Franklin Kentucky

Kitchens, George Thomas
Private 1st class

George Thomas Kitchens, age 20, from Simpson County Franklin, Kentucky .

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, October 18, 1950
Death details: By July 1950, the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) had taken control of Taejon, and the U.S. Eighth Army’s 25th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division were sent into action. The 1st Cavalry Division deployed at Pohang between July 18-21 and immediately advanced west on the Taegu-Taejon road to establish blocking positions at Yongdong and defend the city. The ensuing three-day Battle of Yongdong was intense, and the 1st Cavalry Division was ultimately forced to withdraw on July 25 after the 5th Cavalry Regiment alone had lost 275 men. The battle inflicted heavy casualties on the NKPA and delayed its advance enough to allow United Nations (UN) forces to establish the Pusan Perimeter, but the NKPA still managed to capture many American prisoners of war (POWs). Prisoners were marched north to Seoul before being transferred to camps in Pyongyang. Many POWs were eventually rescued, though many others died from exhaustion and mistreatment. Poor record keeping by the NKPA and strained diplomatic tensions following the war have complicated the identification and recovery of those who went missing during the Battle of Yongdong, and many are still unaccounted for. Private First Class George Thomas Kitchens entered the U.S. Army from Kentucky and served as a cook in Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 34th Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was captured near Taejon on July 25, 1950, when the town was being attacked by enemy tanks and infantry. He died on or about October 18, 1950, due to exposure and malnutrition while in a North Korean prison camp. Private First Class Kitchens’ body was buried in a railroad depot north of Pyongyang. Attempts to locate and identify PFC Kitchens’ remains among those disinterred from the area following the war have been unsuccessful, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Kitchens 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

Denson, William Clifford
Army Corporal

William Clifford Denson from Franklin, Kentucky, Simpson county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, July 5, 1950
Death details: On July 5, 1950, Task Force Smith, the first U.S. ground element to engage North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) troops, was defending a position north of Osan, South Korea. The Task Force’s goal was to delay enemy forces by blocking their movement down the road south from Suwon to Taejon, which was a major avenue of advance for the NKPA. That morning, the Task Force was engaged by a column of enemy tanks. The anti-tank weapons that the infantrymen employed were ineffective, and a large number of tanks broke through their position. Task Force Smith was forced to withdraw to the south, suffering heavy casualties in the process. Sergeant William Clifford Denson, who joined the U.S. Army from Kentucky, served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. His unit was part of Task Force Smith, and he was reported missing in action on July 5. He was not seen to fall in battle, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. After U.S. and South Korean forces regained control of the area, extensive searches were conducted for SGT Denson, but all were unsuccessful. Today, Sergeant Denson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Mantell, Thomas F. Jr.
Kentucky National Guard Captain

 

Thomas  F. Mantell Jr., age 25, of Franklin, Kentucky, Simpson County

Service era: Post World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, January 7, 1948
Death details: Killed when his plane crashed while chasing what was reported a a “flying saucer” near Franklin, Kentucky. Mantell was directed by the flight tower at Godman Field to pursue the object. During the pursuit his plane crash. The story of his death was publicized around the world and led to a military investigation into UFOs.
Cemetery: Zachary Taylor National

Source: Grave marker, findagrave.com, New York Times, Kentucky National Guard Memorial

Back To Top