally from Girard, Louisiana. John was the son of Mrs. Queen Bruster of Rayville, Louisiana.
Alfred Cook
Alfred was born December 17, 1930. Sergeant Cook was a member of Battery A, 58th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. On August 22, 1951, he was en route to the 3rd Replacement Company to take rest and recuperation in Japan, when the truck he was riding in went over a cliff near Uijongbu, South Korea. Alfred is buried in Bushy Prairie Cemetery, Frost, Texas.
Willie Harris Dixon
Willie was born April 15, 1930 in Mulga, Alabama. He was serving with the 619th Ordnance Ammunition Company, 67th Ordnance Battalion at the time of his death. On June 28, 1951, he was riding on a truck on the Yoju Road seven miles west of Wonju, South Korea, when the truck overturned, killing him. He had at least one sister. Willie is buried in Mount Olive Church Cemetery, Goodwater, Coosa County, Alabama.
Alvin Dowleyne
Alvin was born on August 15, 1928. He is buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn, King County (Brooklyn), New York. He died in the same accident as Willie Harris Dixon.
Luther Ormond Gooding Jr.
Born November 13, 1929, Gooding was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. On October 6, 1952, while driving a truck near Hwachon, North Korea, he struck another vehicle sending both over an embankment. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, New York.
James Oliver Hill
James was born October 9, 1927 and was from the Cookeville, Tennesse area. On December 2, 1952, the truck he was driving ran into a guard rail of a bridge one mile east of Chunchon, South Korea and fell into the river drowning him. He is buried next to his parents in Buck Cemetery, Cookeville.
James Johnson
James was born June 5, 1930. He was from the Atlanta, Georgia area. A member of Battery B, 196th Field Artillery Battalion, X Corps, was driving a truck near Pia-ri, North Korea, when it collided with another vehicle, killing him. James is buried in Marietta National Cemetery.
Leo Harrison Kellner
Leo Kellner was born November 24, 1927. He was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On January 29, 1951, he was riding in a truck that rolled down a cliff five miles north of Chunju, South Korea, killing him. He is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Warsaw, Benton County, Missouri.
Tom King
Tom was born on April 8, 1920 and was from Texas. Sergeant King was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Battery C, 58th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. On August 22, 1951, he was in a truck accident near Uijongbu, South Korea and was killed. He is buried in Cameron Rest Cemetery, Cameron, Milam County, Texas.
Jack Charles Larson
Jack was born March 3, 1928. He was from Wisconsin. Corporal Larson was a member of the 430th Engineer Construction Battalion, U.S. Army. On June 2, 1951, he was riding in the bed of a dump truck near Wonju, South Korea, when it hit a soft section in the road throwing him from the truck causing him to strike a rock with his head. He is buried in West Lawn Memorial Park, Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin.
George Dalton Libby
George was born December 4, 1919, in Bridgton, Maine, son of Benjamin F. Libby and Blanche May Seavey Libby. His siblings were Gladys Libby Hillertz (1916-1979) and Madeline Libby (1921-2006). George enlisted in the Army on November 13, 1945, and served in the European Theatre during World War II. In Korea he was serving with C Company, 3rd Engineering Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, when his heroism resulted in the Medal of Honor. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sgt. Libby distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While breaking through an enemy encirclement, the vehicle in which he was riding approached an enemy roadblock and encountered devastating fire which disabled the truck, killing or wounding all the passengers except Sgt. Libby. Taking cover in a ditch Sgt. Libby engaged the enemy and despite the heavy fire crossed the road twice to administer aid to his wounded comrades. He then hailed a passing M-5 artillery tractor and helped the wounded aboard. The enemy directed intense small-arms fire at the driver, and Sgt. Libby, realizing that no one else could operate the vehicle, placed himself between the driver and the enemy thereby shielding him while he returned the fire. During this action he received several wounds in the arms and body. Continuing through the town the tractor made frequent stops and Sgt. Libby helped more wounded aboard. Refusing first aid, he continued to shield the driver and return the fire of the enemy when another roadblock was encountered. Sgt. Libby received additional wounds but held his position until he lost consciousness. Sgt. Libby's sustained, heroic actions enabled his comrades to reach friendly lines. His dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.
Fred Marzloff
Fred was born January 16, 1926, and was from New Jersey, son of John and Anna Marzloff. He joined the Army on July 15, 1946 at Jersey City, New Jersey and was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the Heavy Mortar Company, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On December 16, 1950, he was riding in a tank south of Pyongyang, North Korea, when it struck a truck. Fred is buried in Woodland Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey.
Malcolm I. McGeoch
Malcolm was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph McGeoch of Argyle, New York. He graduated from Argyle Central School in the class of 1947. He received his basic training at Camp Rucker, Alabama, and arrived in South Korea on September 9, 1951. He is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Argyle, New York, next to his friend and classmate, Pfc. Baxter Betts (I Co., 23rd Inf. Reg., 2nd Division) who was killed in action, September 21, 1951. Malcolm was driving a truck when it struck an enemy land mine near Sindae Dong, Korea.
Charlie William Moore
Corporal Moore was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. On May 3, 1951, he was a passenger in a jeep traveling near Suwon, South Korea. The jeep hit a large pothole causing his carbine to fire, mortally wounding him. Born on October 14, 1919, Corporal Moore is buried in Watts Cemetery, Starkville, Mississippi.
John W. Morrison
Private Morrison was born October 15, 1928. Originally from Louisiana, he later moved to California. His widow was Claire Morrison of San Francisco, California. John is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. On June 28, 1951, he was riding in a truck about seven miles west of Wonju, Korea, when the truck was forced off the road and overturned, killing him.
Haywood Murrell
Corporal Murrell was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. On March 7, 1951, he was riding in a truck that went over a cliff six miles south of Wonju, South Korea. Born April 18, 1928, the son of William and Rose Murrell of New York, New York, Corporal Murrell is buried in Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York. He was the brother of Elizabeth Murrell.
Roy Julius Nicolai
Roy was born July 06, 1925. He was serving with the 430th Engineer Construction Battalion, HQ Service Company. On August 13, 1951, he was riding in a truck on the runway of Chuchon Airfield (K-47), South Korea, when a C-54 cargo aircraft was landing and struck the truck, killing him. He is buried in Gethsemane Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.
Robert Henry Olson
Robert was born September 5, 1932 and was from Snohomish County, Washington. He was serving in Company B, 14th Engineer Combat Battalion. He was a passenger in the rear of a truck and attempted to stand up. He was thrown off the truck and seriously injured. He was evacuated to the 44th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital where he died on September 19, 1953. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Everett, Washington.
Wilbert Payne
Private Payne was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on October 14, 1950. Born February 1, 1919 in West Virginia, he was the son of William and Helen Payne. He was called to active duty in the Korean War from the Enlisted Reserve Corps. Private Payne is buried in Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, New Jersey.
James Glennon Pickens
James was born June 2, 1926, in Prichard, Alabama, son of John Glennie Pickens (1904-1969) and Minnie Rose Flowers Pickens (1912-1986). His siblings were Gloria Rose Pickens (1933-1985) and Juanita "Nita" Pickens Andry (1936-1996). Corporal Pickens was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 74th Transportation Truck Company, 55th Transportation Truck Battalion. He was driving a truck near Wonju, South Korea when it went over a cliff severely injuring him. He died of those injuries on March 7, 1951. James is buried in Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens, Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama.
Joseph Douglas Shepperson
Joseph was born October 10, 1920. He was a member of the 58th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. He was driving a truck near Uijongbu, Korea, when it went over a cliff. He was evacuated to the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital where he died on August 22, 1951. Joseph is buried in Fort Sill Post Cemetery, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Charles Sloan
Charles was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, on April 15, 1933. He was a member of the 619th Ordnance Ammunition Company, 67th Ordnance Battalion. On April 4, 1952, his trucked rolled over an embankment along route 29E, North Korea, and he was killed. He is buried in New Canaan Baptist Church Cemetery, Seneca, South Carolina.
Dunbar Taylor
Dunbar was born September 03, 1929. He was from Pennsylvania, a son of Arthur Taylor Sr. (1904-1970) and Pauline T. Ebright Taylor (1906-1984). His siblings were Arthur Taylor (1926-1952), Hamilton Taylor, Richard Taylor, Letitia Taylor Hull, Pauline Taylor Donnelly, Grace Taylor Rowe, and Elizabeth Taylor. He was a member of the Army's 430th Engineering Construction Battalion, HQ Company. On August 13, 1951, he was riding in a truck crossing the runway at Chunchon Airfield (K-47), South Korea when the landing gear of a C-54 Skymaster struck and killed him. Dunbar is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Aston, Pennsylvania.
Roland Thunder Horse
Roland Thunder Horse was born on June 27, 1933, at Greenwood, Charles Mix County, South Dakota, to Charles Thunder Horse and Helen (Thunder Horse) Little Owl. Roland was 17 when he enlisted in the Army. On August 28, 1948, he entered active service at Fort Crook, NE, and became part of the 6th Engineers, Heave Shop Company, stationed at San Francisco, CA, and he went overseas as part of the Occupation forces stationed in Okinawa and transferred to Korea at the beginning of the war. Private First Class Roland Thunder Horse was killed in Korea on November 1, 1951. He was a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 10th Engineer Combat Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. He was driving a three-quarter ton truck when he missed a curve, the truck overturned, and he was killed. on November 1, 1951. He is buried in Holy Fellowship Episcopal Church Cemetery, Greenwood, South Dakota. He was from the Yankton Indian Reservation.
The following information was submitted to the Korean War Educator by veteran Jonathan F. Dedrick of Massachusetts in 2002. The (A) stands for 1947 graduates and the (B) stands for 1948 graduates.
The USS Bennington (CVA-20) was cruising in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA, on May 26, 1954 when a launching catapult exploded, killing 103 crewmen and injuring over 200 others. [KWE Note: The following list was obtained from the USS Bennington website at www.uss-bennington.com.}
At 2111 hours, fifteen hours after the explosion, the first official dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy from the USS Bennington listed persons as having died in the explosion. The following lists were compiled from the official Court of Inquiry and were complete as of the early part of June 1954. Others surely died at later dates but are not listed here. Many other shipmates carry scars as a result of the explosion and the loss of shipmates.
The final number of casualties as notes in the official history of ships state that there was a total of 304 casualties (103 dead and 201 injured). The above list was compiled from the official Court of Inquiry and documents dated through 6 June 1954 indicates a total of 139 injured and a total of 104 dead, or 234 casualties. There were undoubtedly some that died at a later date and are not reflected as such in this accounting.
The U.S.S. Hobson (DD-464), a Gleaves-class destroyer was built at the Charleston Navy Yard and commissioned shortly after the outbreak of WWII. During the war she saw action in North Africa, the western Atlantic, and at D-Day. Late in 1944 she was converted to a destroyer-minesweeper and reclassified DMS-26. After this conversion she saw heavy action near Okinawa, where she suffered significant casualties and damage from enemy suicide attacks. Repairs were completed after World War II and the Hobson took up duty as a destroyer-minesweeper with the Atlantic Fleet.
On the night of April 26, 1952 the Hobson was a support ship for the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Wasp (CV-18), which was conducting flight operations 700 miles west of the Azores (38 degrees 27 minutes north/41 degrees 21 minutes west). It was on its way to visit 20 different Mediterranean ports. The Wasp began a turn into the wind to prepare for aircraft recovery. The Hobson needed to maneuver to maintain its correct position in reference to the Wasp. A tragic miscalculation took place on the Hobson bridge that night. The Hobson turned port in a maneuver that required crossing the bow of the Wasp, instead of simply falling behind the Wasp and turning in the carrier’s wake. The Hobson was struck amidships by the Wasp. The collision cut the Hobson in half. She sank in less than five minutes. 176 of her crew were lost at sea, many asleep in their berthing compartments.
Read a Story by the Daughter of a Survivor
[KWE Note: An estimated 150 crew members were sleeping when the collision occurred and the ship sank within four minutes, which is why the mortality rate was so high.]
[KWE Note: The crew of the USS Wasp rescued 39 survivors from the USS Hobson and the crew of the USS Rodman rescued 22 survivors.]
Among the horror stories within the annuals of the U.S. Navy is the loss of the minesweeper Hobson when it came in collision with the aircraft carrier Wasp in the North Atlantic in 1952. The 348-foot-long Hobson was no match for the massive Wasp, was sliced in two and sank so fast it took 176 sailors to the bottom with it.
After surviving active naval battles in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II, including a kamikaze attack, the Hobson was assigned to training duties off the Atlantic Coast until the Korean War outbreak in 1950. She was then assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, providing support in amphibious operations and plane guard for carriers.
The Hobson met her fate on April 26, 1952, while with the Destroyer Rodman and accompanying the Carrier Wasp on route to the Mediterranean. At about 10 p.m. that night the Wasp was recovering planes from a routine night flying operation while the Hobson and Rodman were steaming about 1000 yards behind to recover any pilots who might have to ditch.
When the wind suddenly changed, the Wasp turned into it, but the Hobson failed to receive the turning signal and continued steaming forward. She consequently steamed right across the oncoming bow of the carrier and was struck amidships on the starboard side. The collision turned the Hobson over on its port side and split the ill-fated ship in two. The stern of the minesweeper swung around and slammed into the Wasp’s bow, opening a gaping hole in the carrier.
The Hobson sank within minutes, leaving a big oil slick around the carrier, which now was standing dead in the water. Most of the Hobson’s crew was below deck, asleep when the accident happened, and never had a chance. There were only 80 survivors out o a crew of 236. The commanding officer also died. Those who made it grabbed life jackets and rafts thrown out into the oil-slicked waters from the Wasp and Rodman.
The Wasp was in no danger of sinking and limped home after the crash. The hole in her starboard bow was 76-feet long.
It was a sad and unexpected end for a gallant ship. Commissioned in 1942, the Hobson served in every major US Naval action of the European War and then moved to the Pacific where she survived six bloody engagements in that theater. The ship received six Battle Stars and a Presidential Unit citation.
Just take a look at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The number is engraved in stone: 54,246*. There is only one major problem—nearly one-third of the Americans included in that figure did not die in Korea!
As it turns out, of the 20,617 non-hostile deaths originally attributed to Korea, only 3,262, or 16%, actually occurred in the war. Some 17,355 of those deaths occurred outside the war zone—anywhere from California to the Mediterranean to the North Atlantic. The vast majority—with the exception of 63 killed in shoot-downs by the Soviets and Red Chinese—died in accidents.
"This is a mind-boggling figure!" wrote VFW member Walter S. Larsen. "It is about the equivalent of an entire full-strength U.S. Army infantry division of that period. It is curious so many non-battle deaths would go unnoticed by the press and the public for so many years.
"Certainly, a further explanation by the Department of Defense concerning these disastrous losses is in order. Maybe even before the press stumbles onto this remarkable story!"
Marty J. O’Brien of Augusta, Maine, readily agreed. That’s why he started trying to get to the bottom of this vast discrepancy years ago. He was puzzled when he arrived at a breakdown of the numbers—all outside the Korean theater of operations—killed: 6,977 soldiers, 5,586 airmen, 3,870 sailors and 922 Marines.
Burt Hagelin of Dover Foxcroft, Maine, and a vet of Co. A, 9th Inf., 3rd Inf. Div., was on the same trail. These same numbers were supplied to him by the Pentagon’s Manpower Management Information Division as early as Jan. 12, 1993. He even wrote a paper on them.
In fact, the Pentagon published the corrected figures (thanks to Hagelin), after new and reclassified numbers were tabulated, in its Selected Manpower Statistics, Fiscal Year 1994 in Table 2-23 on page 112. It provided a precise breakdown of the 3,262 non-hostile deaths in Korea: Army=2,452; Marines=339; Air Force=298; and Navy=173.
Yet according to the Army’s Office of the Surgeon General, "no records exist" to verify non-hostile deaths sustained elsewhere during the Korean War era.
Hagelin thinks a mistake was originally made by the Pentagon. "Many Korean War Veterans Association members wanted names on a wall," he said, "but the government vehemently opposed engraving individual names. One wonders why."
The late Gen. R.G. Stilwell, the first chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Advisory Board, made it a personal crusade to get the record corrected. He used all his influence to persuade the military branches to re-check the numbers. One-third of the U.S. deaths directly attributed to service in Korea were indeed sustained elsewhere in the world.
Stilwell told this writer that he was overjoyed that Reader’s Digest had consented to print a closer estimation to the actual number in its July 1990 issue in the article "Veterans of a Forgotten Victory" by Ralph Bennett. Unfortunately, the general died before his personal project was completed and several years prior to the memorial’s dedication.
Some argue that any uniformed American who died during the entire era anywhere in the world should be included in a total figure. That was appropriate for WWI and WWII—conflicts in which troops were recruited specifically and exclusively for those wars. However, a far more fitting precedent was set by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which included only Americans killed in the war zone.
Vietnam and Korea were wars fought within distinct geographical parameters. While they were waged, the Cold War against the Soviet Union and its proxies was ongoing in Europe. Indeed, the Cold War had several fronts, and America had to meet multiple and simultaneous global military commitments. These other fronts rate recognition, too.
During the Korean War era, only 1.6 million Americans actually fought in the war zone. More than 4 million more served world wide. That 73% majority, whether drafted or enlisted, was put into uniform to combat communism in two distinct theaters—Asia and Europe.
Hundreds of thousands of GIs would have served in Germany and other parts of Europe between 1950 and 1953 even if there had not been a Korean War.
On March 12, 1947, America officially declared "war" on Soviet Communist expansion in Europe. The Truman Doctrine proclaimed containment.
"Europe First" was the pillar of America’s postwar defense strategy. The draft was renewed on June 24, 1948—two full years before the Korean War erupted.
An army, four air forces and a fleet were all mobilized to protect Europe. In 1951, four Army divisions were sent to Germany to bolster NATO against a belligerent Kremlin. By 1954, 352,644 U.S. troops were stationed in Europe—50,000 more than were on the ground in Korea at war’s end. All of these military moves would have been made regardless of Korea. Europe, indeed, was a separate confrontation from the one in Asia.
Some 1.7 million men were drafted during the Korean War era, but many served outside of Korea in support of Cold War objectives elsewhere or simply in defense of the nation.
A clear distinction was made between Korea and other areas. That’s why a Korean Service Medal (KSM) was awarded only to actual war vets and a National Defense Service Medal to all others. If an American who died would have qualified for a KSM, then obviously he should be counted among the war’s casualties.
The massive movement of troops on an emergency basis, accelerated training and extended maneuvers created unlimited opportunities for lethal accidents—on the ground, on the sea and especially in the air. Significant numbers of these accidental deaths occurred in the European Theater thwarting Soviet communism.
Submerging and thus disguising their deaths among others is an injustice. The best way to honor their memories is to educate the public about their service.
Their sacrifices are certainly worthy of recognition—but for posterity sake it must be in a historically correct context.
A memorial to all the Americans who died during the Cold War—distinct from the Korean and Vietnam memorials—is the answer. It would confirm in the public’s mind that the Cold War was indeed real. And not a figment of the imagination as the politically correct would have us believe.
Such a Cold War memorial would cover all the other actions in which 357 Americans were killed in hostile situations, not to mention tens of thousands in training, maneuvers and operational missions. For accounting purposes, the Cold War clearly deserves its own category.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial cast the mold for casualty inclusion. Recognizing that the death of an American in Germany was part of the Cold War, its founders nonetheless realized that that loss could not justifiably be attributed to the war in Vietnam. Like Korea, the mobilization during that era was worldwide.
If the Vietnam Memorial had included all that era’s deaths, it would have an additional 19,644 soldier’s names on it. According to the Pentagon’s Combat Area Casualties Current File, 16,004 of these Army personnel died in the U.S. and 2,329 in Germany from 1965 through 1975.
Once and for all, let’s set the record straight: 36,913 Americans died in, over or offshore Korea during the war, which lasted from June 25, 1950, until July 27, 1953 (the era extended to Jan. 31, 1955, for VA benefits). Of that number, 33,651 were killed as a result of hostile action; 3,262 died due to non-hostile causes such as accident and disease.
The least we can do for their legacy is to ensure that their record of service and sacrifice is historically—if not politically—correct. After 50 years, it’s time.
Walker, Lt. Gen. Walton Harris, 1909, USA, 12/23/1950
Commander, 8th Army, Korea, killed north of Seoul when his jeep collided with a truck. General Walker was a highly decorated veteran of World War I and World War II. In Korea he commanded 8th Army until his death in an automobile accident on December 23, 1950. For his leadership and valor, General Walker was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Commendation Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Dressler, Maj. Wm. Edwin, 1938, USA, 3/05/1953
Lieutenant Colonel Dressler was a decorated veteran of World War II. In Korea, he commanded the 63rd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy along the Kum River near Taejon, South Korea on July 14, 1950. By James W. Bolt: Lt. Col. Dressler was killed on the 14th of July 1950 along with his driver, Corporal Edward L. McCall. They were killed in the same two man fox hole and their remains were recovered two years later. The two families agreed that they they be reintered in the same grave. They died together and will rest in peace together.
Parker, Maj. Frank Mooman Jr., 1939, USA, 6/27/1952
Major Parker was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 24th Engineer Construction Group. On June 27, 1952, he was a passenger on an airplane when it crashed in Korea, killing him.
Hatfield, Col. Douglas Hampton, 1940, USA, 4/12/1951
Colonel Hatfield was a decorated veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the aircraft commander of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber with the 93rd Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group. On April 12, 1951, while on a combat mission, the aircraft was attacked by fifteen to twenty MiGs. It exploded and crashed into a mountain near Sinuiju, North Korea. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on November 6, 1953.
Found on Korean War Project: By Donald Penberton: I was the crew chief on the B-29 Col. Hatfield was flying in as an observer when it was shot down. It has been so long I can't remember the aircraft serial number. He owned a beautiful red Oldsmobile convertible which we loaded on our B-29 and flew from Guam to Okinawa, quite illegally, I might add. I suppose I was the last ground crew member to see him as I closed the entry hatch. His remains have been identified according to a DOD Press Release dated December 13, 2007. Family: Son of James Elva Hatfield and Hilda Foley Hatfield.
Hickman, Capt. Wm. Harris, 1940, USA, 12/01/1950
Captain Hickman was a member of Battery A, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea on November 30, 1950. His remains were not recovered.
Martin, Maj. Clarence Ames Jr., 1944, USA, 12/31/1953
Major Martin was a decorated veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, X Corps. He was at the forward command post near Hagaru-ri, North Korea when it was overrun by the Chinese forces on the night of November 29-30. He was listed as Missing in Action on November 29, 1950 and presumed dead on December 31, 1953.
Tate, Capt. John Alton, 1944, USA, 5/23/1951
Captain Tate was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea.
Ramsey, Capt. Robert Douglas Jr., 1945, USAF, 12/31/1951
Captain Ramsey was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter with the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group. On December 10, 1951, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the ground. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953.
Bates, 1Lt. John Olin Jr., 1947, USA, 6/12/1952
First Lieutenant Bates was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea.
Gilliam, Lt. Patteson, 1947, USAAF, 8/22/1950
First Lieutenant Gilliam was the pilot of a F-51D Mustang night fighter with the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Group. On August 22, 1950. while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, as he made a strafing run over Uisong, Korea and crashed 5 miles northeast of Chonano-dong, South Korea. He was known as "Pat."
Thomas, 2Lt. Howell Garronne Jr., 1947, USA, 7/14/1950
Second Lieutenant Thomas was a member of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on July 16, 1950 and died of those wounds later that day.
Dille, 1Lt. John Adams Jr., 1948B, USA, 4/13/1952
Jet fighter bomber pilot killed in plane crash at Itazook AB, Japan, Easter Sunday. Born November 2, 1926, he was the son of John Adams Dille Jr. and Marian Virginia Kirk Dille of Roanoke, Virginia. His brother, James Kirk Dille, was a graduate of VMI (1954).
Stephenson, 2Lt. Floyd Albert Jr., 1948B, USA, 12/13/1950
Second Lieutenant Stephenson was the pilot of a F-84E Thunderjet fighter with the 523rd Fighter Escort Squadron, 27th Fighter Escort Group. On December 13, 1950, while on a combat mission of strafing enemy positions south of Sariwon, Korea, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and disintegrated. His remains were not recovered.
Nachman, Lt. Irvin Edgar, 1949A, USA, 1/29/1951
First Lieutenant Nachman was a member of the 99th Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy in South Korea on January 26, 1951 and died of those wounds on January 29, 1951 in Toyko. Forward Observer for multiple units including support for the 17th Field Artillery Battalion.
Valentine, 2Lt. Earl Lester Jr., 1949A, USMC , 8/27/1952
Died on a hospital ship from head injuries received in action in Korea. Second Lieutenant Valentine was a member of Company H, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy in Korea and died of those wounds on August 27, 1952. Navy Cross recipient.
Walthour, Lt. Charles Perry, 1949B, USA, 9/1952
Second Lieutenant Walthour was a member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on September 21, 1950.
Tigertt, Lt. Thomas Walter, 1949C, USAF, 2/11/1952
Served in Korea/instructor at Nellis AFB, Nevada, killed in collision of jet fighter planes near Las Vegas. He was born April 17, 1929 in Lancaster, Texas, son of Carl D. and Anna Jane Tigertt. He was serving with the 3595 AF Training Group.
Timmins, 2Lt. John Wood Jr., 1949C, USA, 11/19/1950
Second Lieutenant Timmins was a member of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on November 19, 1950.
Tauss, Lt. Robert Seymour, 1950A, USAF, 12/22/1953
Pilot in Korean War/killed in line of duty at Alexandria, Louisiana while serving at AF HQ 366th Fighter Bomber Wing. He died of pulmonary hemorrhage resulting from a crushing injury of his chest. He was the son of Hungarian immigrant Edward J. Tauss.
Smith, 2Lt. Robert Norman, 1950B, USA, 9/24/1951
Second Lieutenant Smith was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on Heartbreak Ridge.
Taft, Capt. Kenneth Edwin Jr., 1950B, USMC, 3/26/1953
Captain Taft was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a platoon leader in Company H, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. On March 26, 1953, his platoon was attacked by superior enemy forces at "Outpost Vegas", South Korea. He exposed himself to enemy fire to direct his platoon to defend against the attack. When his position was overrun he fought hand to hand with the enemy, until he was mortally wounded by an enemy satchel charge. His remains were not recovered. Navy Cross. Born Belleville, Illinois, hometown White Plains, New York.
Townsend, Lt. Randolph Truslow, 1950B, USA, 2/08/1951
First Lieutenant Townsend was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on February 8, 1951.
Volk, Lt. Alan Maurice, 1950B, USAF, 6/08/1952
Killed in airplane crash on Okinawa. He was the son of Lester D. Volk, a member of the US House of Representatives from New York's 10th district office 1920-23.
Carey, 1Lt. James Desmond, 1951, USAF, 12/31/1953
Pilot of a F-86A Sabrejet fighter bomber with the 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group. On March 24, 1952, while on a combat mission, his flight of four F-86s attacked a flight of three MiG-15s. Two additional MiG-15s joined the fight. His aircraft disappeared. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953. He was known as "Jim."
Stewart, 2Lt. Eugene William, 1951, USMC, 5/18/1953
Died in line of duty at Kuan-ri, Korea. Second Lieutenant Stewart was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He died in Korea from other causes on May 18, 1953. He was known as "Bill."
Wright, Lt. Stanley Jr., 1952, USAF, 7/28/1954
Helicopter pilot, died during a rescue mission in Korea
*Source: page 476, Battle Report: The War in Korea by Capt. Walter Karig, Commander Malcolm W. Cagle, and Lt. Commander Frank A. Manson.
A total of 10,726 West Point graduates served on active duty during the Korean War. Of those, 157 died battle deaths. The 157 casualties are listed below:
There were some 120,000 women in the United States who were on active duty during the Korean War. Most of the women who served in Korea were nurses. Females also served in support units in Japan and other Far East countries during the war. Women military personnel killed in the Far East during the Korean war include the following. All were nurses, and all but one were killed in airplane accidents. Lt. Wilma Ledbetter died in the sinking of the USS Benevolence off the coast of San Francisco. To learn more about each of these women, visit the KWE's Women in Korea Topics page.
Brown, Capt. Vera M.