Chinese attack 27 November 1950

Shelton, William Boyce
Army Corporal

William Boyce Shelton, age 20, from Contra Costa, California, Contra Costa county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment; DCS citation: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to William B. Shelton (RA19293680), Corporal [then Private First Class], U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a platoon scout with Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Corporal Shelton distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Haman, Korea, on 19 August 1950. On that date, Company B launched an attack against the enemy who were entrenched on a ridge near Haman. Corporal Shelton was advancing toward the objective when he came upon an enemy soldier crouching behind a boulder. He kicked the weapon from the hands of the enemy, shot him, then shifted his fire and killed two more enemy who were only a few yards away. During this action the platoon machine-gunner and his assistant were killed while trying to put their gun into operation. Although partially blinded by blood which was flowing from a head wound he had received, Corporal Shelton ran to the machine-gun position, removed the bodies of his comrades, set up the gun, and delivered devastating fire on the enemy, which was instrumental in the success of the company’s attack.

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Sergeant William Boyce Shelton entered the U.S. Army from California and served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 27, SGT Shelton was captured southeast of Unsan during this withdrawal from Tong-dong. As a prisoner of war (POW), he was eventually marched to POW Camp 5, Pyoktong, on the Yalu River, where he died on or before March 31, 1951. His remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Shelton is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Campbell, James Frank
Army Private 1st class

James Frank Campbell from Saint Louis, Missouri, Saint Louis county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Corporal James Frank Campbell entered the U.S. Army from Missouri and served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He went missing in action near Tadok-tong, North Korea, on November 27, 1950, during the withdrawal from Tong-dong, though circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. He was not identified among the remains returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Campbell is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Smith, Dayle Leroy
Army Private 1st class

Dayle Leroy Smith, age 34, from Pennsylvania, Cumberland county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Corporal Dayle Leroy Smith entered the U.S. Army from Pennsylvania and served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 27, CPL Smith was captured southeast of Unsan during this withdrawal from Tong-dong. As a prisoner of war (POW), he was eventually marched to POW Camp 5, Pyoktong, on the south bank of the Yalu River, where he died, though the exact date of his death is unknown. His remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Smith is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Chang, Albert Sa Kin
Army Corporal

Albert Sa Kin Chang from Hawaii.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Sergeant Albert Sa Kin Chang entered the U.S. Army from Hawaii and served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 27, SGT Chang was captured during this withdrawal from Tong-dong. As a prisoner of war (POW), he was eventually marched to POW Camp 5 at Pyoktong, on the Yalu River, where he died on or before April 30, 1951, and was buried near the camp. His remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Chang is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Sterner, Walter Willis
Army Private

Walter Willis Sterner, age 23, from Pennsylvania, Lehigh county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Private First Class Walter Willis Sterner entered the U.S. Army from Pennsylvania and served with B Company of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 27,1950, PFC Sterner went missing during the defense and withdrawal from Tong-dong, though exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class Sterner is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Diekman, Harold Frederick
Army Corporal

Harold Frederick Diekman, age 21, from Minnesota, Winona county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Sergeant Harold Frederick Diekman entered the U.S. Army from Michigan and served with B Company of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was captured on November 27, 1950, during this withdrawal from Tong-dong. As a prisoner of war (POW), he was marched to POW Camp 5 at Pyoktong, on the Yalu River, where he died in the spring or summer of 1951. He was buried near the camp; however, his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Diekman is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Whitaker, Clyde Eudean
Army Sergeant

Clyde Eudean Whitaker, age 23, from Alger, Ohio, Hardin county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Sergeant First Class Clyde Eudean Whitaker entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and served with B Company of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was killed in action near Unsan on November 27 during the withdrawal from Tong-dong. His body was not recovered at the time of his loss, and he was not identified among the remains returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Sergeant First Class Whitaker is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Frescas, Ramon Mendosa
Army Private 1st class

Ramon Mendosa Frescas, age 21, from Texas, El Paso county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On June 6, 2001, the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory-Hawaii (CILHI, now DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal Ramon Mendoza Frescas, missing from the Korean War. Corporal Frescas entered the U.S. Army from Texas and served in Company B, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on November 27, 1950, while fighting in North Korea. CPL Frescas died at some point following his disappearance, but the details of his loss are unknown. His remains were recovered in 1998, and identified in 2001.
Cemetery: Buried in Texas in 2001

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Gaumer, Charles Edward
Army Private 1st class

Charles Edward Gaumer, age 25, from Pennsylvania, Montour county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Corporal Charles Edward Gaumer entered the U.S. Army from Pennsylvania and served with B Company of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On November 27, 1950, he was killed in action during the withdrawal near Tong-dong, and his body could not be recovered at the time of his loss. His remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the end of the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Gaumer is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Geary, Sterling Jr.
Army Private

Sterling Jr. Geary, age 25, from Cooper, Texas, Delta county.

Spouse: Katheryn (Morris)
Children: Danny Geary

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On April 8, 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class Sterling Geary Jr., missing from the Korean War. Private First Class Geary, who entered the U.S. Army from Texas, was a member of B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. In late November 1950, the 35th Infantry Regiment advanced to the Ch’ongch’on River in support of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson. In the face of strong Chinese resistance, PFC Geary’s company set up defensive positions on Hill 234, south of Tong-dong Village, North Korea. He was captured on November 27 when Chinese forces seized the hill and forced the U.S. troops there to withdraw. Following his capture, he was marched to POW Camp 5 at Pyoktong, where he died of illness on March 31, 1951. He was buried near the camp. In 1993, the North Korean government turned over boxes containing the remains of U.S. service members killed in the Korean War. Box 17 held the comingled remains of U.S. soldiers that died at Camp 5. In 2000, two joint Korean and U.S. investigative teams excavated burial sites in Kujang County, North Korea and recovered remains associated with individuals who died in captivity at Camp 5. A set of partial remains recovered during these operations was determined to match some partial remains from Box 17. DPAA forensic analysts eventually identified these collective remains as those of PFC Geary. Private First Class Geary is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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