Shemwell, Thomas Elmer
Army Sergeant
Thomas Elmer Shemwell, age 22, from Tennessee, Benton county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, October 23, 1952
Death details: In late October 1952, elements of the U.S. 32nd Infantry Regiment attacked Chinese forces on Hill 598 (often referred to as the Triangle Hill Complex) near Kumhwa, North Korea. Triangle Hill was composed of three high peaks, two of which were nicknamed “Pike’s Peak” and “Jane Russell.” If U.S. troops could push the Chinese off Triangle Hill, the Chinese would have to fall back to the next high defensible position. The initial U.S. assault was effective; however, the Chinese quickly counterattacked, sending wave after wave of troops against the 32nd’s positions on Pike’s Peak and Jane Russell. Chinese forces eventually re-established themselves on Pike’s Peak and U.S. troops were unable to dislodge them. Sergeant First Class Thomas Elmer Shemwell, who joined the U.S. Army from Tennessee, served with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing on October 23 during the battle for Triangle Hill. No one saw him fall in battle, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. The area of his loss never came back under U.S. military control, and is now part of the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Sergeant Shemwell is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency