Timothy Alspach, age 39, from Ohio.
Service era: Post Cold War
Military history: 82nd Airborne Division
Date of death: Tuesday, July 8, 1997
Death details: Died at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in the crash of a Black Hawk UH-60 during a flight to photograph training areas.
Source: Library of Virginia, Richmond; Charlotte Observer (1997)
Charles Clinton Jr. Curtis, age 24, from Ohio.
Service era: Vietnam
Date of death: Monday, April 17, 1972
Death details: Hostile, South Vietnam
Cemetery: Oakwood in Niagara Falls, New York
Source: National Archives, findagrave.com
Roy Glen Lowman, age 20, from Ohio, Noble county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Tuesday, July 7, 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 Roy Glen Lowman entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and was a member of Company F of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing on July 7, 1950, during the combat at Pork Chop Hill, though exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were not identified among those returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class Lowman is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Willie V. Williams, age 20, from Ohio, Hamilton 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. Private First Class Willie Vernon Williams, who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on July 6 when Chinese troops attacked and overran his unit’s position on Pork Chop Hill. Conditions on the battlefield prevented the immediate recovery of his body, and the area where he fell was never again controlled by U.S. forces. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Private First Class Williams is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Bernard Yelsky, age 21, from Ohio, Cuyahoga county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Friday, June 12, 1953
Death details: During the last two years of the Korean War, the opposing forces were arrayed across the 38th Parallel, with neither side able to make much progress into the other’s territory. Both sides maintained forward observer outposts, and these often proved to be targets of opportunity to the opposing force. On June 12, 1953, Battery A of the 987th Armored Field Artillery Battalion was manning an outpost southeast of Kumsong-ni when Chinese Communist Forces began bombarding the outpost with heavy mortar fire. The outpost collapsed, killing the three soldiers inside. Sergeant Bernard Yelsky, who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with Headquarters Battery, 987th Field Artillery Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was was one of the men lost when the outpost collapsed, and his remains were not identified among those later returned to U.S. custody. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Yelsky is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Donald William Trubee from Ohio, Montgomery county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Wednesday, June 10, 1953
Death details: Late at night on June 10, 1953, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched an attack against an important American outpost known as “Outpost Harry,” which commanders had deemed a “major outpost…to be held at all costs.” Following hours of intense bombardment, Chinese infantry attacked the American trench lines in front of the outpost. The CCF succeeded in capturing the trenches but intense hand-to-hand combat kept the CCF from advancing farther. Attacks persisted through the next day and late into June 11. By the morning of June 12, the Chinese forces withdrew. Similar assaults continued on “Outpost Harry” through the next week. Corporal Donald William Trubee entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and served in K Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He went missing during the CCF assault on “Outpost Harry.” CPL Trubee has not been associated with any remains returned to U.S. custody after the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Trubee is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Robert Lee Burns from Ohio, Lucas county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Wednesday, October 15, 1952
Death details: On October 14, 1952, as part of Operation SHOWDOWN, members of the 2nd Battalion of the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment launched an attack against Hill 598, part of the “Triangle Hill Complex” near Kumhwa, South Korea. As the units moved toward the hill, the men faced dug-in Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) positioned in holes and trenches, slowing their advance. As night fell, enemy mortar and artillery fire intensified, and CCF troops counterattacked in overwhelming force. The enemy’s initial assault was beaten back, but successive waves of CCF troops isolated and destroyed sections of the American defenses; in danger of being surrounded and nearly out of ammunition, the men of the 2nd Battalion were ordered to fall back. After regrouping on October 15, members of the 2nd Battalion attacked Hill 598 again and eventually secured it. During this attack, the 2nd Battalion’s Company F followed Company E to the hill’s crest before pushing out to “Pike’s Peak,” the next hill to the northwest, and then turning toward the east to seize “Sandy Ridge.” The 2nd Battalion again met a CCF counter-attack, which they beat back to secure the salient for that day. Twelve members of Company F and four members of Company E were reported killed or missing following this battle. Corporal Robert Lee Burns entered the U.S. Army from Ohio and served in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported as missing in action on October 15, 1952, following the fighting at Triangle Hill. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and he was not identified among the remains returned to U.S. custody following the war. Today, Corporal Burns is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Joseph Clarence Brown from Ohio, Franklin county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Wednesday, August 1, 1951
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. Sergeant Joseph Clarence Brown joined the U.S. Army from Ohio and was a member of M Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces during the fighting around Chochiwon on July 12. Sergeant Brown was part of a group marched to the “Apex Camps” in northern North Korea near the Yalu River. He died of malnutrition at one of these camps in August 1951. Sergeant Brown was not identified among remains returned to U.S. custody after the conflict’s ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Brown is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Donald A. Kern, age 22, from Ohio, Butler county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Saturday, May 5, 1951
Death details: Just after midnight on May 5, 1951, a B-26C Invader (tail number 44-34405A, nicknamed “The 5th Chadwick”) using callsign Skillful 17, departed Taegu (K-2) Air Base, South Korea with a crew of four aviators. The briefed mission was a night armed reconnaissance operation targeting the enemy main supply route 3 in North Korea. While on patrol, an air control station directed Skillful 17 to target a barracks near Wonsan, North Korea. After multiple bombing and strafing runs, the pilot spotted a row of lights, which appeared to be truck moving along a road. When his tracer rounds illuminated the area, the pilot realized it was a trap. A string of blinking lights had been placed on a steep hill to look like a convoy moving down a level road, causing an aircraft, attempting to strafe the mock convoy, to fly into the ground. The pilot immediately pulled up; however, the aircraft still grazed the ground, damaging its left engine. The damaged Invader recovered and headed toward the sea, slowly losing altitude. Once over Yonghung Bay, the pilot was able to make a successful “Mayday” call before crashing a few miles off the coast of the Hodo Peninsula. The following morning, search personnel rescued Skillful 17’s observer pilot. He reported that the pilot and navigator replied to his calls after escaping from the plane, but because of the darkness and his weakened condition, the observer pilot was unable to assist them. After a brief period, he did not hear them again. All efforts to locate the remaining aviators were unsuccessful. First Lieutenant Douglas Bruce Kern, who entered the U.S. Air Force from Minnesota, was assigned to the 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Wing. He was the navigator of this B-26 when it was lost. The sole survivor reported hearing 1st Lt Kern reply to his calls just after the crash, but due to the darkness and his exhaustion, he was unable to assist him. Additionally, no returning POWs mentioned contact with 1st Lt Kern, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant Kern is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual’s case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Robert Allen Nichols from Ohio, Lucas county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Wednesday, January 3, 1951
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 Robert Allen Nichols, who joined the U.S. Army from Ohio, served with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces on July 11, as his unit fought delaying actions between Pyongtaek and Chochiwon. He was forced to march north to the Apex prison camps in North Korea, and died of malnutrition and pneumonia at the camp near Hanjang-ni on January 3, 1951. He was buried at the edge of the village; however, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Corporal Nichols is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency