In God We Trust
This section is dedicated to the servicemen and women of the United States who lost their lives while serving in the military in Korea and other duty stations all over the world after the cease fire in 1953. Some were killed in violent enemy attacks. Others died in accidents, of a variety of illnesses, and other tragic causes. To add information to this page, contact us.
On January 21, 1954, 24 Marines and two Navy corpsmen lost their lives in a tragic accident in Inchon Harbor. (The KWE list below shows 28 fatalities.) U.S. Navy Landing Ship (LST456) collided with an Army Landing Craft Medium (LCM5195), tossing 50 occupants into the icy waters. The LST was manned by Japanese seaman and the vessel was carrying 1000 anti-Communist Chinese soldiers to Formosa when it was rammed by the small assault boat. Pfc. John D. Gates of Pensacola, Florida was at the wheel of the assault boat at the time of the collision. A former commercial fisherman, he told authorities that the strong current in the water forced his boat against the LST.
The Marines were mostly from Company H, 4th Marines, and were wearing heavy combat packs when they fell into the water. Many sank to the bottom of the harbor because of the cumbersome packs. Survivors and the dead were pulled from the water by rescue boats from the General Pope and native sampans. Survivors were taken to the hospital ship USS Consolation for treatment and recovery.
Cathy Haynes, member/supporter/volunteer of numerous veteran and military organizations in Central Florida, researched this tragedy and told the KWE that 51 men were tossed into the water rather than 50. Six bodies were recovered. She said, "Navy corpsman HM2 Jerry Dean Hurst drowned in the incident and his body was later recovered. He was born October 12, 1930, and lived in Iowa Falls, Iowa. His father was Richard Hurst of Fort Dodge, and his mother was Mrs. Maxine Roberts of Iowa Falls. Jerry had come from the USS Boxer and was to accompany the Marines in the escort of the former Chinese POW's."
The survivors included 17 Marines, two Navy Corpsmen, two Army men, and one Korean civilian.
"Although no VQ-1 aircraft were shot down in the hostilities in Southeast Asia [Vietnam War] there were instances of damage to squadron aircraft on the ground during enemy rocket attacks at DaNang. Outside the war zone however, in April 1969, a VQ-1 EC-121M and crew of 30 were lost to hostile fire from North Korean MiG fighters. On 14 April the Super Connie, with LCDR James Howard Overstreet as mission commander, took off from Atsugi and headed northeast for a routine electronic reconnaissance mission off the North Korean coast. The flight plan called for the crew to proceed to a point off Musu Peninsula where they were to fly elliptical orbits, each about l20 miles long.
At 1350, a little less than seven hours after takeoff, a U.S. Air Force tracking station monitoring the flight detected two new blips as a pair of North Korean MiGs rapidly closed on the unarmed VQ-1 aircraft. Although a prearranged message was sent to Overstreet ordering him to abort his mission, as the lumbering EC-121M turned away it was shot down southeast of Chongjin, North Korea, with a loss of all thirty crewmen. Only two bodies were subsequently recovered, those of LTJG Joseph R. Ribar and AT1 Richard E. Sweeney. Immediately after the incident President Nixon ordered a halt to reconnaissance missions in the Sea of Japan. The frequency of these missions had been averaging more than 60 per month until this time. President Nixon ordered the electronic reconnaissance resumed three days later, however, but this time with the protection of Task Force 71." The fatalities and missing in action were as follows(through Willis):
Balderman, PO2 Louis Francis - One of 31 crew members of a US Navy EC121 who were killed when their electronic reconnaissance aircraft (Deep Sea 129) was shot down 90 miles off the coast of Korea. While flying a patrol mission over the Sea of Japan, a US Navy EC-121M of VQ-1 (BuNo 135749) was attacked and shot down by two North Korean MiG-17 Fresco fighters. Balderman was born May 29, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Duffy Balderman. He was a mechanic.
Chartier, PO1 Steven Curtis - Born June 03, 1944 in Los Angeles County, California, he was a s on of Curtis Reynolds Chartier (1914-1971) and Winifred Alice Kyser Chartier (later Ulman) (1916-1989). His brother was Gregory Alan Chartier (1950-1991). Stephen was the husband of Phyllis Chartier. He was an EW operator on this flight.
Colgin, PO1 Bernie Joel - Bernie was born May 15, 1933, in Mexia, Texas, son of Gaston L. "Buck" Colgin (1905-1996) and Eunice E. Colgin (1910-1988).
Connors, PO1 Bailard Franklin Jr. - Born December 21, 1942, he was a son of Ballard Franklin Connors Sr. (1919-2009) and Gladys M. Ratliff Connors (1925-2015). His siblings were Garnett Connors Centers, Denzil Connors, Robert Conners, and Gregory Conners. Ballard was a flight engineer.
Ducharme, PO3 Gary Ray - Born July 08, 1945 in Delavan, Wisconsin, he was a son of Raymond Wallace DuCharme 91922-2005) and Beverly J. DuCharme (1924-1983). His brother was Patrick K. DuCharme. Gary was also survived by a wife and two-year old son. He was a manual Morse collection operator. He was also a Vietnam veteran.
Dzema, Lt. John - Born March 2, 1931, Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, son of Mrs. Andrew Gall of Edwardsville. His half sister was Mary Ann Volkeln. Member of U.S. Navy Fleet Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1). Atsugi, Japan EC-121 Super Constellation airplane with a crew of 31 shot down by two North Korean MiGs over the Sea of Japan just South east of Chongjin. Of the 31 crew members only two bodies were recovered. Amateur radio operator W3PJZ Lieutenant Dzema was a member of the crew of an EC-121 surveillance aircraft, serving with the U.S. Navy. On April 15, 1969, while on a surveillance mission over the Sea of Japan in support of the Korean truce, his aircraft was shot down. All 31 crewmen were reported missing. He was presumed dead on May 2, 1969. Lieutenant Dzema was awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal. He was an evaluator on the EC-121 crew.
Gleason, Lt. Dennis Baird - Born November 18, 1943, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he was the son of Henry Baird Gleason (1913-2007) and Dorothy Mann Gleason (1912-2002). Dennis graduated from Oklahoma State in 1965. He was an evaluator on the plane.
Graham, PO2 Gene Kenneth - Born October 04, 1948, in Northville, Michigan, he was the son of Kenneth Lyle Graham (1917-1997) and Florence Irene Graham (1927-1988). His sister was Diane Graham Lybarger. Gene was a radio operator.
Greiner, CPO Laverne Albert - Born August 08, 1937, in Clear Creek Township, Iowa, a son of Michael L. Greiner (1899-1968) and Irene Margaret Sieren Greiner (1906-1968). His siblings were Virginia Regina Greiner Weber (1928-2019), Keith Albert Greiner (1930-1984), Edward William Greiner (1931-1983), Darlene Alma Greiner Yates (1933-2001), Dennis John Greiner (1941-2002), Lawrence Dean Greiner (1949-1968), Herbert Greiner, LeRoy Greiner, Mike Greiner, Kathleen Greiner, Ronald Greiner, Mary Ann Greiner Carson, and Betty Jean Greiner Hassle. LaVerne was a flight engineer.
Horrigan, PO2 Dennis J. - Born February 02, 1946 he was the EW Operator.
Kincaid, PO2 Richard Henry - Born March 15, 1947, he was a crew leader.
Lynch, SSGT Hugh M. - Born October 09, 1942, this Marine was a Korean and Russian linguist.
McNamara, CPO Marshall H. - Born in 1934, he was a flight engineer.
McNeil, ATR2 Timothy Harlan - Born May 30, 1944, he was a radio operator.
Miller, PO3 John Alexander III - Born June 04, 1944, he was a manual Morse collection operator.
Overstreet, LCDR James Howard - Born April 10, 1935, he was the pilot.
Perrottet, Lt. Peter Philip - Born January 16, 1942. He was the copilot.
Potts, PO1 John Howarfd - " John’s first enlistment was in the USAF, and he received his initial training in Korean at Yale University courtesy of the Air Force. After reenlisting in the Navy John did tours in Okinawa (Joint Sobe Processing Center) and Naval Communications Station Philippines (San Miguel). During the latter tour, John spent considerable time in Da Nang, earning 10 Air Medals. He had recently been reassigned to Kamiseya when the shootdown occurred."
Prindle, AN Richard Thomas - He was the plane captain.
Randall, PO2 Frederick Arthur - Born September 11, 1939, he was a Russian linguist and manual Morse operator.
Ribar, LTJG Joseph Richard - Born August 28, 1941, he was a copilot. His body was recovered
Roach, PO1 James Leroy - Born May 04, 1937, he was a radar operator.
Singer, Lt. John H. - Born February 09, 1943, he was a senior evaluator.
Smith, CPO Richard Earl - He was a linguist.
Sundby, PO3 Philip D. - He was a Chinese linguist.
Sweeney, AT1 Richard E. - Born in 1938, he was an EW operator. His body was one of two that were recovered.
Sykora, LTJG Robert J. - Born December 31, 1942, he was a navigator.
Taylor, Lt. Robert F. - Born December 27, 1938, he was a communication evaluator.
Tesmer, PO2 Stephen Joseph - Born July 6, 1946, he was the son of Dale and Mabel Kathleen Steffens Tesmer. He was a secure teletype communicator.
Wilkerson, LTJG Norman Elbert - Born March 30, 1943, he was a navigator.
Willis, PO2 David Monroe - Born December 22, 1946,in Los Angeles County, California, son of Roy Arthur and Margie Louise Everroad Willis. He was a radio operator.