Cerro Gordo County Iowa
Part of the IAGenWeb Project
Cerro Gordo County Iowa
Korean War Casualties
Korean War Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Photograph by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2004
ALITZ, PFC Charlie R. of Cerro Gordo County, born 1930
U.S. Army, 17th Infantry of the 7th Infantry Division
Killed in Action 02 Dec 1951
U.S. Army, Co. A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Died while captured 12 Feb 1951, Hoengsong Vicinity, Korea
Remains not recovered or returned to U.S.A.
U.S. Army, I Co. 21st Infantry, 24th Infantry Division
Died while captured POW, 12 Jul 1950 enroute to Prison Camp Hanjang-Ni, Korea
Remains not recovered or returned to U.S.A.On July 5, 1950, the 21st Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division was defending a position approximately two miles north of Osan, South Korean. The position was overrun with several men taken prisoner by the North Korean Forces. The POWS were moved from place to place, then on October 31st were forced on the "Tiger Death March" in sub-zero weather for 108 miles through mountainous terrain.
"Tiger Death March" was named after the North Korean Major who was in charge of the group from 1950 through early 1951. "The Tiger" shot 89 of the prisoners and many others were beaten to death during the Death March. However a majority died from exposure and untreated respiratory infections.
Those who did survive were held at the Prison Camp Hanjang-Ni with no heat, food, or medical attention. Many died from malnutrition and dysentery, consequently interred in mass POW graves. The remains of many who died as POWS have yet to be returned by North Korea.
Died while captured POW 02 Nov 1950, Korea
Scout dog trainer, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
Died 05 Jun 1952 of wounds received while on patrol during hostile action, Korea
Honored at Memorial Union Gold Star Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
U.S. Army, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division
Seriously wounded in action by missle, Died of wounds 08 Aug 1950, South Korea
Interred Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City
U. S. Army, 5th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division
Killed in action 13 Oct 1951, Korea, Awarded Purple Heart
Interment Bohemian Cemetery, Plymouth, Falls Township, Cerro Gordo County, IowaJASPERSEN, PVT Leo F. of Cerro Gordo County
U.S. Army, 7th Cavalry Reigment, 1st Cavalry Division
seriously wounded in action by missile 20 Sep 1950
recovered and returned to duty in Far East Command, Korea
Killed in action 09 Oct 1951, Korea
Awarded Silver Star for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action
Interred Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa
Killed in action 10 Oct 1951, Korea
U.S. Navy, Fighter Squadron 24
M.I.A. 19 Mar 1951, Declared K.I.A. 21 Apr 1954, Korea
Remains not recovered or returned to U.S.A.
died of injuries and complications May 23,1953, Sawtelle Veterans Hospital, Los Angeles CA
U.S. Air Force, 620th Air Control & Warning Squadron
M.I.A. 08 May 1952, Korea Declared K.I.A. 30 Dec 1953excerpt from The United States Air Force in Korea, 1950 - 1953 by Robert F. Futrell, 1983:
In order to integrate the effort of air and ground forces, each operating under its own command, official doctrine recognized the requirement for a joint agency which served to exchange battle information, to provide the Army commander with a facility at which he might present his requirements for air support, and to provide the Air Force commander with an agency for timely planning and control of the supporting air effort. This agency was called a "Joint Operations Center." The physical make-up of the center included an Air Force combat operations section and an Army air-ground operations section. Designed to operate in close association with the Joint Operations Center (JOC) was an Air Force activity designated as the Tactical Air Control Center (TACC). Primarily a communications organization, the TACC was the focal point of aircraft control and warning activities for the tactical air force. . . .Although he could not yet move the advanced echelon of Fifth Air Force headquarters to Korea, General PARTRIDGE was anxious to open a Joint Operations Center at Taejon. At Itazuke, on 3 July, General TIMBERLAKE accordingly organized a combat operations section, drawing officers from the advanced echelon and airmen from the 8th Communications Squadron, in all; 10 officers and 35 airmen. Lt. Col. John R. MURPHY was named officer-in-charge of the operations section, and he moved his personnel and equipment to Taejon on 5 and 6 July, and set up for business at the 24th Division's headquarters in an office adjoining the division G-3. . . .
The state of the war was so confused that the 24th Division's operations officer was frequently unable to post an accurate location of friendly troops. . . . Understanding this lack of communications, General TIMBERLAKE scheduled F-80 flights from Itazuke and Ashiya at twenty-minute intervals during the daylight hours, and these flights checked in over Taejon with Colonel MURPHY'S control station "Angelo". When "Angelo" had supporting targets, it gave them to the pilots; when "Angelo" had no targets, the fighter pilots proceeded up the roads between Osan and Seoul and looked for targets of opportunity.
Within a few days attrition began to take a toll of the men and equipment of Detachment 1. The AN/ACR-1 was at once heavy and fragile, and it was quickly jolted out of operation by normal travel over the rough roads. Because of the lack of replacement parts and test equipment, only three radio-control jeeps were operational on 11 July. On this day Lt. Arnold RIVEDAL — a young officer who was described as "very willing and eager . . . a very fine example" — was hit by a burst of hostile fire while reconnoitering along the front lines. His radio operator and mechanic survived and evaded capture, but Lieutenant RIVEDAL was lost in action, with his radio jeep.
U.S. Marines Corps, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
K.I.A. 09 May 1952, Korea
Interrred Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, Iowa
U.S. Army
Died of wounds 30 Nov 1950, Korea
U.S. Marine Corps
K.I.A. 27 Sep 1950
Transcriber's Note: Many of the U.S. soldiers who died in Korea, particularly the POW dead, have not been recovered or returned to the United States. Currently there is a DNA project established in hope of recovery of these remains and their return to American soil.
KWWL, June 1, 2010
General Colin Powell in Cedar Rapids to Unveil Korean War MemorialCEDAR RAPIDS (KWWL) -- It was a special day at Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Rapids.
"Ninety thousand North Korean troops had streamed across the border and were sweeping south. We and our South Korean allies could only slow them down," said former Secretary of State Colin POWELL.
General POWELL was in Cedar Rapids to pay tribute to the 507 Iowans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in what is often referred to as the "forgotten war."
"Through memorials such as this, we remind later generations, that we owe so much to these heroes," POWELL said.
Hundreds of people were in attendance as the 6 foot tall, black stone memorial was unveiled.
"Unbelievable really. Ranks up there with anything I've seen," said Raymond ULRICH of Hiawatha.
ULRICH remembers being alongside Robert Van NOTE, one of the many who did not return from Korea.
"He was a gunner on the tank I was on, got killed," ULRICH said.
Herb SPENCER of Anamosa served in the early 1950's and still thinks about the 30 thousand American lives lost.
"I don't know what the North Koreans would have accomplished had they conquered South Korea because then instead of one prosperous part, and one poverty stricken, it would have all been poverty-stricken."
On June 25th, it will have been 60 years since the Korean conflict began. Many are continuing the memory of those who preserved freedom in South Korea.
"Many people say this is the forgotten war, but what they should have been saying is this is the forgotten victory because of what you veterans did, you won peace and freedom," POWELL said.
SOURCES:
iagenweb.org/history "Korean War Casualties from Iowa" Transcribed by Karen DeGroote-Johnson
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=1743
Futrell, Robert F. The United States Air Force in Korea, 1950 - 1953. 1983.
Submitted by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2011; updated March of 2016
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