Wells, Brian Lee
Air Force Sergeant
Brian Lee Wells from Kansas, Wyandotte county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Tuesday, May 13, 1975
Source: National Archives
Wells, Brian Lee
Taliaferro, Glen Johnson
Air Force 1st lieutenant
Glen Johnson Taliaferro, age 25, from Kansas, Butler county.
Spouse: Kathryn Taliaferro
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Monday, August 2, 1971
Death details: Air loss or crash over land in Laos; died while missing
Source: National Archives, Asbury Park Press (1971)
Forrest, Monte Wayne
Army Corporal
Monte Wayne Forrest, age 21, from Kansas, Sumner county.
Service era: Vietnam
Military history: Battery A, 187th Artillery, Americal Division
Date of death: Wednesday, August 5, 1970
Death details: Killed in action in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Wichita Eagle (1970)
Dickey, Derrel Keith
Army Sergeant
Derrel Keith Dickey, age 20, from Kansas, Crawford county.
Spouse: Brenda K. Dickey
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Thursday, July 23, 1970
Death details: Killed in action
Source: National Archives, Springfield News Leader (1970)
Schultz, Ronald James
Army Sergeant 1st class
Ronald James Schultz, age 22, from Kansas, Marion county.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Tuesday, July 21, 1970
Source: National Archives
Spragins, Carroll Wayne
Army Captain
Carroll Wayne Spragins, age 26, from Kansas, Leavenworth county.
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Noel N.
Date of death: Tuesday, March 10, 1970
Death details: Non-hostile death in Vietnam
Source: National Archives, Springfield Leader and Press (1970)
Schieffer, Vernon G.
Army 1st lieutenant
Vernon G. Schieffer, age 18, from Kansas, Sedgwick county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, July 9, 1953
Death details: On July 6, 1953, a large Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) unit attacked and overran the U.S. Army outposts on Pork Chop Hill in an attempt to seize whatever territory possible before the impending armistice agreement. After fighting for the position for four days, on July 10, the 7th Infantry Division Commander determined that the CCF disregard for casualties and desire to hold the outpost outweighed the position’s tactical value, and ordered a withdrawal that was eventually completed on July 11. The U.S. never again controlled Pork Chop Hill, preventing thorough recovery efforts for those who were killed or went missing during the fighting. First Lieutenant Vernon Gail Schieffer, who joined the U.S. Army from Kansas, served with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on July 9 as his unit fought Chinese troops for control of Pork Chop Hill. Conditions on the battlefield prevented the immediate recovery of his body, and U.S. forces never regained control of the area where he fell, which became part of the Demilitarized Zone after the ceasefire. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, First Lieutenant Schieffer is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Stephens, Robert D.
Army Private
Robert D. Stephens from Kansas, Norton county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Sunday, January 14, 1951
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. Private First Class Robert Dewayne Stephens, who joined the U.S. Army from Kansas, served with Battery A, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. His unit was part of Task Force Smith, and he was captured by enemy forces on July 5 and forced to march to the Apex prison camps in North Korea. He died at the camp near Hanjang-ni of exhaustion and pneumonia on January 14, 1951, and was buried on the edge of the village. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Private First Class Stephens 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
Gibson, Charles Vincent
Army Private 1st class
Charles Vincent Gibson from Kansas, Wyandotte county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Tuesday, November 14, 1950
Death details: On July 11, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 21st Infantry Regiment, which had arrived in Korea six days earlier, was placed in defensive positions near the town of Chochiwon, South Korea. The regiment was not at full strength and lacked artillery and anti-tank weapons. That day, they were attacked by North Korean forces and were forced to withdraw to avoid being surrounded, as well as to buy time until they could be reinforced and resupplied. Corporal Charles Vincent Gibson, who joined the U.S. Army from Kansas, served with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces on July 12 and forced to march north to the Apex prison camps in North Korea. He died of exhaustion and pneumonia at Chunggang-jin on November 14 and was buried at the edge of the village. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today Corporal Gibson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency