Chosin Reservoir attack 1950

Mathis, Grayson Lee
Army Private

Grayson Lee Mathis, age 19, from Maryland, Montgomery county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Sergeant Grayson Lee Mathis, who joined the U.S. Army from Maryland, served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. His unit was part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT), which arrived at the Chosin Reservoir in late November, 1950. Sergeant Mathis was reported missing in action on December 3, near Hagaru-ri, when the CCF attacked the defensive perimeter the 31st had established on the east side of the town. The details surrounding his disappearance are unknown; he was seen to fall in battle, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. When the 31st RCT withdrew to the port of Hamhung for evacuation, they were unable to take the bodies of the fallen with them. Sgt. Mathis’s remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Sergeant Mathis is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Beaty, Charles Edwin
Army Corporal

Charles Edwin Beaty, age 26, from Arkansas, Craighead county.

Parents: Eva Howard

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Sergeant Charles Edwin Beaty entered the U.S. Army from Arkansas and was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On December 3, 1950, he went missing in action near Hagaru-ri, though specific details surrounding his loss are unknown. His remains have not been identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Beaty is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Wilmington Daily Press Journal (1951)

Nihei, Lawrence Yukio
Army Private 1st class

Lawrence Yukio Nihei, age 20, from Hawaii.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Corporal Lawrence Yukio Nihei, who joined the U.S. Army from Hawaii, served with Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing in action during the CCF attacks on December 3, 1950, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. No one saw him fall in battle, and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. After the war, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Corporal Nihei is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Nykvist, Robert George
Army Private 1st Class

Robert George Nykvist, age 18, from Illinois, Cook county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Corporal Robert George Nykvist, who joined the U.S. Army from Illinois, served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing in action during the CCF attacks on December 3, 1950, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. No one saw him fall in battle, and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. After the war, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Corporal Nykvist is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Oakley, Ronald Robert
Army Corporal

Ronald Robert Oakley, age 18, from Wisconsin, Outagamie county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Sergeant Ronald Robert Oakley, who joined the U.S. Army from Wisconsin, served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing in action during the CCF attacks on December 3, 1950, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. No one saw him fall in battle, and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. After the war, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Sergeant Oakley is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Omans, Marvin Eugene
Army Private 1st class

Marvin Eugene Omans, age 20, from Missouri, Henry county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On May 21, 2013, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) announced the identification of Corporal Marvin Eugene Omans, missing from the Korean War. Corporal Omans, who entered the U.S. Army from Missouri, was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and was a member of the 31st Regimental Combat Team during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. On December 3, 1950, he was killed in action east of the Chosin Reservoir near Sinhung-ri in South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, but the exact details of his loss were not known and his remains were not recovered at the time. In the early 1990s, the North Korean government repatriated remains of American service members, including the remains of men recovered from the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir. U.S. analysts eventually were able to identify CPL Omans from among these remains. Corporal Omans is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Poling, Edward Maurice
Army Private 1st class

Edward Maurice Poling, age 20, from Kansas, Wyandotte county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Corporal Edward Maurice Poling entered the U.S. Army from Kansas and was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. On December 3, 1950, he went missing in action during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir while his unit engaged in combat near East Hill, though specific details surrounding his loss are unknown. His remains have not been identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Poling is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Powell, Richard Milton
Army Private 1st Class

Richard Milton Powell, age 21, from New York, Columbia county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Private First Class Richard Milton Powell, who joined the U.S. Army from New York, served with M Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action during the CCF attacks on December 3, 1950, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. After the war, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Private First Class Powell is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Shepard, Ollie Edward
Army Corporal

Ollie Edward Shepard, age 22, from Oklahoma, Choctaw county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On August 7, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Sergeant Ollie Edward Shepard, missing from the Korean War. Sergeant Shepard joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. In late November of 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a large-scale offensive against U.S. troops in the Chosin Reservoir of North Korea, forcing them to withdraw south. SGT Shepard’s unit was positioned on the eastern side of the reservoir at the outset of the attack, and he was reported missing in action once the withdrawal was complete. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were not returned immediately following the war. In September 2004, a joint U.S./North Korean investigative team recovered remains from a site on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir. Some of the recovered remains were eventually identified as those of SGT Shepard. Sergeant Shepard is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Takahashi, Richard Masao
Army Private 1st class

Richard Masao Takahashi, age 19, from Hawaii.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On the evening of November 27, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a massive attack against the U.S. and United Nations (UN) troops stationed in the Chosin Reservoir area in north-east North Korea. The resulting seventeen-day conflict became known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. At the time of the initial CCF attack, members of the U.S. Army’s 31st and 32nd Infantry Regiments were defending the area north of Sinhung-ni, on the east side of the reservoir. The defenders were overwhelmed by the numerically superior CCF, and on December 1 were forced to withdraw to friendly lines at Hagaru-ri. Many men were lost or captured during the withdraw, with survivors reaching friendly lines in Hagaru-ri on December 2 and 3. Once at Hagaru-ri, the survivors of the withdrawal manned a section of the perimeter near East Hill, a strong defensive position overlooking the town. On the night of December 3, the Chinese attacked the Hagaru-ri perimeter and overwhelmed the defenders there. Many Americans were killed or went missing during these actions. Corporal Richard Masao Takahashi, who joined the U.S. Army from Hawaii, served with I Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT) at the Chosin Reservoir. He was reported missing in action near Hagaru-ri on December 3, as his unit participated in the defense of the town. The exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown; he was not seen to fall in battle and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. After the war, Cpl Takahashi’s remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Corporal Takahashi is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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