KNox County Tennessee

Bean, Frederick B.
Army Corporal

Frederick B. Bean from Tennessee, Knox county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, November 29, 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, arrived at the P’ungnyuri Inlet. That night, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a surprise attack against the 31st RCT. Although the Chinese were numerically superior, the 31st RCT managed to repel the initial attack. The CCF attacked again on the night of November 28, and late on the morning of November 29 the men occupying the northernmost perimeter conducted a fighting withdrawal to consolidate with the rest of the RCT in the perimeter south of the P’ungnyuri Inlet. The CCF continued their attacks on the consolidated perimeter, and on the night of November 30, the Chinese launched a massive attack. On December 1, the 31st RCT began to withdraw from the P’ungnyuri Inlet to Hagaru-ri. Heavy fighting occurred during the withdrawal and many more men were lost. Remnants of the 31st RCT began arriving at Hagaru-ri on December 2. The CCF then attacked the village, and the 31st began to withdraw to Hamhung on December 6, 1950. Sergeant Frederick Bonham Bean, who joined the U.S. Army from Tennessee, served with Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was captured by the CCF on November 29, 1950, as the forward elements of the 31st RCT consolidated south of the P’ungnyuri Inlet. He was marched to an encampment at the village of Uisa-ri, where his injuries became too severe for him to continue. Sergeant Bean died of his wounds at Uisa-ri on or about February 12, 1951. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Bean is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Templeton, Jay Richardson
Marines

Jay Richardson Templeton, age 18, from Knoxville, Tennessee, Knox county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Jay Richardson Templeton joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Washington, D.C. and was a member of Company B, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, which took part in the Battle of Tarawa. On November 20, 1943, he was killed in action on Tarawa and was buried in Cemetery #33. However, his remains were not recovered after the war and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Templeton is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Lane, Frank
Army 2nd lieutenant

Frank Lane, age 22, from Knox County Knoxville, Tennessee .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, August 19, 1943
Death details: Killed in a training plane accident near La Junta, Colorado

Source: Associated Press (1943)

Lane, Frank
Army 2nd lieutenant

Frank Lane, age 22, from Knox County Knoxville, Tennessee .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, August 19, 1943
Death details: Killed in a training plane accident near La Junta, Colorado

Source: Associated Press (1943)

Porter, William E.
Army Private

William E. Porter from Tennessee, Knox county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Monday, July 27, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private William E. Porter entered the U.S. Army Air Forces from Tennessee and served with the 803rd Engineer Battalion in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender on April 9, 1942, and died of dysentery on July 27, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private Porter is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Burnett, Walter E. Jr.
Army 1st lieutenant

Walter E. Jr. Burnett, age 22, from Tennessee, Knox county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Wednesday, July 22, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves, often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. First Lieutenant Walter E. Burnett Jr. entered the U.S. Army from Tennessee and served in Company E of the 14th Engineer Regiment (Philippine Scouts) in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender and died of amoebic dysentery and malaria on July 22, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, First Lieutenant Burnett is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Cemetery: Manila American Cemetery

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Aaron, James L.
Army Private

James L. Aaron, age 19, from Tennessee, Knox county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, July 16, 1942
Death details: Following the Allied surrender on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, the Japanese began the forcible transfer of American and Filipino prisoners of war to various prison camps in central Luzon, at the northern end of the Philippines. The largest of these camps was the notorious Cabanatuan Prison Camp. At its peak, Cabanatuan held approximately 8,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were captured during and after the Fall of Bataan. Camp overcrowding worsened with the arrival of Allied prisoners who had surrendered from Corregidor on May 6, 1942. Conditions at the camp were poor and food and water supplied extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. By the time the camp was liberated in early 1945, approximately 2,800 Americans had died at Cabanatuan. Prisoners were forced to bury the dead in makeshift communal graves often completed without records or markers. As a result, identifying and recovering remains interred at Cabanatuan was difficult in the years after the war. Private James L. Aaron joined the U.S. Army in Tennessee and served with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured in Bataan following the American surrender and died of malaria on July 16, 1942, at the Cabanatuan Prison Camp in Nueva Ecija Province. He was buried in a communal grave in the camp cemetery along with other deceased American POWs; however, his remains could not be associated with any remains recovered from Cabanatuan after the war. Today, Private Aaron is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Cemetery: Memorialized on Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

McPherson, John Blair
Navy Seaman 1st class

John Blair McPherson, age 21, from Knox County Knoxville, Tennessee .

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Knoxville Journal (1942)

Bridges, James Leon
Navy Seaman 1st class

James Leon Bridges, age 25, from Knox County Knoxville, Tennessee .

Parents: U.A. Bridges
Spouse: Engaged to Azalee Sharp

Service era: World War II
Schools: Central High

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.
Cemetery: Honolulu Memorial

Source: National Archives, American Battle Monuments Commission, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Knoxville News Sentinel (1941)

King, Gordon Blane
Navy Seaman 1st class

Gordon Blane King, age 21, from Knox County Knoxville, Tennessee .

Parents: N.T. King

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Knoxville Journal (1942), Knoxville News Sentinel (1942)

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