Chosin Reservior November 1950

Schoenmann, Glenn Shely
Army Private 1st class

Glenn Shely Schoenmann, age 20, from Grundy County Tracy City, Tennessee .

Parents: Minnie Schoenmann

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Friday, December 29, 1950
Death details: On December 12, 2012, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class Glenn Shely Schoenmann, missing from the Korean War. Private First Class Schoenmann entered the U.S. Army from Tennessee and was a member of Company M, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and was attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team during the Battle of Chosen Reservoir. On December 2, 1950, he was wounded by sniper fire near Hagaru-ri and then was taken as a prisoner of war. He died shortly thereafter due to malnutrition and lack of medical care for his wounds while held in a prisoner of war holding camp at the northern end of the Chosin Reservoir, also known as “Death Valley.” He was buried near the camp, and his remains were not returned to U.S. custody immediately after the war. In 1993, the North Korean government repatriated the remains of several U.S. service members recovered from South Hamgyong Province where the Death Valley camp was located. In 2012, advances in forensic techniques allowed U.S. analysts to identify PFC Schoenmann from among these remains. Private First Class Schoenmann is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.
Cemetery: Brown’s Chapel Cemetery, Palmer (buried in January 2013)

Source: National Archives, UPI, Jackson Sun (1951)

Harper, Joseph Mack
Army Private 1st class

Joseph Mack Harper, age 18, from Pittsylvania County Danville, Virginia .

Parents: F. G. Harper

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Private First Class Joseph Mack Harper, who joined the U.S. Army from Virginia, served with the Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on November 28, 1950, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, near the P’ungnyuri Inlet, while his unit was defending the western side of the 31st RCT’s perimeter. The tactical situation on the battlefield forced his unit to leave the bodies of the fallen at the inlet, and after the war PFC Harper’s remains were not recovered or identified. Today, Private First Class Harper is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, The Bee (1951)

Pate, Henry Nelson
Army Sergeant

Henry Nelson Pate, age 32, from Gwinnett County Lawrenceville, Georgia .

Spouse: Margie L. Pate

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Sergeant Henry Nelson Pate, who joined the U.S. Army from Georgia, served with the Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on November 28, 1950, as his unit engaged the CCF around the battalion headquarters at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. Due to conditions on the battlefield and the need to evacuate wounded, his unit was unable to recover the bodies of their fallen. After the war, Sgt Pate’s remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Sergeant Pate is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Macon Telegraph (1950)

Bowman, James Charles
Army Private 1st class

James Charles Bowman, age 18, from Marion County West Virginia.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
Death details: On Sept. 25, 2024, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Pfc. James Charles Bowman, missing from the Korean War. Bowman entered the U.S. Army from West Virginia and served in K Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On Nov. 27, 1950, the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT) held a position at Pungnyri Inlet on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack. The 31st RCT repelled the initial attack but, after continuing assaults over the next two days, was forced to withdraw toward Hagaru-ri. Bowman was reported missing in action on Nov. 28. In 1954, the opposing nations reached an agreement to exchange war dead known as Operation Glory. Those remains that could not be identified with the tools available at the time were interred as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. On March 8, 2021, DPAA personnel exhumed one set of remains, reportedly recovered near the Chosin Reservoir for further study. The laboratory analysis and the totality of the circumstantial evidence available established that the remains were those of Bowman.

Source: National Archives

Cavender, William Edward
Army Sergeant

William Edward Cavender, age 20, from Ingham County Leslie, Michigan .

Parents: Phillip J. Cavender

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
Death details: On May 19, 2020, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) accounted for the remains of Sergeant William Edward Cavender, missing from the Korean War. Sergeant Cavender, who entered the U.S. Army from Michigan, served with the Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on November 28, 1950, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir when his unit’s headquarters building was attacked by the Chinese Communist Forces. He did not survive this action, but his remains were not recovered at the time. In 2018, following a meeting between leaders of the two nations, North Korea returned 55 boxes of war dead remains to U.S. custody. These remains were subsequently accessioned into the DPAA Laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for identification. Using anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence, once set of these remains were identified as those of SGT Cavender. Sergeant Cavender is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Lansing State Journal (1951)

Heston, Loren
Army Private 1st class

Loren Heston, age 17, from Franklin County Ohio.

Parents: Paul Kelly Jr.

Service era: Korea
Schools: McKinley High

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Corporal Loren Heston, who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on November 28, 1950, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, as his unit fought the CCF at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. The specific events pertaining to his loss are unknown; however he was not reported to be a prisoner of war and his remains were not recovered or identified after the war. Today, Corporal Heston is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Dayton Daily News (1951)

Rubel, Charles Daniel
Army Private 1st class

Charles Daniel Rubel from Coshocton County Ohio.

Parents: Joseph W. Rubel

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Corporal Charles Daniel Rubel, who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with the Medical Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces on November 28, 1950, when his medical convoy was ambushed by the CCF while en route to the P’ungnyuri Inlet. He was marched to Camp # 5 on the Yalu River, where he died of malnutrition on March 28, 1951. His burial location is unknown, and his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Corporal Rubel is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, The Tribune (1951)

Carr, George Denver
Army Private 1st class

George Denver Carr, age 21, from Harrison County West Virginia.

Parents: R. J. Carr

Service era: Korea
Schools: Northern High

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Corporal George Denver Carr, who joined the U.S. Army from West Virginia, served with the Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on November 28, 1950, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir as his unit fought the CCF at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. Because of the tactical situation on the battlefield, Corporal Carr’s unit was forced to withdraw before they could recover his body, and his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Corporal Carr is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Flint Journal (1951)

Chancery, Joseph Dile
Army Private 1st class

Joseph Dile Chancery, age 20, from Escambia County Flomaton, Alabama .

Parents: George L. Chancery

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
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 in North Korea, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive surprise attack against the soldiers and Marines at the inlet. The 31st RCT managed to repel the numerically superior CCF’s initial attack; however, the enemy continued to attack over the next two nights. On December 1, the 31st RCT began its withdrawal from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Private First Class Joseph Dile Chancery, who joined the U.S. Army from Alabama, served with Battery A, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported killed in action on November 28, 1950, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, as his unit fought the CCF at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. The soldiers of Batteries A and B fought CCF troops hand-to-hand to prevent them from capturing the artillery pieces. When the 31st RCT withdrew from the P’ungnyuri Inlet, they were not able to evacuate Private First Class Chancery’s body. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Private First Class Chancery is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Flomaton Journal (1950)

Sadewasser, William Richard
Army Private 1st Class

William Richard Sadewasser, age 24, from Allegany County Wellsville, New York .

Parents: Herman Sadwasser

Service era: Korea
Schools: Wellsville High graduate
Military history: World War II veteran

Date of death: Tuesday, November 28, 1950
Death details: On March 17, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Corporal William Richard Sadewasser, missing from the Korean War. Corporal Sadewasser, who joined the U.S. Army from New York, served with the Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, a unit which was part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT). On November 27, the 31st RCT was holding defensive positions on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea when it was attacked by Chinese Communist Forces (CCF). He was reported missing in action on November 28 and died at some point during or after this action, although the circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. In 2004, a joint U.S. and North Korean recovery team working on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir recovered a set of remains that were eventually identified as those of CPL Sadewasser. Corporal Sadewasser is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Buffalo News (1951)

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