Joffrey Perez from Philippines.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Sunday, November 20, 1960
Death details: On November 27, 1950, the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), tasked with replacing the 5th Marine Regiment on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a surprise attack against the 31st RCT. Although the Chinese were numerically superior, the 31st RCT managed to repel the initial attack. The CCF attacked again on the night of November 28, and late on the morning of November 29 the men occupying the northernmost perimeter conducted a fighting withdrawal to consolidate with the rest of the RCT in the perimeter south of the P’ungnyuri Inlet. The CCF continued their attacks on the consolidated perimeter, and on the night of November 30, the Chinese launched a massive attack. On December 1, the 31st RCT began to withdraw from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Heavy fighting occurred during the withdrawal and many more men were lost. Remnants of the 31st RCT began arriving at Hagaru-ri on December 2. The CCF then attacked the village, and the 31st began to withdraw to Hamhung on December 6, 1950. Corporal Joffrey Perez, who joined the U.S. Army from the Philippine Islands, served with the Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action when his unit engaged enemy forces near Chosin Reservoir on November 29, 1950. Battle conditions prevented the immediate recovery of his body, and his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Perez is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.