Thurston Richard Baxter

NO. 17722  •  9 December 1928 - 31 December 1952

Missing in action. Changed to: killed in action 31 December 1952, aged 24 years.

 

DICK BAXTER was born 9 December 1928 at Fort Sam Houston Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. His parents, Lieutenant Thurston H. Baxter and Mina O'Bryan Baxter were stationed at Brooks Field, Texas where his father was assigned as a flying instructor. Dick's childhood was spent at various Army Air Corps stations until, in 1939, his father was assigned to the office of the chief of the Air Corps, and Dick became a Washingtonian. There he reached the senior rank in scouting, Eagle Scout, in only two years, and in 1946 he graduated from St. Alban's School.

This background had several effects on Dick's future life. First of all, not yet 18 when he entered, lie was one of the youngest members of the Class of 1950, a class that had a large number of older and experienced veterans. If, in the competitive environment of cadet life, this put him at some disadvantage, his background also gave him two offsetting advantages. One was an excellent academic preparation, so that was never a serious problem to him. The second, and more important, advantage was his driving determination that he would fly as an officer in the Air Force.

An intensely private person, only his roommates really came close to knowing him. They recall his keenly competitive nature, a puckish sense of humor, and a determination to be himself. One roommate recalls his competitive nature in a situation which arose as to who should have the right to pursue the affections of a blonde model who had attracted their attention. The matter was settled by a race over the obstacle course in the gym. Dick won by a few seconds, but it soon turned out that Dick hadn't been that interested in the young lady to begin with.

Then there was the time he returned from leave with a stuffed teddy bear, which he decreed would be displayed on the mantlepiece as his mascot. The Tac, however, on an inspection when Dick was not room orderly, made it clear that there was a penalty associated with this display of individuality. His roommates, especially the one who had absorbed the gig, negotiated a treaty with him that the mascot would occupy its place of honor only when Dick was room orderly. Thereafter, with some circumspection as to when the Tac was likely to be around, the mascot continued to hold its post during Dick's turns as room orderly.

After graduation, Dick achieved his lifetime ambition, entering the Air Force, completing basic flight training, and going on to advanced training in F-51 Mustangs at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, Alabama. While at Craig, he met and married Anne Jo Ross. After only a month of married life he left for Korea and duty with the 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 18th Fighter Wing. There, on 21 December 1951, on a dive­bombing mission, his aircraft impacted the ground, presumably as a result of ground fire, in a crash that he was unlikely to have survived. No report of him as a prisoner of war was ever received, and no remains were returned. He was declared dead on 31 December 1952.

His memorial is a plaque in the Chapel of St. Alban's School. Its inscription reads:

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.

"Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

"At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

"We will remember them."

The thought that can be added to that is that Dick Baxter died in the achievement of his life's ambition.

- Frank King

John Olin Bates, Jr.

NO. 17690  •  11 August 1926 – 12 June 1952

Killed in Action June 12, 1952, in Korea, Aged 25 Years.

 

On the plaque by J.O. Bates, Jr.'s crypt In the Hillcrest Mausoleum at Dallas, Texas, is inscribed, "ln grateful memory of 1st Lt. John Olin Bates, Jr., killed in action in Korea on 12 June 1952, while in command of Company "A", 180th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division in the assault of T-Bone Hill." These words express well the quiet dignified nature of the man himself. The strength of his conviction in dedicating himself to the service of his country was unrelenting and there was no moment in his manhood when J.O. doubted the magnificence of the goal he had set before himself.

Born 11 August 1926, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Bates, J.O. attended public school in Fort Worth, Texas. During those years he played on the high school golf team and was twice winner of the Texas Junior Trapshooting Championship. J.O. had a great love for his home and family and it was through close association with his father, on fishing and hunting trips together, and in their mutual interests in trapshooting and gun collecting, that J.O. developed his enthusiasm for numerous sports and his excellent skill in the use of firearms.

J.O. was descended from a Southern family which was very proud of its affiliation with the Confederacy. It was only natural upon graduation from High School that J.O. entered the Virginia Military Institute. While there, he joined the Army Air Forces, leaving V.M.I. in October 1944 when called into the Service. Shortly thereafter he transferred to the Infantry and attended the Infantry Officers' Candidate School, graduating in 1945. His convictions concerning the Army, and particularly the Infantry, were confirmed during that time.

In July 1946, J.O. joined the ranks of the Corps of Cadets at West Point. His calm assured manner in the face of the challenges of Plebe year marked him even then as a man who entertained no doubts concerning his dedication to the service of his country. His athletic ability soon evidenced itself in the countless sports that he engaged in at the Academy, but most particularly, he established himself us a skeet shooting enthusiast, with golf following close behind. As a tribute to both his shooting ability and to his fine character he was elected Captain of the Skeet team that won the Eastern Collegiate Skeet Championship in 1960. Only a year before he had won the Eastern Collegiate Individual Skeet Championship match. He won 3 varsity letters in golf, in addition to intramural awards in soccer and volley ball. The sportsmanship he displayed in every competition won him the highest esteem of his friends and acquaintances: His success In athletics, and his magnificent attributes of leadership while at the Academy were indicative of the tremendous potential of this man. He, perhaps more than any I have known, was destined for the top in the career he had chosen. J.O. was soft spoken but confident, quiet but aggressive, and he had the wonderful sense of humor so essential to a successful troop leader. All who knew J.O. admired him for his strength of character and the friendly disposition which he displayed in his relationship with everyone.

So it was with the mark of success implanted upon J.O. that we watched him graduate from the Military Academy. He had chosen the Airborne School as his first assignment and it was with a great deal of enthusiasm that he looked forward to this tour of duty. It was this enthusiastic attitude and natural quality of leadership that caused many in his cadet company at West Point to accompany him in this stern test of determination. During his tour with the Airborne, he qualified for his senior paratrooper wings, making a total of 34 jumps, further demonstrating the spirit of determination inherent in his attitude toward his career.

On 2 February 1952, J.O. married Nell Jane Sosebee of Fort Worth, a graduate of Mary Washington, University of Virginia. Although J.O. had initially been assigned to Germany shortly before his marriage, he requested duty in Korea, and had only a short period of a few months with Nell prior to leaving for Korea. The same spirit of determination and devotion to the service of his country that he had displayed at West Point once again forbade his accepting the easy path.

In June 1952, J.O. was killed in an attack on an enemy-held hill. For conspicuous heroism, J.O. was awarded (posthumously) the Silver Star, his citation for which reads in part:

"First Lieutenant John Olin Bates, Jr. is cited for gallantry in action against an armed enemy near Karhyon-ni, Korea. Company "G" was counterattacking the bitterly contested Hills 191 and 183 and the company was being subjected to a bitter barrage of enemy artillery and mortar fire on the slopes of the hills. When the company commander was wounded, Lieutenant Bates reorganized the men and continued to the objective. While assaulting Hill 191 a severe barrage of enemy fire was placed on one of the advancing platoons, causing numerous casualties. Lieutenant Bates hurried to the platoon's position under heavy enemy fire and organized the evacuation of the wounded and the dead. He directed litter teams through the exploding shells to where the wounded lay, comforting and inspiring the men until they could be evacuated. While fearlessly moving from person to person, disregarding his safety to give aid and comfort to his men, Lieutenant Bates was hit by enemy fire and fatally wounded."

That was J.O. He was a Texan and proud of his State. He was an officer and proud of his Army. He gave his life in devotion to his country, and I offer these words to J.O. for his parents, his sister, his wife, and myself:

“SACRIFICE

He fell today upon a hill in far Korea and he will not come again unto this land he loved so well, as he had planned.

He fought my fight and gave his all to stem the tide and to forestall the threat to freedoms that I prize.

Pray God that I may realize this sacrifice in this grim war and live life worth his dying for.”
— By Julien C. Ilyer

And to Jane Olin, the daughter born after J.O.'s death, I want to say that your father was my greatest friend, and the finest person I shall ever know. He gave his life leading men in combat. And I feel strongly that if he had to die,he would not have had it happen any other way had he had a choice.

- Kenneth E. Murphy, Class of 1950

Courtenay Leonard Barrett, Jr.

NO. 17856  •  

Killed in Action September 27, 1950, in Korea, Aged 23 Years.

 

Bo has been gone almost four years now. Because of his death there will always be a certain emptiness in the lives of those who knew and loved him. He left behind many wonderful memories of a boy and a man full of fun and life, but with high ideals which he not only lived up to himself, but which he instilled into many other people.

As a boy Bo showed the qualities which were so evident all through his life. He was a leader with a great imagination and the ability to carry out his ideas. He organized our childhood gangs, as well as many other activities, ranging from a neighborhood newspaper to a lemonade stand In the summer. He liked sports and regularly attended meetings at the YMCA, as well as playing baseball and football at school. He was a good student and always enjoyed reading. As he grew up he collected books until he had a good-sized library of Poe, Shakespeare, De Maupassant, and other authors. Besides all his activItles, Bo had something he displayed throughout his life-a kind and loving personality. He enjoyed people-all people - and because he liked them he invariably brought out their good qualities. He seemed to gain something from each person he know, and in turn gave part of himself to them. He was completely unselfish and would do almost anything for a friend. When we were small he took it upon himself to be my guardian-Bo walked with me to and from school, and many times gave up his own play to see that I was safe. As we grew up he was more than just a big brothor-he was a confidante, adviser, teacher, and disciplinarian. Our grandparents, who raised us after our mother died, set an example for Bo by their unselfish devotion and generosity. He loved them deeply and always tried to live up to the bright dreams they had for him. There were times of course when he required a little discipline, for he was a normal boy with ideas and inventions, which once in a while were very impractical. On the whole, however, our family was very close-each enjoying and loving the others very much.

Bo went away to Kentucky Military Institute for high school, and for the first time our group was broken up. However, these school years were filled with many letters and wonderful summer vacations. During high school Bo found that the combination of his uniform and what he called his "charming personality" made him popular with the girls. So throughout these years there was a succession of love affairs -each one 'being "IT", but only for a short while. After his graduation from KMI, as a Cadet Captain, he was drafted and soon was sent to France as a member of the Army of Occupation. After serving a year in France and Germany, he received his appointment to West Point.

The following fall he passed his entrance examinations after a hard preparatory course at Amherst. His first year was the usual difficult one. He spent many hours on his first vacation astounding his friends and family, telling them of the hardship of a plebe. During this year however, a wonderful thing happened to Bo; he met Jacqueline Lowry, the daughter of Colonel Lowry, and this time he really fell in love. The next years went by swiftly and in his senior year he and Jackie became engaged. He made many good friends at the Point whom he regretted leaving, but at the same time he was anxious to be married and start his career. On the evening of his graduation, he and Jackie were married in the chapel at Fort Hamilton, New York where she lived. It was a lovely wedding and they were very very happy. They spent several weeks of their honeymoon with our family and several weeks with Jackie's family.

Just after graduation the Korean war broke out and orders came for Bo to leave immediately for Fort Lewis, Washington. When he left Bo was cheerful and determined. I'll always remember his telling us not to worry; that It was his job to help clear up the war quickly, and that he would be back soon. That was the middle of July. On September 27, 1950, he was killed in action. He spared us the terrible hardships in his letters, but we later learned that only two men from his company survived those battles.

After he was gone we were bitter for a long time. Why did he have to be killed when he had so much ahead of him- We asked ourselves this question a million times. We never received a direct answer but somehow we've come to know deeply that his death was not in vain. Sometimes only through the sacrifices of great and wonderful people in the name of freedom do we at home realize how precious our liberty is. God must have taken Bo because his job here was done. He instilled his leadership, his wisdom and his kindness into many people. To him we can give the greatest tribute possible - there are many people who are better and happier because he lived.

- His sister, Patricia

Arthur Martens Apmann, Jr.

NO. 17505  •  17 June 1928 – 23 August 1951

Died 23 August 1951 in Korea, aged 23 years
Interment: West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York

 

ARTHUR MARTENS APMANN was born in Mt. Kisco, New York on 17 June 1928 to Margaret and Arthur Apmann. His father was a colonel, USAR, serving in the Corps of Engineers. Art graduated from Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania in 1945 and attended Yale for a year before being appointed to West Point from Connecticut by Senator Hart.

Early in his Plebe Year, Art set out to become editor of the Howitzer. A roommate attested that he spent more time at the Howitzer office than in his own room. In furthering his goal he was a member of the Photography Club for four years, used his camera frequently, and was the photographic editor of Fall Out during Plebe Year.

He loved the outdoors and joined the Fishing Club along with six other classmates in order to camp out on the reservation on weekends. Little, if any, fishing was done. It was the enjoyment of the outdoors and the comradeship that interested him. His antics livened up the outings. To escape the gloom period, they camped out in below‑zero weather along the shore of frozen Lake Popolopen one weekend in January. That experience was cold‑weather survival training for Art and several others, and stood them in good stead during the winter of 1950 in Korea, a place they had not he­ard of yet.

As he had hoped, his cadet days culminayed in his selection as the editor of the 1950 Howitzer. The splendid job he did coordinating the various aspects of the book and in developing a closely‑knit, efficient organization resulted in an outstanding yearbook. There was promise for a successful and fulfilling career ahead of him.

Upon graduation, Art chose the Corps of Engineers and received orders to report to Camp Stoneman, California, for  shipment to the Far East Command. A company mate with similar orders agreed to meet Art in Chicago and drive his new car to the West Coast where he would sell it. They took a week to drive to California, visiting Art's family and friends in Denver, sightseeing and nightclubbing. Arriving at Camp Stoneman two days early, the company mate had a car to sell and wanted to see San Francisco. But, North Korea had attacked South Korea on 25 June during graduation leave, and Art wanted to sign in immediately and join his new organization. He signed in on 15 August and flew I out that night to Japan. It was like him to eagerly answer the call to duty.

At Camp Drake he was assigned to the 185th Engineer Combat Battalion, a Xth United States Army Corps unit, then assembling at Camp Zama. As a new Engineer combat platoon leader, Art helped in loading the battalion's equipment onto sea‑going craft and departed for the Inchon amphibious landing with his unit, supporting the1st Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division.

The collapse of the North Korean Army, following the Inchon landing, set the stage for a series of rapid unit moves. Through these early months of the war, Art was leading his platoon in building and repairing the roads and bridges of the supply routes to the two divisions. It was a dirty, dusty, nerve‑jarring and monotonous task he accomplished with stoic cheerfulness that overlaid a determined and ambitious spirit

Regrouping in Pusan, the Xth Corps embarked for another amphibious landing near Iwon, North Korea to envelope die eastern flank of the North Korean Army. The landing in the late fall of 1950 was accomplished with the two US divisions racing to the Yalu River, the 185th close by. However, the entry of the Chinese Army into the way altered plans dramatically.

Under the steady force of the numerically superior Chinese Communist Army, the Xth Corps executed a retrograde operation and debarked successfully at Hungnam.

Hence, Art was soon back in South Korea with his engineer platoon, maintaining the main supply routes on the east coast. The mountainous terrain, steep‑sided river valleys and the rainy season made such work an engineering challenge which he relished, particularly since his promotion to first lieutenant now signified his nearly seven months of continual combat Engineer experience.

Art’s demeanor was always inquisitive, cooperative and professional. He went the extra mile to do the job right or to help. On 23 August 1951, a day during the rainy season, he and the battalion commander stood on the bank of a rain­swollen river watching the build‑up of debris around the floats of an M2 floating treadway  bridge.

The water pressure against the debris was becoming a threat to the stability of the floating bridge. Art went out onto the precarious bridge, crawled to the edge of the pontoon and plunged his bayonet into the fabric, intending to deflate it in order to open a freeway for the debris to pass. Unfortunately, with the loss of structural support from the collapsed pontoon, the wooden saddle assembly also collapsed, tossing Art into the torrent. His body was recovered and returned to West Point for burial in the cemetery.

Art Apmann's youthful, unfearful willingness and diligence have been inspirational. One remembers his passing with sadness yet with the pride of having been his classmate and fellow soldier. Like so many young men, he had so little time, yet like so few, he did the most with the time he had.

- Bill Howe, Lloyd Mielenz, George Lear