Warren Webster, III

NO. 18012  •  

Killed in Action, February 21, 1953 in Korea. Aged 25 Years.


The news of Warren Webster's death came as a shock to all who knew him as a cheerful friend and a superior soldier and officer. Just prior to the time of his death on 21 February 1953 he was Aide-de-Camp to Brigadier General Dewey at IX Corps and could have remained in this position of comparative safety except for his intense desire to lead troops on the line as he had done before receiving the position as aide. Early in February 1953 his wish was granted and he assumed command of a rifle company in the 3d Division. Shortly, thereafter, he was killed by a sniper's bullet while leading his company on patrol.

Throughout the six years that I knew Web he was always happy and easy going. If there was a piano nearby he was ready with a song. And, if times were hard and others were unhappy, Web was always ready with a joke. What he lacked in the classroom he made up for with common sense. It is no secret that he held the Academic Department in complete contempt, preferring to spend his time talking and dreaming of the time he would marry his high school sweetheart, Joan Gidley.

I shall never forget, nor will many others, the wonderful parties Joan and Web had during weekends in Philadelphia. Web would be at his best with all the Ivy League songs, while everybody else would try to sing louder than he.

There was never a thing Web could not or would not do for anybody. His generosity and friendliness were open to all. I have never heard a person who knew him say that he was not among his best of friends.

Just as he played hard so did he work hard. Upon graduation he went to Parachute School and served with the 82d Airborne Division for a year before departing for Korea. While in Korea he received the Silver Star for gallantry while leading a patrol, and the Bronze Star for meritorious service.  His sense of duty was as keen as his sense of humor.

Web realized his dream -  shortly after graduation when he married Joan at a beautiful ceremony in Philadelphia. After he went overseas she went back to her home in Drexel Park, Pennsylvania, where their son, Warren Webster IV, was born.

Little Web had a wonderful father who has fulfilled his duty to his country and family. 

- Charles R. Smith

John Lonergan Weaver

NO. 17694  •  

Died 6 September 1952 in Korea (KIA), aged 25 years.
Interment: West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York.


John Weaver and I were classmates at the Academy and in the same company (F­1); later, we roomed together as bachelors at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, and I grew to know him even better - as a fellow officer and a true friend.

Twenty-five years were all that were given to John before he was killed in action in Korea on 6 September 1952. Such a brief lifespan does not provide opportunities for homeric achievements, but the promise of what might have been was evident to those who knew him.

How best to describe John? Whenever I hear West Point's motto proclaimed, John comes to mind. He truly lived by the words "Duty, Honor, Country." This image of John was evident to others as well. A friend who knew him in high school and at West Point wrote, "My strongest recollection of him is his sense of personal responsibility - his sense of duty. John didn't talk much; he just did, and did well, and without question." Other images are still vivid in my memory. John, the staunch Catholic, living his faith quietly but with conviction; his unwillingness to compromise his principies or cut corners, his absolute integrity. An incident from long ago comes to mind and was so characteristic of John. Soon after being assigned to our first platoons, we were to report 100% completion of certain mandatory training. Under the circumstances at that time, this was impossible to accomplish, so the accepted practice was to tender a false report. John's refusal to do so gave me the will to follow his lead.

It would be wrong, however, if one were to get the impression John was aloof and humorless or rigid and unbending, or overzealous and self-righteous. Not so. He was a spirited, funloving, personable fellow with a quick, dry wit. He was highly regarded not only by his friends but by his associates. A fellow officer who served with him remembered, "John was one of the few persons I have known who had the admiration of all his superiors, associates and subordinates. Everyone who knew him respected him for his adherence to his high standards and ideals."

John was destined for West Point and the Army. His father was a Regular Army officer. He grew up in a military environment. Just prior to entering the Military Academy, he lived in wartime San Antonio, Texas. A number of his friends there – “Army Brats” like himself – would later attend the Point with him. His older sister Mary Jo married a graduate of the Class of 1943. His older brother Bud preceded him at West Point, graduating in 1945, and his younger brother Tom graduated in 1955.

In San Antonio, John attended Central Catholic High School, where he was "Mr. Everything." He captained the varsity football team and was appointed cadet colonel of the ROTC unit his senior year. The school yearbook states, "Cadet Colonel John Weaver, military leader and outstanding athlete. As head of Central's military organization, he is in charge of four-fifths of the student body." His leadership was evident even at this stage of his life.

Following his graduation from high school and a year at Sullivan's Preparatory School, John gained a presidential appointment and entered West Point in July 1946. As a cadet, he was an achiever in all things that were important to him. He attained the rank of cadet sergeant in the Corps, was a faithful member of the Catholic Chapel squad and was active in athletics. He played plebe football and was a member of the varsity lacrosse squad.

John loved West Point. He gained much intellectually and professionalIy during his four years there. He was also strengthened and inspired by the tradition of the institution and those associated with it. Upon reflecting on his West Point experience, he wrote down his thoughts as he approached graduation. He made the point, with sincere eloquence, that he drew inspiration from the officers serving as instructors and staff. He had great respect for the example they set and the standards and ideals by which they lived.

Upon graduation, John went through the rigors of airborne training and was assigned as a platoon leader in the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. This regiment soon moved from Fort Bragg to Fort Benning to assume the role of "School Troops" when the Third Division departed for Korea. In the summer of 1951 he was assigned to the reactivated 508th Airborne Infantry Regiment. John arrived in Korea in July 1952 and was assigned as a platoon leader in Company, B, 27th Infantry, 25th Division. By the time he came on line with the regiment, the fighting had settled into attacks and counterattacks to seize key terrain. Typical of this fighting was the enemy's assault on an outpost called "Sandbag Castle" on the night of 6 September. The position was critical, as it provided clear observation for the occupier into the "Punch Bowl" area. The assault was preceded by a tremendous barrage of mortar and artillery fire into the 27th Infantry positions, particularly severe in the 1st Battalion sector. Company A, occupying the "Castle" was surprised and overrun during the night. For the remainder of the night and well into the next day, the battle continued for control of the ridge line where the “Castle” was situated. Every company in the 1st Battalion was engaged in the fight. It was into this inferno that John led his platoon in a counterattack. Later accounts of the battle described it as being vicious, savage and, at times, hand-to-hand. Casualities were high. A member of the staff later wrote, "The only thing that dulled the brunt of their (Chinese) assault and finally stopped it was men like John who bought time with their lives... his final actions were an inspiration to the men around him ......”

To close the final chapter of his life by writing "John made the supreme sacrifice" would overlook the significance of his life. Though he stayed the course but briefly, John epitomized all that is noble and good in mankind. His legacy is the inspiration gained from the exemplary way he lived his life day-­by-day  -  the influence for good that his memory exerts on all whose lives he touched. John, we salute you as you stand tall and straight in the ghostly ranks of the "Long Gray Line."

- A classmate and a brother

Bobby Gene Vinson

NO. 17575  •  

Missing in action in Vietnam on 24 Apr 1968, declared dead on 12 Sep 1977. Body never recovered.

 

SHOULD WEST POINT begin retiring football jerseys, a good one to start with would be number 44. Bobby wore this number for 4 years, having made the 'A' squad in plebe year on a national championship team. A native son of Nederland, he grew up in the rough and ­ready world of Cajuns, oil field workers, and longshoremen in East Texas. He learned how to play and fight, when necessary, with the toughest and was the Outstanding High School Football Player in Texas in his senior year. Bobby turned down a full scholarship to Rice in order to compete in the last year of the Davis-Blanchard era. Probably his most notable football feats were a 98-yard intercepted pass return in 1948 and a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 1949 Army-Navy game. He was number one in the plebe class in physical aptitude and could take on the best heavyweights in boxing and wrestling. Anyone would rue the day that he stood next to Bobby on "bloody Tuesday" in Bill Cavanaugh's boxing class.

Bobby also was an outstanding student, with particular talents in mathematics and science. It was amazing to see him return from a rough football practice and focus on academics with consistently outstanding results in the classroom the next day.

Bobby entered Air Force flight training just as the Korean War began and he quickly grasped the essentials of this new challenge. It came as no surprise when he was selected to be a jet fighter pilot. Combat skills were honed at the Fighter Gunnery School at Nellis AFB, NV, and he was soon on his way to Korea. Aircraft losses were heavy during the winter of 1951-­52, particularly for fighter-bomber pilots, but Bobby flew 100 combat missions in F­84s the same way he played football - with 100% commitment, 100% fearless. On one memorable mission, he spotted a North Korean tank. When his rockets failed to fire, Bobby recycled armament switches while continuing the attack. The tank was destroyed, but the F­84 kissed the ground during his pullout. A bushel basket of dirt, grass, and brush was retrieved from the F-84 after returning to home base.

In between flying 100 combat missions, Bobby learned skeet shooting. (In those days, the Air Force thought skeet shooting improved aerial gunnery skills.) Two years later he represented Tactical Air Command in the National Championships.

After the Korean War, Bobby was assigned to George AFB, CA, as a fighter pilot and met Joan McKinney while vacationing in Mexico. Bobby and Joan were married in September 1953 and raised 4 handsome and extremely bright children: ­Chuck, Robert, Victoria, and Laura.

The following years brought a series of tactical assignments interspersed with annual returns to West Point as assistant football coach. Later, while stationed at Wheelus AFB, Libya, Bobby learned scuba diving and water skiing - sports he pursued for the rest of his life. The Vinsons returned to Langley AFB, VA, where Bobby joined TAC Headquarters. Next came Armed Forces Staff College and the Pentagon.

Charlie Gabriel, classmate and retired Air Force Chief of Staff, remembers Bobby as a staff officer of unparalleled integrity who would challenge the system to provide absolutely objective staff studies. Charlie also notes that Bobby was the best fighter pilot he knew.

The years spent in Washington are remembered by their many friends for fun-­filled gatherings at their home in Northern Virginia, especially the "Vinson Backyard Olympics" where one and all tested aging skills in a variety of games and contests. In 1965, the Vietnam War intruded. Bobby became increasingly involved in staffing fighter operations for combat. In 1967, he returned to the cockpit.

After a brief training period in F- 4s, he joined the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at DaNang. "Skipper" Scott, classmate, fellow football player, and later Superintendent at the Air Force Academy, recalls that in their earlier assignment to the same fighter wing, Bobby was the top fighter pilot, able to beat everyone, including a top Korean War ace, in "dog fights" -- simulated aerial combat. LTC Vinson was quickly checked out to lead combat missions; the most challenging being night attack missions under flares in North Vietnam.

The April afternoon before Bobby's last flight, he enjoyed his favorite sport - scuba diving for lobsters in the Gulf of Tonkin. He told Skip Scott that they would cook lobsters upon his return from a night attack mission against the Ho Chi Minh Trail in North Vietnam. His aircraft apparently was hit while making a second firing pass under flares. His wingman reported the aircraft explosion, and Bobby was never heard from again.

Defense policy was to list pilots lost in combat as MIA until their true status could be determined.  Joan Vinson became a national leader in the movement to account for MIA-POWs. She was and is a wonderful wife and mother who kept the family together after the loss of Bobby.

COL Bobby Gene Vinson was declared KIA on 12 Sep 1977. From the "fields of friendly strife" at West Point to the skies over North Vietnam, he served his country with  pride and distinction. Check Six, 44! 

- His roommates Rufus Smith and Dick Leavitt

Kenneth Arnold Tackus

NO. 17837  •  20 September 1927 – 1 December 1950

Killed in Action, December 1, 1950 North Korea, aged 23 Years.

 

KENNETH ARNOLD TACKUS  was born on the twentieth day of September 1927 in West Hartford, Connecticut. Throughout Ken's boyhood days, he manifested two desires. One was to graduate from West Point and the other was to be of service to his country. These two aims guided his every step throughout his early life. He patterned his living and education to these ends. He was always able to see the right path to take, not only for himself, but also for any who wished to follow him. Ken was always large for his age. This worked both to his advantage and to his disadvantage. Many times he was called upon to do tasks that were much beyond his years or his experience. He always responded and did the job to the best of his ability.

By the fact that he was called upon to do these things, he gained in consideration of others. Sometimes Ken was too considerate and did not seek aid from his friends when he should have done so.

Ken's prep school days were spent at Fishburne Military School in Virginia. There he prepared himself for entrance into the United States Military Academy. He was active in all phases of society there. He was very good in athletics, he worked on the school paper, and was always on the Honor Roll for academic achievement. He could play as hard as he could work and was the life of any party.

Ken entered the United States Military Academy on the first day of July 1946. The Academy served to solidify all of his beliefs and his thoughts on a way of life. Here Ken became a man. He consolidated his past training and learning with special emphasis to honor, duty and religion. While at West Point, Ken met his wife, Dorothy Dunn. They were married at the Catholic Chapel at West Point on the seventh day of June 1950.

Unfortunately, Ken and Dotty were soon parted by his call... duty in Korea. Ken joined the 57th Field Artillery Battalion in the 7th Division. He participated in the landing at Inchon and the subsequent fight­Ing in the Chiang-Jin Reservoir area, where he was listed missing in action.

In the closing chapter of Ken's life, there is one thing that all may remember and learn well from him. That is that Ken is one who loved his fellow man. Ken walks amongst us yet, for there is a little bit of Ken in all of those who knew him and loved him. Every time we laugh or see a beautiful sunset we are doing it with Ken as he enjoyed laughter and loved beauty.

- V. R. G.

William Bonner Slade

NO. 17380  •  16 September 1927 - 12 May 1952

Killed in action May 12, 1952 in Korea, aged 24 years.


"Some keep their rendezvous with death 
Valiantly and soon; 
They pledge their youth and give their all 
And rest before their noon."

Within a brief two years after graduation from West Point, William Bonner Slade, First Lieutenant of the Air Force, went to his death while in line of duty on a bombing mission over North Korea. To those who knew him, his nobleness need not be told, but this memorial is written so that a generation to come may know the loveliness of his life.

"This was he, that every man of arms could wish to be."

He was born in Lake City, Florida, September 16, 1927. His father, John Ithodes Slade, and mother, Frances Louise Dunbar, were both of Georgia extraction. He was educated in the public schools of Florida, his native State, attending Columbia High School in Lake City, attaining honors. After preparation in Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama, where he distinguisbed himself in scholarship, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Here he maintained the same high standing, graduating with the Class of 1950 as a Second Lieutenant of the Air Force.

He was trained for jet flying in Sherman, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona; graduated from the Gunnery School in Las Vegas, Nevada, in October 1951; and was immediately ordered to Korea for combat flying. After two months combat training in the Philippines he was stationed at Suwon Air Base, Korea, in February 1952. His outfit contributed immeasurably to the disruption of enemy transportation facilities and installations. On May 12th he was leading a four-plane mission; had released his bombs and was pulling up from the target, when his plane was hit and burst into flames. Moments afterward he crashed to the ground fifteen miles southwest of Huichon, North Korea, deep in enemy territory.

Writing to his parents, his commanding officer said "His courage and ability, together with his devotion to duty, gained for him the respect of all and has been an inspiration to the squadron." General Mark W. Clark said of him, "His devotion to duty in defense of all that we, the free people of the world hold dear, has helped us on the long road by which alone we may hope some day to reach a just, an honorable, and an enduring peace."

To his friends, "Bill" was quiet and unassuming but with an uncompromising conscience and an inflexible purpose. From these qualities arose his nobleness as a man and his bravery as a soldier. Said one of his closest friends, "Bill was made of the stuff that all men admire and that knits the souls of men togother in enduring friendship" One of the men in his outfit said "He brought out the better in us all and we have been deprived of one of the best men that ever walked this earth."

While a teen-aged youth, he won the coveted medal of an Eagle Scout and the admiration of all the younger generation. He spent part of each summer as a counsellor for smaller boys in a boys' camp, and no doubt built into many hearts his own sense of truth and honor.

He was a loyal churchman and attended the Episcopal Church regularly. He was recognized for his spiritual leadership in the younger group at home. "He always carried his sword with honor and there never was one blot upon his shield." He faced life and death alike with steady eyes.

"We about you, whom you moved among, 
Would feel that grief for you were surely wrong. 
To you death came, no conqueror in the end. 
You merely smiled to greet another friend."

- Edwin F. Montgomery

Harry Eugene Rushing

NO. 17649  •  17 September 1927 – 3 March 1952

Killed in action 3 March 1952 in Korea, aged 24 years

 

0n 3 March 1952, less than two years after graduation, 2d Lieutenant Harry Eugene Rushing, United States Air Force, took off from his base in South Korea on another mission. As he crossed the Han River, going north, his plane lost its coolant and burst into flames. Athough he was able to return to friendly soil before jumping, the wind blew him back into the Han estuary. Harry's wingman, Tom Casserly, courageously crashlanded nearby to help if possible, but the icy waters had already taken their toll.

Harry was 24 years old when he died, an age when most men are still planning for a life of fulfillment. He had prepared well for a life of love and service and boldly lived it. No man led a more meaningful life or gave more. He wanted to become a cadet, and he did. He wanted to become a husband and father, and he did. He wanted to fly, and he did. He wanted to serve, and he did - to the fullest extent.

Harry was born on 17 September 1927 in Montgomery, Alabama. Born into an Army Air Corps family, he naturally moved from pillar to post, attending schools in Hawaii, Texas, Florida, Alabama, and elsewhere.

"Harry learned quite young to work hard for the valuable things in life," his father said.

Long before he was graduated with honors from Lanier High School in Alabama, in 1945, he had set his mind on a flying career. By this time he had also chosen Jean to share his future. Although he had already won an appointment to West Point, he enrolled in Marion Military Academy for further preparation. There he maintained the standard of excellence he had set for himself, excelling in academics, athletics, and leadership. Throughout these early years, the ordinary challenges of school were not enough to satisfy Harry's energy and curiosity. He found many other outlets in clubs, hobbies, and social life. By the time he reported to West Point in July 1946, Harry already knew what he stood for; what the valuable things in life were.

In 1946 we, his classmates at the Academy. soon fell under the spell of Cadet Rushing's infectious personality and his utter honesty. His parents say that he was a "quiet, serious-minded person." We w­ho wrestled, worked, worried, bantered, and stormed with him through four years in H-1 Company knew him to be an unusually warm and sincere friend who more than held his own in the give-and-take of cadet life. In athletics, win or lose, he made his enthusiasm and determination felt. He tried everything: football, wrestling, crew, lacrosse, handball, water polo, weight-lifting, track, and even skiing. His drive pushed each one of us to extend ourselves a little more. The issues resolved on these athletic fields were insignificant compared with those he would have to resolve later, but Harry knew only one way - always give your best.

With all of the camaraderie and games, Harry never lost sight of his main purpose - to prepare himself for a career in the Air Force. There was no compromising with this goal. He approached school assignments in the same manner as he later approached operational assignments. They were a part of his duty to which he would give nothing less than his maximum effort. The last time many of us saw Harry was at graduation in 1950. That flashing grin seemed to challenge life itself as he hurried down the ramp after receiving his diploma, confident that he had done his best.

Shortly after graduation Jean and Harry were married. The North Korean attack in June 1950 suddenly changed their carefree tempo of living to one of serious preparation. After Basic Flight School at Randolph AFB, Fighter School at Craig AFB, and Gunnery School at Luke AFB, he went to Korea, leaving Jean and Harry Jr., in Montgomery, Alabama. Three months later he took off on what was to be his last mission.

The citation accompanying Harry's posthumous award of the Air Medal reads:

Despite the hazards of marginal weather conditions, aerial interception, and intense antiaircraft artillery fire, his exceptional airmanship in combat operations contributed immeasurably to the successful execution of the United Nations mission. The technical skill, personal courage, and selfless devotion to duty which he displayed reflect the highest credit upon himself, his organization, and the United States Air Force.

That was 13 years ago. But the image of his penetrating dark eyes and flashing smile is just as vivid in our minds today as it was in 1950 when we parted at graduation. Today, we, his classmates, feel a particular pride and gratitude in identifying him as one of us. He gave us the warmth of friendship, the inspiration of example, and the benefit of his sacrifice. When he was finally called away, he left the world a better place.

-His Classmates

James Robinson Pierce Jr.

NO. 17937  •  30 December 1925 – 16 June1 1952

Killed in action, June 16, 1952, in Korea, aged 26 years

 

FIRST LIEUTENANT JAMES ROBINSON PIERCE, JR. was born December 30, 1925 in Tientsin, China. He graduated from the Officers' Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, on September 27, 1945, after enlisted service from September 20, 1944. He entered the United States Military Academy on July 1, 1946, graduating on June 6, 1950 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. He qualified as a paratrooper at Fort Benning during the fall of 1950, subsequently joining the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, where he was stationed for a little over a year. After completion of the associate combat course at Fort Benning in December 1951, he received his promotion to First Lieutenant on December 2, and departed for overseas on January 29, 1952. There he was assigned to the 179th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Division in Korea about February 12.  After duty as a platoon leader, he became Company Commander of Compauy "L" in May 1952. He was recommended for promotion by his division commander shortly before he met his death while leading a counter‑attack against the enemy.

He married Margaret Ann Rosser, of Clarksville, Tennessee, in December 1950. To this completely happy union was born a son, James Robinson Pierce, III, on February 29, 1952.

His family and friends are intensely proud of the way he lived and the way he died. His character, faith in his fellow men, and deep religious convictions were markedly outstanding throughout his life. He died on June 16, 1952 in the finest tradition of the Army, paying the supreme sacrifice, fearlessly leading his men in the defense of their country.

-His Father

William Edwards Otis, Jr.

NO. 17908  •  18 July 1927 – 7 September 1955

Died September 11, 1950, in Korea, aged 25 years


"Tige," as he was known to family and friends, or Bill, as he became known at West Point, had one outstanding trait which we who knew and loved him will always remember. It was an uncanny ability to lighten the moment, no matter how dark, and make everyone happy to be there at that particular time with him, He would laugh at himself or with you or lampoon an entire situation to shatter its oppressiveness. Although his life was tragically short, it was full and rich because he never wasted time worrying about misfortune.

 Born In Cleveland, Ohio, "Tige" first looked at Army life at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in 1929 when his mother was married to an Army officer. Somewhere early in the family's tour of peacetime  Army posts he determined that this would be his career. There were many obstacles to overcome, but "Tige" never relinquished this goal.

After attending various schools on Army posts and in Cleveland, "Tige" entered Culver Military Academy. A member of the Artillery there, he was active in cadet life and as a member of the wrestling team. Two years of military life seemed to sharpen his desire to enter the Military Academy; he secured a Congressional appointment upon his graduation in 1943. Such was not to be immediately, however, as defective vision prevented his passing the medical examination. There followed two years of enlisted service in the Artillery and in the CIC, as well as several delicate eye operations, before he finally entered the Academy with the Class of 1950.

West Point with its periodic cycles of gloom seemed to lend fuel to "Tige's" love of humor and satire. Although deeply dedicated to the traditions and missions of West Point, he depicted his exasperations with the rigors of the military and academic system to the delight of family and friends, gathering regularly to read his letters.

During his First Class year “Tige” met Doris Livingston of Philadelphia, to whom he was married following graduation June Week.

On August 7, 1950, "Tige's" leave and honeymoon were terminated and he flew to Japan. He stayed there less than a week before reporting to the First Cavalry Division in Korea. Although engaged in the bitter fighting of that month, he found time to lighten the home spirits, spinning anecdotes of his disappointment at the elimination of the beer ration and of his difficulties making himself understood by Korean soldiers. Humor however shrouded no lack of resolution. For his "extreme courage and aggressive action against overwhelming odds" in action near Waegwan, "Tige" was awarded the Silver Star. He had been put in for another for his part in leading a patrol to bring out a fellow officer and friend who had been cut off; but shortly thereafter, on September 11, he was killed while leading his platoon on an attack near Waegwan.

A friend of the family wrote that as tragic as his death was, there was some small consolation in knowing that "Tige" had early set his mind on a career in the service and when he died was leading his troops, the ultimate fulfillment of that goal. Considering this, with the happiness he had known in marriage and the memories he left, which even now can make us who loved him forget ourselves and chuckle, his was indeed a life full and rich.

‑J. G.

Stanley David Osborne

NO. 17704  •  

Died 17 July 1953 in Korea, aged 25 years.


We all try to forget the the unpleasant and re­member the happy periods of our life. So it is with Dave. Our years of close association with him are cherished as one of the brightest periods of our lives. Those of us who knew him so well try to disbelieve that we have lost such an outstanding friend.

Dave grew up in Reno, Nev. He entered the Army after graduation from high school and immediately found that this was his calling. He obtained an appointment to West Point and arrived on the West Shore Railroad in July 1946. During the next four years, Dave displayed a sincere warmth and devotion to his family and friends. To be a friend of Dave's was to participate in rare comradeship. Although Dave is no longer with us, much of him remains. There is never a reminiscence about old Company I‑1 that does not include him. Why? Because Dave had such an influence on all he met. He quickly achieved eminence in the eyes of everyone he encountered, and he abides supremely in the hearts of those of us who were fortunate enough to be called friend by him.

Few of us have the capability to extract as much out of life as Dave did. He took each day as it came and lived it to its fullest. In his 25 years, Dave lived a far richer life than most who endure years longer. His love of life was contagious. You just wanted to be around him and share his enthusiasm. Dave made the ultimate sacrifice for the way of life he so dearly appreciated. On 17 July 1953, just a few days before the end of the Korean War, Dave was killed in action. Again, he was living this day to its fullest when he was killed. For his action in ousting a squad of Chinese Communists from the trenches by hand-­to‑hand combat, he received the Silver Star.

Dave returned home to Reno, Nev., on 30 September 1953, with Bill Magill as escort. Services were held in October, and burial was in the veterans' section of the Mt. View Cemetery.

Dave's father wrote, "Dave would have been very proud and probably embarrassed to think that so many people would make so much fuss over him." In memory of Dave, his friends contributed a window to his church.

Little can be added to a tribute written by one of Dave's fellow officers in the 187th Regimental Combat Team. "Dave spent a wonderful year in the 187th, during which time he impressed those around him; his superiors, contemporaries, and their dependents as being an officer of outstanding efficiency, understanding, and generosity. In short, everybody liked him. He was a fine officer and a great guy"   

‑Lou Prentiss

Peter Howland Monfore

NO. 17661  •  10 August 1927 – 19 September 1951

Killed in Action 19 September 1951, in Korea, aged 24 Years


"Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die." - On September 19, 1951, Bloody Heartbreak Ridge, Hill 851, Korea, Love Company Commander, Lt. Peter Howland Monfore, and many comrades of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, met their death. These are the facts as told by the one surviving officer of Love Company.

"The morning of September 12, attack orders came. The Battalion was to cross the L.D. with 'H', 'I', 'K', and 'L' Company spearheading. Heartbreak Ridge was reached and we managed to fight our way up about two hundred yards before dark. On the days following this move, the push for HiII 851 started and the objective was almost reached. Peter was always up front with the assault ­platoon. He said the men liked to see their commanding officer around when the chips were down. The night of the 18th, Pete received orders for a night attack on 851. We moved through 'K' Co. at 10:00 PM o'clock and made our way right up on the hill. We dug in, everyone was so tired and happy. Four o'clock on the mornIng of the 19th, the Reds hit Love Company with two battalions. They cut off 'K' Company from us and soon had us completely surrounded. Peter had been reading his Bible. Sensing something was wrong, he put it down, picked up his carbine. As soon as we were out of our bunks we knew it was more than just a probing attack. The fight was overwhelming. We used up all our ammunition. Peter grabbed a BAR, then found a machine gun. The fighting became closer and bitter. We were surrounded. At about two PM o'clock I saw Pete coming toward me. An enemy burp gun got him in the chest, one bullet found his heart. Peter died very shortly, conscious all the time, and very calm and cool. He smiled at me, tried, but couldn't speak. We put him on a litter, and I covered him with a blanket. I think he tried to tell me to take care of the remaining men. Finally 'K' and 'I' companies came up from behind and helped us to pull back. We, of Love Company, had only forty-four (44) men left out of one hundred and sixty-seven (167)."

"On October 12, Love Company was given the mission of retaking Hill 851. We took it. I am sure every man had Peter on his mind when we finally got up there. The battle of September 18th lasted fourteen hours. I have never seen Pete's equal in or out of the Army. Peter was a Christian man, and lived every minute of his life as such, always saying his daily prayers and blessing his 'C' rations whenever he ate, doing for others, constantly bringing hope and encouragement to his men and being very considerate and thoughtful. I shall never forget him as long as I live. The men are putting him in for the Congressional Medal of Honor. We hope he gets it. We all thought so much of him."

Thus, ended the short but full und glorious life of Lieut. Peter Howland Monfore, oldest of five children of Mr. and Mrs. Howland Swift Monfore of Springfield, South Dakota.

Peter was born in South Dakota on August 10, 1927. His childhood and early youth were spent in the ordinary activities of most boys. He was always a good student and very active in all school activities. He loved sports and participated and was a leader in them. Football was his great love.

Peter was baptized and confirmed in the Ascension Episcopal Church of Springfield, South Dakota.

After attending school at Springfield and Tyndall, South Dakota, Peter progressed to graduation with honors from Washington High School, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and immediately enlisted in the Navy, where he remained until 1946, when he received a letter from the Secretary of War, notifying him of an appointment to the United States Military Academy.

After much deliberation, he decided to accept and was given an honorable discharge from the Navy and entered West Point July 1st, 1946.

While taking Naval training at the University of Wisconsin, Pete became interested in boxing and under the splendid coaching of Dewitt Portal, John Walsh, and Julius Menendez, he became very proficient, receiving the Best Contenders trophy award. He followed this sport at U.S.M.A, and Peter "The Rock", as he was affectionately called, went on to Captain the Army boxing team, and to make many splendid NCAA showings, and to win the Eastern Intercollegiate lightheavy weight title championship for two successive years, 1949 and 1950.

Peter's character expanded and increased in strength, and he became a proud aud worthy cadet, meeting and encountering the new ways of life, with a serious and business-like attitude. He truly abided by the West Point code of "Duty, Honor, Country", but added to it, love of God.

Peter was well known and respected by the cadets, and was a bulwark to which any in need could turn; perhaps this is made clearer by the facts that he was chosen a member of the Honor Committee and Cadet CO of "E-2" Company, besides remaining well up in his class scholastically, teaching Sunday School, playing football and boxing. Peter was a good student, a Christian, a fine athlete, a capable leader, and an outstandIng cadet, but he was never too busy to help. He was admired and loved by all who knew or came in contact with him, and they were many, for when the news of his tragic death became known, hundreds of letters of sympathy, praise and comfort came pouring in from all over the nation and abroad. We marveled at how many had been affected by his personality, unselfishness, kindness, helpfulness, sportsmanship, leadership, honesty, integrity, thoughtfulness, love of God, and love for his fellow men, which were all displayed with modesty and humility,

Peter developed and devoted much time to growth in spirit. He adopted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and wished for all his friends to find his own firm belief and comfort in the knowledge of God, wherein lies our salvation. The will of God was of great importance to Pete. He was active in many religious groups and was constantly trying to give others the strength and comfort received from his belief.

Peter chose for his tour of duty the Far East Command, feeling that there with the Infantry he could best serve his Lord and country. Following graduation from U.S.M.A. in June 1950, he spent a few weeks among friends and at home. In August 1950, with his spiritual and military background so fresh and new, he was shipped to the battlefield of Korea. In three days he received his first wounds while leading a platoon. After three weeks' hospitalization and convalesence he returned to the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division, and served with it in various capacities, such as platoon leader, regimental liaison officer, etc. Twice he turned down opportunities  to become "General's Aide". That was not for him. He wanted to be with the front line men. Finally, he was given Love Company to command. Now he was supremely happy. He said, "It is the best job in the whole Army". He was ever looking after, not only the physical needs but the spiritual needs of his men.

Peter was a member of the Christian Military Men's Committee, and their first member to be killed. This is the spiritual report of his life as written by a member:

"Several months previous to his death, Lieut. Monfore had sent us the names of his friends and military associates who were either unsaved or needing the Lord Jesus Christ, or Christians in need of spiritual encouragement. From that time on a regular prayer program for the men has been begun and Gospel messages designed to meet their individual needs sent to them, that witness shall result in their salvation. 'For none of us liveth to himself, and no mail dieth unto himself, for whether we live, we live unto the Lord and whether we die, we die unto the Lord, whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lords.' Romans 14:7-8. The eternal truth of this statement of God's word is beautifully illustrated in the life and death of Lieut. Peter Howland Monfore. How gloriously true are God's words, 'He being dead, yet Speaketh.'

"Peter was courageous. He was awarded a French medal and citation by General Monclar, Commander of the French U.N. forces, for great courage, in spite of fierce enemy cross fire, in rescuing a French battalion which had been surrounded by the enemy".

Great comfort and pride were found in these excerpts from letters which paid tribute to his character:

"My loss could not have been greater had it been my own family. As fine a man as ever walked the face of the earth. What a fiercely precious thing this freedom must be when it is bought and paid for with the lives of young men such as Pete. May God give us the sense of values to appreciate what it means."

"I cannot think of any boy that has left the impression that Pete left with me. I can't count the times that I have talked to my friends and boys in my classes about him. Peter was the model athlete. When you meet a boy in athletics or physical education like Pete, then you know you are in the right business. I shall always try to develop the fine qualities Peter possessed."

"Your boy was certainly as fine a soldier as West Point has ever produced. He lived up to every part of, 'Duty, Honor, Country', Among all the the men we lost in this grinding battle, it is hard to say who could be the hardest to lose, but Pete had every attribute of greatness, and was potentially one of the Army's bright young stars. For several hours we couldn't believe he was really gone, and kept praying for his return. As a soldier, there is  little in war to recommend itself to me. The only recompense is in the sense of duty performed for our country, and the great comradeship and respect engendered for our fighting brothers. Ernie Pyle could have written of this battle and your son. I cannot. We of the 23rd lnfantry share your grief and participate in your fierce pride."

"Peter was an exceptionally fine young officer and was on my staff until he took over Love Company in August, and he immediately established it as a top outfit. The night preceding his death he executed a brilliant attack on a dominant hill of Heartbreak Ridge of unparalleled success and daring. We all predicted a shining future for your son and his men had a deep affection for him. Only a few days before, I signed a recommendation for his promotion to Captain. We are asking one of the country's highest awards for your son, the highest decoration our government can give."

"Pete was one of my best friends. I feel it a genuine privilege to have been his friend and feel that I am a better man today for having known him. Pete had many friends, probably as many as any man that ever graduated from the Point. Ours was a special friendship, a little stronger than ordinary. Peter and I had a common understanding of each other. I understood his religious views, his strict adherence to physical conditioning, his unflinching honesty. I respected him for it and he knew It. He never failed to make me laugh when I was down. The news of Peter’s death left me more stunned and grieved than I have ever been in my entire life. I last had seen Peter in Korea in April, 1951, near the IittIe town of Hong Chon. He hadn't changed a bit, but looked like he did when he entered the boxing ring, grim and ready for the job ahead, yet ready with a smile."

"As a member of my battalion, Pete, as he was affectionately called, was highly respected and beloved by all the officers and men of the unit. He was an outstanding officer, considerate, kind, gentle, yet firm. His regular attendance at church service was an indication of his true character in the spirit of love of God. This was a form of his duty, and with Pete the word duty was but another name for the will of the Almighty and to perform this was the sole aim of his life. News of his death stunned every member of this unit, and his loss will be felt keenly in the organization."

These are just a few of the many, many tributes paid to Lieut. Peter Howland Monfore, no longer present on this earth.

We who survive him are proud to look back on his accomplishments and let them be examples which he set forth to serve us and inspire us in our attempt to fulfill the tasks that he would have completed. Pete met death pridefully and manfully in the service of his country, and with faith in his devotion to duty and in defense of all that we and the free people of the world hold most dear. Let us hope that it has helped us on the long hard road by which we may expect to reach a just, honorable, and enduring peace.

-The Monfore Family

Frank Riley Loyd, Jr.

NO. 18013  •  20 April 1928 – 26 September 1950

Died 26 September 1950 in Korea, aged 22 years.


FRANK LOYD was born and reared in the Infantry and no queen ever had more gallant service than Frank gave to the blue-scarfed, valiant Queen of Battles. He was born at Fort Sam Houston on 20 April 1928, the son of an Infantry officer. With his younger sister he grew up on Infantry posts and was intrigued by the drill formations and parades. It is easy to imagine him, at retreat, one of many little boys, washed and brushed, watching as the long shadows grew on the parade ground, dreaming of being a soldier.

Eventually, in 1940, his father was stationed in the Philippines. Frank and his mother and sister returned to the USA with the other dependents and settled in San Antonio before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Colonel Loyd fought the long battle for the Philippines, but was never captured by the Japanese, He remained free in the jungles of the Philippine Islands for three and a half years of Japanese Occupation, a feat requiring no small amount of resourcefulness and courage. Finally, as the fighting passed, he walked into Manila, boarded a ship, and returned to his family after over four years of separation.

Frank was fired by the example of his father's exploits in the Philippines. He sought diligently to obtain an appointment to USMA and after considerable legwork in the halls of the Senate and House Office Buildings and after many conferences with congressmen, he entered in July 1946. Although appreciative of the need for a college education, he came to West Point determined to be a soldier’s soldier; He came to learn the service of the blue-scarfed Queen. For four years the biweekly tactics classes and the summer tactical training held far more interest for Frank than the academic courses. During his last three years at West Point he gained two roommates who were very strongly oriented toward the Armored Force. There were many lively discussions about the relative merits of the two branches of service. Despite the odds against him, he never wavered in his devo­tion.

Infantry was the passion and purpose of his life, but Frank had other pursuits.  He learned to fly while in high school and had a private pilot’s license. Planes always fascinated him, but he gave up a desire to join the Air Force in favor of the Infantry. He Iearned very early to enjoy an outdoor life. He became an accomplished fisherman and hunter. During his cadet days be fished at every opportunity and when he was not fishing, he could be found in his room tending his line and equipment. Since cadets have little opportunity for hunting he became interested in rifle competition. In his last year at West Point, he received from his father a target rifle which became his prized possession.

Frank always displayed a warmth and a liking for people that never failed to win friends. As a boy in San Antonio he developed lasting friendships with other sons of Army Officers. Several of them became classmates at West Point. As a Plebe he built still more friendships. Even the upper classmen seldom failed to react to his likable, easy-going manner. As an upperclassman he carried out his responsibilitics in his easy good-natured way. He was a good friend and a good companion, enthusiastic and interested in others.

Frank's boyhood and maturing years prepared him for Infantry leadership and on 6 June 1950 he was graduated a 2d lieutenant of Infantry. Later that month the Korean War broke out and Frank had his graduation leave shortened and received orders to Korea as a replacement. He joined Company B, 35th Infantry, as a platoon leader. On 26 September 1950, a 2d lieutenant for less than four months, he was with his company on Task Force Dolvin when he formed and led an attack that was both daring and imaginative. His company, which had been riding on tanks, had become pinned down with heavy sniper and automatic weapons fire from a hill to the right. Frank was riding near the rear of the column and realized that for his company to proceed with its mission, the enemy must be driven from the commanding ground. He formed an attacking force of 15 men and led it in an assault on the hill. His attacking force itself became pinned down from extremely heavy enemy fire and hand grenades. Exemplifying the Men of Harlock- ". . . He is bravest, he who leads us.. . . " Frank, armed with a pistol and his display of bravery and courage, led his men in a final assault that overran the enemy position causing 150 enemy to abandon their well - ­fortified positions. In the final action of overrunning the positions Frank sacrificed his life. For gallantry, undaunted courage and inspiring leadership, Frank was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Frank Loyd's family, his friends, the Long Gray Line, and the Queen of Battles have suffered a severe loss. His sacrifice, however, adds to the tradition of heroism and courage that made and has kept our country free.

-Philip B. Samsey '50

Edmund Jones Lilly III

NO. 17873  •  26 May 1928 – 3 September 1950

Killed in action September 3, 1950, in Korea. Aged 22 years.


Edmund Jones Lilly, III, was born in Colon, Republic of Panama, on May 26th 1928, while his father was serving at Fort Davis, Canal Zone, with the 14th Infantry.  He moved about the world in typical "army brat" fashion, getting his formal education here and there, making new friends and parting with old ones. After stations in Michigan and Georgia, he went to Manila with his parents and two sisters in January of 1941. At Fort  McKinley, where his father served with the 57th Infantry (PS), he lived in Quar­ters 44, and attended the American grade school. Here he was graduated in a class of three, with Major General Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright (USMA 06) as the speaker. His two classmates were Gail Francis Wilson and Frank Riley Loyd. Gail and Frank were also his classmates at West Point. In May, 1941, because of mounting tension in the Far East, he was evacuated with his Mother and sisters back to the United States. During his father's stay in the Orient, Ted lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, his father's birthplace. Here he finished High School in 1945.

Ted enjoyed the out‑of‑doors  ‑  hunting, fishing, swimming, or even picnicking. He took part in sports in both high school and The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, which he entered in the Fall of 1945. He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville and took part in activities of the Young People's League. At this time he considered the Episcopal ministry as a career and had many long talks with his rector on the subject. At The Citadel he decided to try for the U.S. Military Academy and the Army. He entered West Point in the Summer of 1946 with the Class of 1950.

Though dedicated to the military, he deplored warfare as the final means of settling international disputes, as fragmentary writings found among his school papers will attest. The following lines are an example:

"Oftentimes I feel a great despair

That fills my soul  with unrelenting fear,

and fires of bell burn deep within my heart.

My mind is doubtful and my view unclear.

Yet through this fog that covers my real self,

That blackens all my hopes and all my prayers,

I have unfaltering trust in Things Divine,

And with this trust I cover up my cares."

His dreams of a better tomorrow are revealed in the following fragment:

"But now in reminiscing through days of long ago,

I realize how methods change of fighting off one's foe.

A gun that shoots a hundred rounds a thousand yards or more

Has ta'en the place of sword‑play in this world of constant war.                   

But soon we know that this gun too will will be entombed in dust,                

And then we'll see a newer world that’s  once more free and just."

At West Point he was a member of Company I-­2. His room was often a gathering place and many happy evenings were spent listening to records or discussing the last week‑end in New York.

On June 7, 1950, the day following graduation, Ted took as his bride, Mary Alma Russ, a lovely El Paso girl he had met on a blind date while on a cadet visit to Fort Bliss. While at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on honeymoon leave, he became concerned about radio and newspaper reports of world conditions and notified his unit, the Second Division, of his exact location. Several days later his leave was cancelled and he reported to Fort Lewis, Washington. By July’s end he was in Korea with Company B, 9th Infantry. In early September his platoon was on an isolated peak overlooking the Naktong River in the Yongson Sector. The rest of the regiment had been driven from its position. Why Ted's platoon did not withdraw, we do not know. Death occurred September 3, 1950, according to the D.A. wire. The posthumous Silver Star citations read in part: "During the intense automatic weapons fire and grenade explosions, Lieutenant Lilly walked among his men, encouraging them to greater efforts in their valiant defense against insurmountable odds." In other words,  he was in the place he should have been, performing his duty – as he had been taught to do. He was the first member of the Class of 1950  to be killed in action.

He is survived by his widow ‑ now happily remarried since 1952 ‑ by his parents, Colonel and Mrs. Edmund J. Lilly, Jr., and his sisters, Mrs. Jack. D. Dade, Jr., whose husband is a Colonel in the  Air Force, and Mrs. Ralph A. Koch, Jr., whose husband is a First Lieutenant, Signal Corps, US Army, and USMA '53.



George Ervine Hannan

NO. 17685  •  23 August 1927 – 2 October 1950

Killed in Action October 2, 1950, near Wonju, Korea, aged 23 years.


George Ervine Hannon was born at Mobridge, South Dakota on 23 August 1927, the son of Colonel and Mrs. William Seaton Hannan. His early education was secured in a number of South Dakota schools, and In 1945 he graduated with honors from the high school of Pierre, South Dakota.

Soon after his high school graduation, he met his future wife, Miss Georgia Banks, at a Prisoner of War Camp in Wyoming, where his father was Commanding Officer and Georgia's father was Post Engineer.

On his eighteenth birthday, George reported for Induction in the Army and spent some weeks at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Soon after his Induction he received an appointment to the Military Academy from Senator Harlan Bushfield of South Dakota and was sent to Amherst College as a Student In the USMA Preparatory School there. After a year of training be received a discharge from the Army to enter West Point In July 1946.

His first year was not the easiest plebe year ever spent at the Academy, and he seemed to appreciate his upper class years more than did most cadets. Always a studious person, George managed to survive, and his graduation in the middle of his class was a major victory. During his four years as a cadet, he participated In many extra- curricular activities, Including work with the Howitzer, the Camera Club, the Concert Orchestra, and the Record Lending Library. He was a co-founder of the Record Library, and In his First Class year served as president of the organization. Athletically inclined, his forte was handball, at which sport he easily held his own against all comers.

On 6 June 1950 two of his three goals were reached. He was commissioned in the United States Army and assigned to the Signal Corps, and Graduation Day was made complete by the traditional West Point wedding to his longtime sweetheart, Georgia. Unfortunately, both graduation leave and honeymoon were abruptly cut short in July by movement orders for preparation for overseas shipment. Just three months later he was to give his life In attaining his third goal - that of bringing only honor to his loved ones and to West Point.

He reported to the 205th Signal Repair Company, Fort Lewis, Washington, on 26 July 1960, and on 4 August sailed for the Orient. After a short stay in Japan, George landed at Pusan, Korea, on 16 September.

Although with his unit In Korea only a very short period before his untimely death, George made an Indelible impression upon both the officer and enlisted personnel of his company by his remarkable ability to understand the situation and solve the problem at hand. On one occasion he led a convoy of trucks almost one hundred miles over unchartered roads, with the constant threat of the enemy to his flank, in order to get back to his unit.

On the night of his death, his signal repair unit was attached to the Sixth Republic of Korea Division, a very fluid organization. When word reached George that approximately 2,400 North Korean troops were almost upon them, there was no hope of an organized withdrawal. Being In a walled enclosure, their only hope of escape was in fleeing over the far wall. The proximity of the enemy was disclosed when one man was wounded by small arms fire. George's Distingulshed Service Cross citation reads in part ". . . With total disregard for his own safety Lieutenant Hannan maintained his position, although wounded several times, until all the enlisted men had cleared the area. When the enemy stormed into the compound, by sheer weight of numbers, Lieutenant Hannan was overwhelmed. The gallant sacrifice of life and heroic action of this oflicer saved the remainder of the detachment from certain annihilation. . ."

George Is survived by his widow, Mrs. Georgia Banks Hannan, of 1731 Princeton Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota; his parents, Colonel and Mrs. William S. Hannan, of 902 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota; his brother, William S. Hannan, Jr., of Austinville, Virginia; and his sister, Mrs. William A. Griffith of Palmerton, Penn. His family and friends knew him to be a person of high ideals with a great capacity for leadership. An editorial written after his death said in part, " …George Hannon was a gentleman by nature, a soldier by profession, and an officer by merit and Act of Congress…he died in the performance of duty assigned to him In the service his country . . . we hope his sacrifice will promote the cause of peace in a better world. . ." . George’s remains were returned to United States for burial and on 28 May 1951 he was laid to rest with all military honors at Riverside Cemetery in his home town of Pierre, South Dakota. Quite appropriately, the memorial services were closed with the words, "He gave his life so that others might live ... no higher tribute can be paid to any man ... Well done, good and faithful servant."

- His widow Georgia and his classmate Harold G. Nabham

Carter Burdell Hagler

NO. 17798  •  24 August 1928 – 28 November 1950

Killed in Action November 28, 1950 in Korea, aged 22 years.

 

When this historic shaft shall crumbling lie
In ages hence, in woman’s heart will be,
A folded flag, a thrilling page unrolled. 
A deathless song of Southern chivalry.
Fame’s temple boasts no higher name,
No king is grander on his throne;
No glory shines with brighter gleam,
The name of "Patriot" stands alone.

These words are carved in a granite monument beside the first Capitol of the Confederacy. They commemorate the brave soldiers of the South who lost their lives in the terrible war Of 1861-65. They might verywell have been written to honor another soldier who fell in battle almost a century later.

His uniform was not gray or butternut brown, but the green fatigue twill of the modern army. The battlefield on which he gave his life was not in Virginia or Tennessee, but thousands of miles to the west on the barren hills of a small Asian country. The flag which he followed was not the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy, but that of the United States of America, both North and South. But the cause for which he fought was no less noble, and the sacrifice he made no less great!

Carter Burdell Hagler was born in Augusta, Georgia on August 24, 1928, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Waterman Hagler. From the earliest recollections of those who knew him, he always stood out among his fellows. I can verify this. I first met him at a boys’ camp in 1938, eight years before we entered the Military Academy. He was an outstanding camper, completely without pretense - one of those few people that everybody considers a good and cherished friend. Children are often inclined by their very nature to be mean or bullying to those less able than themselves. During the two years I knew him at camp, I never saw or heard him show anybody, from the most popular to the least liked, anything but kindness and friendship.

Carter attended and was graduated with honors from the Academy of Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia. There he won many coveted honors. He was on the track, tennis and rifle teams, a member of the Beta Club, the Literary Society, the Annual Staff, the R.O.T.C. Sabre Club, and the Hi-Y. He was awarded the Gold R, was a Lieutenant in the R.O.T.C., and a member of the Order Of the Arrow of the Boy Scouts of America.

Front the day he entered West Point, Carter was admired and liked by everyone. The way his classmates felt toward him can be best summed up by this excerpt of a letter from a classmate to his family. "You will want to know that Carter was the only one I know who never had an enemy, for Carter was incapable of being mean and unkind to anyone. In countless 'gab’ sessions, which men always have, Carter alone was discussed as being the best in every respect. There is no other fellow cadet or officer who came through those discussions unscathed. I believe this to be the highest tribute." What this classmate wrote, I know to be the literal, unembellished truth.

Along with others of us, Carter went directly from graduation leave to Korea, and the war in progress there. On the 16th of September, a classmate reports seeing him go over the side of a ship and down a landing net into a waiting L.S.T. which was to take him to his first combat. I am certain he was smiling with the same confidence and encouraging others around him in the same inspiring way that he always did.

Less than two months later on November 28, 1950, Second Lieutenant Carter Burdell Hagler poured out his young life for his country on a Korean hillside. The heroic action in which Carter fell is outlined in his citation for the Silver Star for gallantry in action. As a forward observer of Battery C, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, Seventh Infantry Division, he was attached to Company L, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry, which was in position near the Chosin Reservoir on the east coast of North Korea. "Vastly numerically superior enemy forces threatened to overrun positions held by this battalion and other units of the division. Lieutenant Hagler moved his forward observer section to the highest accessible ground in the area to better direct artillery fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, though exposing himself to heavy enemy fire and observation, Lieutenant Hagler placed himself in an open position from which he could call for artillery fire on the attacking enemy forces. In his effort to hold the high ground, he left the men of his section in the shelter of their covered positions and personally delivered messages to the Infantry commander regarding his observations. During the course of battle on 28 November 1950, the telephone line between Lieutenant Hagler and the artillery fire direction center was knocked out by enemy fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Hagler made his way through enemy lines to the artillery fire direction center and after procuring the needed wire for reestablishing communications, started to lay it back to his position when he was struck down by enemy fire and killed."

About Carter, his battery commander said, "Lieutenant Hagler was a fine officer and a gentleman. Men in this organization, while I commanded it, sought assignment in his section. He was well-liked, and it was a pleasure to have been his commanding officer."

In Augusta, Georgia, an American Legion Post is named for Carter. A window has been erected to his memory in the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, of which he was a communicant.

There are three living memorials which bear his name. Perhaps they will to some degree fill the void that has been left in the hearts of those who knew him and contribute some of the goodness to this world which he would inevitably done, had he lived.

The first of these memorials is his cousin’s child, Carter Burdell Boardman; the second is his brother’s little boy, Carter Burdell Hagler; the third, I am proud to say, is my son..

"Blessed are the poor of heart; for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8.

- Will Hill Tankersly

Thomas Patrick Greene

NO. 17724  •  10 January 1929 – 10 February 1951

Killed in Action February 10, 1951 in Korea, aged 22 Years.


Thomas Patrick, "Pat" as he was known to all, was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, January 10, 1929, the sixth son of then Major and Mrs. Douglass T. Greene. From there it was a succession of stations, as it is in all Army families, At each new station "Pat" rapidly made new frIends but never forgot the old.

"Pat" started High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where his father was CommandIng General of the 16th Armored Division. When transferred from Fort Smith, his father decided to establish a permanent home for his family in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. This was home to "Pat"; the former places of living took on the aspect of pleasant tours of duty, but Drexel Hill is where he made his dearest friends and firmest ties. It was in Drexel Hill that "Pat" graduated from Upper Darby High School In the class of 1946.

It was only natural that "Pat" should go to West Point. Both of his grandfathers, his father and two of his brothers were graduates, and he directed all of his efforts to joining them in the Long Gray Line. He won the appointment from the 7th Pennsylvanla Congressional District and realized his ambition when he entered the Academy in July 1946. The following four years were happy ones. His easygoing manner made the routine of the Academy pass quickly and his inherent leadership abilities were brought out and nurtured so that he rapidly advanced toward his goal, a good officer. Underneath his easygoing and jovial attitude was a deeply serious man. "Pat" was one who put his service to GOD first and this seemed to be his inner drive and calm. His comradeship and sympathy were there for all. Graduation for "Pat" was a time of great happiness as well as sorrow. Happiness because he was joining the service he loved and sorrow because of the many friends he was leaving.


His graduation assignment was with the 7th Infantry at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, in the company that both of his grandfathers had commanded years before. The regiment left the States for Korea in September 1950, landed first in Japan to receive its compliment of Korean fillers, then proceeded to Wonsan, Korea. in November; thence inland to cover the left flank of the withdrawal of the Marines and the 7th Division from the Chongijn Reservoir, and finally covered the withdrawal through Hungnam, where Pat was the last officer off the beach. He was back into the line again in the drive up the peninsula during the middle of January. On February 10, 1951 while leading his platoon - a part of the leading elements of the regiment - against the Walled City of Korea, Son-Son-Ni, "Pat" went to the assistance of his lead scouts, who were pinned down by fire, and while covering their withdrawal was instantly killed.

He was awarded, posthumously the Silver Star for his part in this action, with a citation which read: "During this bold action, as he fearlessly drew the enemy attention to him, Lieutenant Greene was mortally wounded by a sniper's bullet. The conspicuous gallantry and steadfast bravery exhibited by Lieutenant Greene reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with the most esteemed traditions of the military service."

"Pat" has joined the ghostly assemblage"; the Army has lost a fine young officer; his family a wonderful boy and his friends a marvelous comrade. "Well Done."

- A Classmate

John H. Green

NO. 17652  •  30 Apr 1926 - 15 Oct 1952

Killed in Action in Korea


John Henry Green crammed about as much living, loving, and leading as humanly possible into his short 26-year lifespan. The quiet sterner's young life was snuffed out in a fierce firefight in the rough and rocky terrain near Kumhwa, Korea.

Born in Orville, CA, in 1926, John was raised in Green River, WY, a town of about 11,000, tucked in the southwest corner of the state. Upon graduation from Lincoln High School in June 1944, John enlisted in the Army Air Corps. A professional military career soon beckoned, however, and, in January 1946, Green sought and won an appointment to the United States Military Academy from Senator Joseph O'Mahoney. The young soldier was enrolled at West Point Prep at Amherst College, MA, to sharpen the academic skills he would need as a plebe.

John Green's massive shoulders stood out as hundreds of new cadets formed up for swearing-in ceremonies on the Plain early in June 1946. Cadet store tailors surely worked overtime refashioning dress coats, jackets, and tunics to fit Green's impressive frame.

Academically, John was a good student with a wide array of extracurricular activities. CDT Sergeant Green of I company, 2d regiment, was a member of the camera, debate, ski, and (of course) weightlifting clubs. His first love, however, was gymnastics, where, as a plebe, he mastered difficult high bar routines and won numerals.

As a first classman, John was awarded his letter as a rope climber, helping Army win the eastern intercollegiate team championship that year.

Graduation ceremonies for Class of '50 were on June 6th. Later that month, the handsome blonde officer was in demand as usher and groomsman at his classmates' weddings. The new 2LT John Green wooed and won the heart of Doris Eleanor Bridges, a petite and attractive chestnut-haired native of Greenville, SC. They were married in Greenville on 27 Dec 1950.

The North Korean Communist attack on South Korea shortly after graduation plunged a shocked United States into another Asian war. Green and hundreds of his cadet classmates (along with thousands of American and U.N. troops) headed for the Korean peninsula from 1950-51. When 1 LT Green took over company B of the 32d Infantry in 1952, the one-time air cadet, Army corporal, and cadet sergeant had completed airborne training, platoon leader school, and other specialized training at Ft. Benning, GA.

In early October 1952, the large-scale Operation Showdown was approved by Far East Commander General Mark Clark for elements of the Eighth Army to seize Hill 598, the famous Triangle Hill located squarely in the middle of the DMZ.

Earlier that summer, Lieutenant Green was seriously wounded but returned to action within two months to lead company B of the 32nd regiment in Operation Showdown. Heavy air strikes and artillery barrages preceded the attack. Thousands of seasoned enemy troops responded with vigorous counterattacks during the next eight days. LT Green played a pivotal role, defined in detail by the citation posthumously awarding him the Distinguished Service Cross. His award citation is as follows: "LT Green, a member of an infantry company, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in the vicinity of Kumhwa, Korea. On 15 Oct 1952, Lieutenant Green, a company commander, led his men in an assault on a vital enemy position through a barrage of small­arms, artillery and mortar fire. In the course of the attack, the company was subjected to fire from a camouflaged position, threatening to halt the advance, Lieutenant Green, leaping from cover into a communication trench, without regard for his own safety, hurled hand grenades to neutralize the enemy machine gun. When the company was again subjected to devastating fire from a tunnel under one of the trenches, Lieutenant Green moved forward to destroy the position and, in the process of silencing the guns, received wounds which later became fatal. Resuming the advance despite his painful wounds, Lieutenant Green led his men in an attack against the hostile forces. His courageous and inspirational leadership was greatly responsible for routing the enemy and securing the strategic ground. The extraordinary heroism exhibited by Lieutenant Green on this occasion reflects great credit on himself and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service."

1 LT Green's broad shoulders could not shield a heroic heart against enemy bullets and shrapnel. Operation Showdown ended major U.S. involvement in the Korean War at a total cost of 365 American soldiers killed in action and 1,174 wounded.

John's battle death "saddened the entire town," when it was reported in his hometown paper, the Green River Star (Wyoming). "Johnny was well known there and had many friends who kept track of his military career."

John's roommate, Luther B. Aull, and his wife, Louise, also of Greenville, SC, named their two sons John and Edmund after John Green and Edmund J. Lilly III, both of whom were killed in action during the Korean War "...as a living memorial to the sons John and Ted never had."

John was survived by his mother, Mrs. Kenneth Young; his wife, Doris Green; and his ten-month-old daughter, Janet Eileen; all living in Green River, WY, at the time of his death.

- Written by classmate Donald E Dunbar

Charles Kohl Farabaugh

NO. 17944  •  2 February 1929 – 17 July 1952

Killed in Action 17 July 1952 near Haduch'on, North Korea, aged 23 years.

 

ONE OF THE youngest members of his class, Chuck was born on 2 February 1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the son of Charles L. and Marie Kohl Farabaugh. After completIng grade school in St. Stephen's in Minneapolis, he moved with his family to Missoula, Montana, where he graduated from the Missoula County High School in 1946, just in time to enter West Point with the Class of 1950.

Plebe year for Chuck was filled with the usual upperclassmen doing their best to rattle him, but his natural sense of humor and characteristic cool head carried him unscathed and uncomplaining through that difficult period. Track and crosscountry were his sports and, while not the best of competitors - being more anxious for his friends' success than his own - he managed to stay with the team where he earned the sobriquet of "The Cinderella Runner," since he always managed to ramble home with the final point that spelled victory for his team.

Branch selection was not difficult for Chuck - "Army" and "Infantry" were synonymous to him. His stateside assignments were Jump School at Fort Benning, the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, and back to Fort Benning with the reactivated 508th Airborne BCT. Mid-April 1952 found him in Korea, a platoon leader in Company "A," 17th Infantry, which was on line at IlwaChon, northeast of Seoul. Chuck's character was truly unique. He was not easily impressed, nor did he try to impress anyone. He had an extremely cool head and an easygoing friendliness combined with even-tempered aggressiveness that earned him the respect and loyalty of the men he led. The brief period from April to July 1952 was among the happiest of his life, for he felt that he was making a substantial contribution to the good of his country and the welfare of his men. This is indicated by his letters to his family. "I'm enjoying this life more and more each day. I hope now to extend my tour of duty .... this is a wonderful way to live." "We ... are sitting around the stove drinking some beer and shooting the breeze - a very enjoyable evening." And Chuck did all that the ideal platoon leader would do. Following is the citation for his Distinguished Service Cross:

"First Lieutenant Charles K. Farabaugh, 062695, Infantry, United States Army. Lieutenant Farabaugh, a member of an Infantry company, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in the vicinity of Haduch’on, Korea. On the afternoon of 17 July 1952, Lieutenant Farabaugh led a combat patrol deep into enemy - held territory for the purpose of locating and probing hostile troops. The patrol was surprised by a numerically superior enemy force and a fierce fire fight ensued. During the battle, Lieutenant Farabaugh observed an element of the enemy force moving slowly to the left of the patrol's position in a flanking maneuver. After carefully estimating the situation, Lieutenant Farabaugh ordered the patrol to withdraw. He then moved from his protective cover through the intense enemy fire to a position from which he could cover the threatened flank. With complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Farabaugh laid down such a withering hail of fire that the hostile forces were repelled. While he was covering the withdrawal of his patrol through the cleared sector, Lieutenant Farabaugh was mortally wounded. The extraordinary heroism exhibited by Lieutenant Farabaugh on this occasion reflects great credit on himself and is in keeping with the finest traditious of the military service. Entered the Federal service front New York."

After Chuck's death, his parents received letters in tribute to his devotion to duty and ability as a leader that probably would have meant more to Chuck than all the medals the Army could bestow. From Sergeant Sullivan, his platoon sergeant: "he was aggressive yet even-tempered, and my closest remembrances of him are his steadiness under duress. Whether defeating the Chinese at close quarters or gaining an extra ration of beer for his men he was ever eager to accomplish his mission. As a rifleman in two wars I have seen strain register on many men. Of all these men, your son was the man." And from a Corporal Zilcox: "I was out on patrol with your son. He was a very good Lt. and I would go anywhere on patrol with him."

Chuck's friends and comrades salute him and feel to a man their own and the Anny's great loss.

In addition to his parents, who now live in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, Chuck is survived by his two sisters: Mary, the wife of Major Herbert 0. Brennan, USAF, now stationed at the Air Force Academy; and Barbara, the wife of Mr. John F. Rhodes, presently at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas.

Gene A. Dennis

NO. 17865  •  27 Dec 1925 – 28 Sep 1952

Killed in Action in North Korea. Remains not found.

 

Gene Alton Dennis, "Gene A," was born in Tipton, IN. He was the only child of Byron and Margaret Dennis. In his early youth, the Dennis family moved frequently because his father, an agent and telegrapher for the Nickel Plate Railroad, was transferred from one location to another. Con­sequently, Gene’s school years were spent moving between Indiana and Ohio until his family finally settled during his senior year in high school in St. Mary's, OH, where he graduated from Memorial High School. Despite his short time at that school, he readily entered into stu­dent activities. He was a member of the student Activities Com­mittee and the basketball team, his favorite sport.

The many moves the Dennis family made helped make it a close and loving family. He developed a fondness for railroads and learned railroad operations and Morse code from his father, a skill that proved invaluable to Gene A as he went through pilot training. During their frequent moves, his mother tutored him, helping him make the necessary adjustments to new schools.

Early on, Gene A began to focus on aviation while reading the exploits of COL Roscoe Turner, a famous early stunt pilot, ob­serving the Cleveland air races, reading about early aviation de­velopments, and learning about the exploits of the Army Air Forces during WWII. At the age of 17, Gene A enlisted and, after passing the physical and mental tests, was accepted into the Army Air Force aviation cadet program. That was the first step on his path to earning his military pilot wings.

He was assigned to Kessler Army Air Field (AAF), MS, where he completed basic military training and then went through a series of tests to determine his aptitude for flight training. Out of a group of 160 candidates, Gene A was one of six selected for pilot training and attended on-the-line training at Spence AAF, GA. While there, he received and accepted an appointment to the Academy from Fourth Ohio Congressional District Repre­sentative Robert Jones. Private Dennis resigned from the avia­tion cadet program and went to the USMA preparation pro­gram at Amherst College, MA, before taking the entrance ex­aminations. After completing the examinations, he was sent to Westover AAF, MA, along with other Air Corps members of the USMAP program.

Happiness and excitement stirred Gene A when he learned he had been accepted to the Academy. On 2 Jul 1945, PVT Dennis became New CDT Dennis and began the "Beast Bar­racks" ordeal. He took it in stride and looked forward to the academic year and the Army football program. Unfortunately, his happiness ended when he was deficient in Spanish and turned back. Determined to return to West Point and succeed, he at­tended the Sullivan Preparatory School to prepare for the reen­trance examinations. Happiness returned to Gene A, as well as his devoted parents, when he passed the examinations and was read­mitted as a member of the Class of '50.

While at the Academy, Gene A’s positive attitude, willingness to help others to adapt to changing situations, and easygoing disposition were traits that demonstrated a strength of character that was recognized by classmates and won him many friends.

After graduation, Gene A reported to Randolph Air Force Base, TX, for primary flight training. On arrival, he was reas­signed to Goodfellow AFB because the Korean War require­ments for Reservists placed an extra demand on facilities already filled. At Goodfellow, he joined classmates who had begun their flight training but his experience from the Aviation Cadet Pro­gram allowed him to catch up with them. He was in one of the first groups to solo and his flight commander identified him as a natural pilot, predicting his destiny to fly fighters. The predic­tion was valid. Gene A was selected for advanced jet flight train­ing at Williams AFB, AZ, and was one of the first to solo in the T-33 jet trainer. And, it was old times again as he joined his former roommates, Robert A. Williams and William G. Fuller, as they began their training. His parents attended the graduation cer­emonies and his mother proudly pinned silver pilot wings on Gene A’s uniform.

He attended the Fighter Combat Crew Training Course at Luke AFB, AZ, and, as had been predicted, his flying and gun­nery skills marked him as an outstanding fighter pilot. He usu­ally outmaneuvered fellow trainees and his instructors in simu­lated air-to-air fighting. His reputation as a superior fighter pilot was further established as Gene A attended theater indoctrina­tion at Johnson Air Base in Japan. One example of his skill in­volved an accident during an F-80 training flight. On that flight, he experienced complete electrical failure and subsequent engine flameout. He was faced with two options: eject or make a power-­off landing. He chose the latter, entering the flameout pattern to set up for a landing and continued to restart the engine. As he turned on to the final glide path, he delayed lowering the landing gear until he was certain the aircraft could glide to a safe landing. He attempted to lower the landing gear just prior to touchdown but not in time. The aircraft slid to a belly landing and Gene A was unhurt and the aircraft deemed repairable. As he stepped out of the cockpit, he was uncertain why the flameout occurred, but knew he had enough airspeed and altitude to reach an entry point and set up a flame out pattern for a "dead stick' landing while continuing to restart the engine and make it to the runway. Make it he did, demonstrating remarkable professional skill.

That was Gene A’s last flight in the F-80. That same day, he received orders to report to the 474th Fighter Bomber Group in Korea, an F-84 unit. After theater indoctrination flights, he began flying bombing and close air support sorties over North and South Korea. After completing 20 combat missions, he was selected to be a flight leader on his 21st flight and scheduled to lead four F-84s on a combat mission near Pyong Yang, North Korea. On that mission, he was shot down. No one in the flight observed a parachute. He was reported missing in action on 28 Sep 1952 and declared dead on 31 Dec 1953.

Gene A was a courageous and unflappable fighter pilot who is missed by his family, friends, and associates. He was a person not to be forgotten and a joy to know. The Air Medal and Purple Heart were added to his WWII and Korean War service awards such as the WWII Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Korean Presidential Award, the United Nations Ser­vice Medal, and Korean Service Medal with one service star.

- Classmate and wingman Bill Curry

Willard Holbrook Coates

NO. 17686  •  

Killed in Action November 28, 1950 in Korea, aged 24 Years.

 

STATISTICS and memories combine to paint a portrait of a young man who gave his full measure of devotion to his country. The dry statistics can give us no comfort, but the memories make Willard live for those who loved him.

His bravery doesn't shine in heroic deeds, but in a four-year old not whimpering when his arm had to be rebroken after a mishap in setting.

The desire to wear his country's uniform was Willard's dream from early childhood, As a young boy, Will dressed in his father's old uniform and walked sentry duty before the front door. He challenged all comers with comic reactions from civilian guests.

When active duty faced him after high school graduation, the commands of "shoulder arms", "about face", and "squads right" echoed at night. His family lost many nights of sleep to the Soldier's Manual.

His background was two generations of Army officers, yet his proudest possession was his good conduct medal, because he, of aII his family, had earned the right to wear it.

Will had a deep love of family. His greatest wish the last few years was for a family reunion. There is great comfort in remembering that his wish was fulfilled the summer before his death.

His love of argument was a source of amusement and exasperation. The topic or the side did not matter, just the opportunity to argue. His West Point roommate learned to recognize the symptoms and to prepare to retreat quickly.

His joy in living and curiosity for everything were wonderful gifts. In less than twenty-five years, Willard found and loved laughter, small boy secret joys, and realization of his West Point goal. The last months of his life were the fullest. His graduation, his marriage, and the reunion at home were the memories he took with him overseas.

Following his duty and beliefs Willard met his destiny on a Korean hillside. His legacy is a small daughter born after his death. His mark on history may be minute, but for us who knew and loved him, Willard has left memories and a part of himself to soften the pain of loss.

A portrait of a boy, a man, son, and brother forever young and forever beloved. . . .

- Margaret Coates Moore

Frank Peter Christensen, Jr.

NO. 17560  •  11 October 1927 – 13 February 1951

Killed in Action February 13, 1951 in Korea, aged 23 Years.


Chris was born on 11 October 1927, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and spent the normal abnormal life of an Army brat moving from place to place. The son of a distinguished Army officer, Chris decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Chris entered West Point in July 1946 to become a member of the Class of 1950. His mature demeanor and steadying influence were soon felt by his Classmates and friends who were not quite so well prepared for the rigors of Plebe year. He was always cheerful and optimistic, and a number of the Class of 1950 owe Chris a debt of gratitude for helping them through those dark days of Beast Barracks when the urge to quit was strong.


Chris was elected honor representative from our company which is tribute enough to his unquestioned integrity. Throughout his four years at the Academy his natural intelligence allowed him to stand high in his class


and at the same time devote most of his time to coaching his friends. Chris was one of the most genuinely liked members of D-2 company by both his classmates and by classes both above and below him. His norm was a friendly nod and grin when you passed him, and always a little personal greeting.

He was uniformly respected throughout the company for his ability to get a job done. The nature of the task was really immaterial, since, he attacked all probIems with confidence and quickly reduced them to their simpIest components. He was similarly respected by the Tactical Department, as was evidenced by his duties and the rank of cadet lieutenant which was awarded him First Class year.

Chris volunteered for jump school when he graduated and once again took things in his stride. But events were taking place that were soon to end his short but dedicated career. After jump school, Chris volunteered for Korea. He was assigned to Company F, 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3d Division near Seoul. In Korea, Chris demonstrated his extreme devotion to duty by displaying conspicuous courage and bravery, On 10 February 1951, his platoon was assigned the mission of rescuing a patrol that was pinned down and unable to move. As his platoon neared the beleaguered patrol, intense small arms and automatic weapons fire halted his unit and wounded one of his men. With complete disregard for his own safety, he crawled across an open area to the wounded man, and although completely exposed to heavy fire, shielded the soldier with his own body while administering first aid. Then, he carried the wounded man 50 yards back through intense automatic fire to the comparative safety of his own platoon. For the above action, Chris was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. This act typified his selfless attitude and regard for his fellow men. Three days later, on 13 February, Chris was instantly killed in action, having sacrificed his life in the defense of his country.

Chris is survived by his father and mother, Colonel and Mrs. Frank P. Christensen of Sunnyvale, Calif.; his brother Robert of Trenton, N.J.; and his sister, Mrs. Lois Roberts of Washington, D.C.

To those who knew Chris, knew of his enthusiasm and intense interest in his work, as well as his love of life and people; it will always be difficult to understand why he should have been taken from us at the beginning of his career. He was laid to rest in the Post Cemetery at West Point. In the brief space of a few combat days the Army lost a fine and talented officer, and all who knew him lost a wonderful friend.

- J.F.B.