Jefferson County Washington

Charles Oscar Killian, age 18, from Port Townsend, Washington, Jefferson county.

Parents: Charles G. Killian

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, April 25, 1951
Death details: On April 25, 1951, elements of the 24th Infantry Division, including the 21st Infantry Regiment and the 5th Regimental Combat Team, which was attached to the division at the time, were dug into positions north of Seoul, South Korea, where massive Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) had regrouped after their previous attempts to penetrate the valley areas east of Seoul. The CCF launched a renewed offensive against these positions, and despite fierce resistance, could not be stopped. Full enemy divisions were committed in succession, passing around or through their own lines to engage severely outnumbered friendly forces. For several miles, a withdrawal by stages unfolded. Artillery and tanks covered movement after movement, using slight rises in terrain to their full defensive value. The U.S. units suffered heavy casualties and had many men captured during these successive rear guard actions. Private First Class Charles Oscar Killian entered the U.S. Army from Washington and was a member of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was killed on April 25, 1951, during a CCF ambush as members of his unit moved south. His body was transported by a tank and subsequently turned over to medics for evacuation, however, it is unknown what happened to PFC Killian?s body after this point and he remains unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Killian is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Tacoma News Tribune (1951)