Morgan, Ralph Edgar
Army Sergeant 1st class

Ralph Edgar Morgan, age 21, from Ohio, Columbiana county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, July 9, 1953
Death details: On July 6, 1953, a large Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) unit attacked and overran the U.S. Army outposts on Pork Chop Hill in an attempt to seize whatever territory possible before the impending armistice agreement. After fighting for the position for four days, on July 10, the 7th Infantry Division Commander determined that the CCF disregard for casualties and desire to hold the outpost outweighed the position’s tactical value, and ordered a withdrawal that was eventually completed on July 11. The U.S. never again controlled Pork Chop Hill, preventing thorough recovery efforts for those who were killed or went missing during the fighting. Sergeant First Class Ralph Edgar Morgan entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and was a member of Company K of the 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed on July 9, during heavy fighting at Pork Chop Hill, though exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. His remains could not be recovered at the time of his loss due to battle conditions, and further attempts to locate them were unsuccessful. Today, Sergeant First Class Morgan is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency