Massachusetts Massachusetts

Altavilla, Francis
Army Private

Francis Altavilla, age 21, from Massachusetts, Suffolk county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, July 8, 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. Private First Class Francis Robert Altavilla entered the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and was a member of Company E of the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 8, during the combat at Pork Chop Hill, though exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class Altavilla is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Morrill, Martin G.
Army Private 1st Class

Martin G. Morrill, age 19, from Massachusetts, Norfolk county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Monday, July 6, 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. Corporal Martin George Morrill Jr., who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 6 when his company’s outpost on Pork Chop Hill was attacked and overrun by Chinese troops. He was not seen to fall in battle and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Morrill is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Mercer, William N.
Army Sergeant

William N. Mercer, age 24, from Massachusetts, Suffolk county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Friday, June 13, 1952
Death details: On June 13, 1952, a platoon of twenty-two tanks from the 140th Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division, engaged the enemy near Kumsong, North Korea. Enemy fire destroyed several of the tanks. Some soldiers were killed inside the burning tanks, while others managed to escape. Many of those who were able to get out of their vehicles were picked up by withdrawing tanks, but others were killed by enemy fire before they could be rescued. Sergeant First Class William Nathan Mercer, who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, served with Company C, 140th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was a tank driver during the June 13, 1952 engagement near Kumsong, and he was killed in action when his tank was set on fire. He was seen laying on the ground next to his tank, but due to the chaos on the battlefield his body was not immediately recovered, and his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Sergeant First Class Mercer is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Taylor, John Joseph
Army Private 1st Class

John Joseph Taylor, age 20, from Massachusetts, Suffolk county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, July 11, 1951
Death details: On April 22, 1951, elements of the 24th Infantry Division along with the 5th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) were dug into positions near Seoul, South Korea, where the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) had regrouped and begun a large-scale effort to penetrate the valley areas east of Seoul. Just prior to the main CCF offensive, the 5th RCT was executing part of a blocking action known as Operation Dauntless, in which its 1st and 2nd Battalions launched an attack against CCF forces in the Chorwon Valley to the north. They pushed the enemy out of the area and set up defensive positions, but the CCF soon regrouped and returned with a massive counterattack. While this assault was repelled, heavy pressure over the next eight days forced the 24th Infantry Division, along with the 5th RCT, to gradually fall back to stronger positions. The U.S. units suffered heavy casualties over the course of the fighting and withdrawal. Corporal John Joseph Taylor entered the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and served in the Medical Company of the 5th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured on April 23, 1951, during the 5th RCT’s withdrawal, and then marched with other prisoners to holding camps in North Korea. CPL Taylor died of dysentery and malnutrition while still captive at Chongsong POW camp on July 11, 1951, and was buried nearby. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Taylor is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Daigle, Roy Walter
Army Corporal

Roy Walter Daigle, age 23, from Massachusetts, Hampden 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 Roy Walter Daigle entered the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and served with Headquarters and 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, Sergeant Daigle is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Forsythe, Robert N.
Army Corporal

Robert N. Forsythe from Massachusetts, Plymouth county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, November 26, 1950
Death details: On November 25, 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked en masse all along the U.S. Eighth Army front on both sides of the Ch’ ongch’ on River in northwestern North Korea. The 2nd Infantry Division and supporting units, vastly outnumbered, were forced to conduct fighting withdrawals to the south to prevent Chinese flanking maneuvers. Chinese troops overran some of the artillery and mortar units that were in positions along the River during the beginning of their offensive. Sergeant Robert Norman Forsythe, who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, served with C Company, 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He went missing in action on November 26, 1950, between Yongdam-ni and Kunu-ri as the 2nd Infantry Division was withdrawing to Sunchon. No one saw him fall, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. The area where he went missing remained in enemy hands for the duration of the war, so searches could not be conducted for him. After the war, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody. Today, Sergeant Forsythe is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Rodway, James Booker
Army Private 1st Class

James Booker Rodway, age 26, from Massachusetts, Middlesex county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Corporal James Booker Rodway joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts and was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, Company L was near Unsan with the 3rd Battalion when it was hit by an enemy attack and forced to withdraw. Corporal Rodway was lost during the withdrawal, though specific details are unknown. He was never reported in enemy hands and his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Rodway is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Boston Globe (1954)

Berry, Robert Harmon
Army Private 1st Class

Robert Harmon Berry, age 18, from Massachusetts, Essex county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Corporal Robert H. Berry, who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, was a member of Company L of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, Company L occupying a defense perimeter with the 3rd Battalion near Unsan when it was surrounded by the enemy and cut off from other units. Most of the men of 3rd Battalion formed a defensive group about 3 miles south of Unsan and conducted a defense against repeated CCF attacks for two more days before being overrun. Corporal Berry went missing at some point during this time, and could not be located following the incident. A prisoner of war returning after the 1953 ceasefire mentioned he had heard from another prisoner that Corporal Berry had been killed in action during the Unsan battle. He was not identified among the remains that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Berry is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Chantre, Melvin Henry
Army Corporal

Melvin Henry Chantre, age 27, from Massachusetts, Bristol county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Thursday, November 2, 1950
Death details: During the last week of October 1950, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army forces under the control of the U.S. Eighth Army were advancing deep in North Korean territory, approaching the Yalu River on the Chinese-Korean border. Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) struck back in a surprise attack, engaging the ROK 1st and 6th Divisions near Unsan, some sixty miles north of Pyongyang. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, with the 8th Cavalry Regiment in the lead, was rushed forward to reinforce the ROK units in the Unsan area. On November 1, the regiment’s 1st Battalion took up positions north of Unsan, while the 2nd Battalion moved to guard the Nammyon River valley west of town, and the 3rd Battalion was placed in reserve at the valley’s southern end. Corporal Melvin H. Chantre, who joined the U.S. Army from Massachusetts, served with Headquarters Company of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion was with the Battalion Command Post near Unsan. The unit came under heavy mortar and infantry attack and received orders to form a defense perimeter. Eventually surrounded and besieged by CCF, the American units became trapped and dug inside foxholes or behind bunkers. It was during the chaotic fighting during the withdrawal that CPL Chantre was reported missing and could not be located following the incident. He was not reported to be a prisoner of war and his remains were not among those that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Chantre 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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