Oklahoma Oklahoma

Cruzan Jr., William Robert
Army Corporal

William Robert Cruzan Jr., age 20, from Oklahoma, Oklahoma 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. Sergeant William Robert Cruzan Jr. entered the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and was a member of Company A of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He went missing in action on July 6 during the fighting on Pork Chop Hill, though the exact circumstances surrounding his loss are unknown. His remains were not recovered, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Sergeant Cruzan is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Hart, George Walter Jr.
Navy Petty officer 3rd class

George Walter Jr. Hart, age 25, from Oklahoma, Garfield county.

Spouse: Lois Hart

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, June 12, 1951
Death details: On June 12, 1951, the destroyer USS Walke (DD-723) was providing anti-submarine protection to carriers from Task Force 77 off the east coast of Wonsan, North Korea, when it was struck on the port side by an enemy mine or torpedo. The force of the explosion tossed many sailors into the water, and those who were injured had a difficult time staying afloat while they waited for rescue. Twenty-six sailors were killed in the explosion and forty were wounded. Although the ship’s hull was heavily damaged, after the incident the Walke was able to proceed under its own power to Sasebo, Japan, for repairs. Of the men killed in the incident, the remains of eight could not be recovered. During repairs, the remains of seven sailors were recovered from flooded parts of the ship and identified. However, two of those men later became unaccounted-for due to unknown circumstances, so the total number of unaccounted-for sailors from the Walke now stands at ten. Boilerman First Class Leonard Harold Hansen, who joined the U.S. Navy from Nebraska, served aboard the Walke. He was killed in the June 12 explosion after his ship hit a mine, and his body was not recovered. Today, Boilerman First Class Hansen 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, Enid Events (1951)

Jones, Carl Roy
Army Private 1st class

Carl Roy Jones, age 21, from Oklahoma, Creek 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 Carl Roy Jones, who joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma, was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on December 3 shortly after his unit?s fighting withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir area. He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and he remains unaccounted for following his loss. Today, Corporal Jones is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Shepard, Ollie Edward
Army Corporal

Ollie Edward Shepard, age 22, from Oklahoma, Choctaw county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, December 3, 1950
Death details: On August 7, 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Sergeant Ollie Edward Shepard, missing from the Korean War. Sergeant Shepard joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and was a member of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. In late November of 1950, Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) launched a large-scale offensive against U.S. troops in the Chosin Reservoir of North Korea, forcing them to withdraw south. SGT Shepard’s unit was positioned on the eastern side of the reservoir at the outset of the attack, and he was reported missing in action once the withdrawal was complete. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and his remains were not returned immediately following the war. In September 2004, a joint U.S./North Korean investigative team recovered remains from a site on the eastern side of the Chosin Reservoir. Some of the recovered remains were eventually identified as those of SGT Shepard. Sergeant Shepard is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Roy, Robert Snyder
Army Private 1st class

Robert Snyder Roy, age 20, from Oklahoma, Kay county.

Service era: Korea
Military history: 35th Infantry Regiment

Date of death: Monday, November 27, 1950
Death details: On November 27, 1950, B Company of the U.S. Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, an element of Task Force Dolvin/Wilson, was holding a hastily erected defensive position near the village of Tong-dong, North Korea, when Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) attacked the company’s perimeter from two sides. After heavy fighting, the Chinese successfully infiltrated the American positions, forcing a withdrawal under heavy mortar and artillery fire. The U.S. troops pulled back to another position a mile farther south. Corporal Robert Snyder Roy entered the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and served with B Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was captured during the action near Unsan, North Korea, on November 27, 1950, during the withdrawal from Tong-dong. Repatriated prisoners of war (POWs) later reported that CPL Roy died at Camp 5, Pyoktong, North Korea, on April 14, 1951, and was buried along the Yalu River, across from Camp 5. He was not identified among the remains returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Roy is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Cemetery: Ponca Indian Tribal Cemetery, White Eagle

Source: National Archives, 35th Infantry Regiment Association, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Miller, Gerald Eugene
Army Master sergeant

Gerald Eugene Miller from Oklahoma, Oklahoma 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. Master Sergeant Gerald Eugene Miller, who joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma, was a member of Headquarters Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. By midnight on November 1, 1950, the 8th Cavalry Regiment was forced to withdraw from the Unsan area to avoid encirclement by the enemy. Master Sergeant Miller was part of a group of men ordered to perform traffic control at a critical road junction on the withdraw route, south of Unsan. Early in the morning on November 2, the CCF blocked the road south, causing traffic at the road junction to stall. Master Sergeant Miller was captured during the fighting that broke out at the junction. Returning prisoners of war reported that MSG Miller died at Camp 5, a prison camp in Pyoktong, North Korea, on April 27, 1951. His remains have not been recovered or identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Master Sergeant Miller is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Willis, Cecil McCauley
Army Corporal

Cecil McCauley Willis from Oklahoma, Carter county.

Spouse: Charline J. Willis

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. Sergeant Cecil M. Willis, who joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma, was a member of the Medical Detachment of the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. At the time of his loss, he was supporting Company C of the 8th Engineer Battalion, positioned with the 8th Cavalry Regiment near Unsan. The 8th Cavalry Regiment was cut off from its allies during a CCF surprise attack on November 1. Despite fierce resistance, some of the units were overrun by nightfall, forcing a withdrawal. The retreating men from the 1st and 2nd Battalion passed through the town of Unsan, which was by then thoroughly infiltrated with Chinese, which substantially complicated the withdrawal. Sergeant Willis was lost on November 2, during the retreat. The exact circumstances and location of his loss are unknown, and he was never reported as a prisoner of war. His remains have not been recovered, and he could not be associated with any of the remains that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody after the armistice. Today, Sergeant Willis is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Durant Weekly News and Bryan County Democrat (1950)

Boyiddle, Silas Wayne
Army Private

Silas Wayne Boyiddle from Oklahoma, Caddo county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, October 31, 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. Private First Class Silas Wayne Boyiddle, who joined the U.S. Army from Oklahoma, served with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured by enemy forces on July 11, 1950, as his unit fought a delaying action against the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA)near Chochiwon. He was forced to march north to a prison camp at Manpo, North Korea, where he died of malnutrition in late October. Although he was buried near the camp, his remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war. Today, Private First Class Boyiddle is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Jones, Raymond Lee
Army Private 1st class

Raymond Lee Jones, age 21, from Oklahoma, Oklahoma county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Saturday, July 29, 1950
Death details: On July 30, 1950, the 24th Infantry Division’s undermanned and ill-equipped 19th Infantry Regiment, which had been rushed to Korea from garrison duty in Japan, established defensive lines around the South Korean city of Chinju. The soldiers of the 19th Infantry faced the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA), which was moving inexorably south down the Korean peninsula. The unit lacked heavy artillery and anti-tank weaponry, and the Americans were ultimately unable to stop the NKPA and were forced to withdraw further south to prevent being surrounded. Corporal Raymond Lee Jones entered the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and was a member of H Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. On July 29, 1950, he was reported missing in action following his unit’s withdrawal from Chinju, South Korea. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and he remains unaccounted-for following the incident. Today, Corporal Jones is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Buff, Jack Young
Army Major sergeant

Jack Young Buff from Oklahoma, Pittsburg county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, July 16, 1950
Death details: On the evening of July 15, 1950, the U.S. Army’s 19th Infantry Regiment held defensive positions along the south bank of the Kum River. As dusk approached, North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) tanks appeared on the opposite shore and began firing on the U.S. positions. Although U.S. troops repulsed the attacks that evening, the next morning the NKPA crossed the river and launched a major attack against the 19th Regiment. As the regiment began withdrawing south to Taejon, the North Koreans pushed deep into their defensive lines and set up a roadblock en route to Taejon. When retreating American convoys could not break through the roadblock, soldiers were forced to leave the road and attempt to make their way in small groups across the countryside. Of the 900 soldiers in the 19th Infantry when the Battle of Kum River started, only 434 made it to friendly lines. Master Sergeant Jack Young Buff entered the U.S. Army from Oklahoma and served with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was captured on July 16, 1950, during the Battle of Kum River, while attempting to break through an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. After being moved between various prisoner of war (POW) holding camps in North Korea, he was eventually interned at a temporary holding site known as the “Cornfield” at the edge of Manpo, where he died of exhaustion and illness on October 31. His remains are unaccounted for. Today, Master Sergeant Buff 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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