Promote & Preserve stories of U.S. fallen soldiers/sailors
Robert Leroy Welch, age 22, from Yale, Michigan, Saint Clair county.
Parents: Luia (preceded in death 1969) and Russell
Service era: Vietnam
Schools: Yale High (1966)
Date of death: Friday, July 3, 1970
Death details: Shot and killed while on patrol in Vietnam.
Source: National Archives, Port Huron Times Herald
Earl William Jr. Tucker from Port Huron, Michigan, Saint Clair county.
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, March 26, 1953
Death details: In late March 1953, elements of the 1st Marine Division manned a string of outposts along a 33-mile section of the main line of resistance on the Korean Peninsula, near the present-day Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The 1st Marine Division’s 5th Marine Regiment was responsible for three of these outposts, named Carson, Reno, and Vegas, or collectively “the Nevada Cities Complex.” On March 26, Chinese Communist Forces attacked all three outposts. Although Carson managed to stave off the assault, Reno and Vegas, which were more lightly manned, eventually succumbed to the enemy. Over 1,000 Marines were killed, wounded, or went missing during the attack on the Nevada Cities Complex. Corporal Earl William Tucker Jr. joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Michigan and was a member of the Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He went missing in action during the fighting at the Nevada Cities Complex on March 26, 1953. He was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and he was not identified among remains returned to U.S. custody after the conflict’s ceasefire. Today, Corporal Tucker is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Laverne Henry Dodge, age 27, from Marine City, Michigan, Saint Clair 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. Master Sergeant Laverne Henry Dodge, who joined the U.S. Army from Michigan, served with Company C, 140th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on June 13, 1952, after he was shot by enemy troops while attempting to rescue a soldier from a burning tank. Master Sergeant Dodge could not be recovered at the time of his loss due to the chaos on the battlefield, and he was never reported to be a prisoner of war. His remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Master Sergeant Dodge is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Howard Gerald Brewer, age 20, from Saint Clair County Port Huron, Michigan .
Parents: Rose Fretenborough and Howard G. Brewer Sr. His last letter dated Nov. 22, 1950 to his mother: “Don’tworry about me, I’ll take care of myself.”
Service era: Korea
Date of death: Thursday, November 30, 1950
Death details: By mid-November 1950, U.S. and Allied forces had advanced to within approximately sixty miles of the Yalu River, the border between North Korea and China. On November 25, approximately 300,000 Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) “volunteers” suddenly and fiercely counterattacked after crossing the Yalu. The 2nd Infantry Division, located the farthest north of units at the Chongchon River, could not halt the CCF advance and was ordered to withdraw to defensive positions at Sunchon in the South Pyongan province of North Korea. As the division pulled back from Kunu-ri toward Sunchon, it conducted an intense rearguard action while fighting to break through well-defended roadblocks set up by CCF infiltrators. The withdrawal was not complete until December 1, and the 2nd Infantry Division suffered extremely heavy casualties in the process. Corporal Howard Gerald Brewer, who joined the U.S. Army from Michigan, was a member of H Company, 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. On November 29, 1950, the 38th Infantry Regiment was ordered to defend the area east of Kunu-ri, to cover the start of the 2nd Division’s retreat. The CCF attacked as the 38th Infantry consolidated their defenses, forcing the defenders to fight their way back to Kunu-ri before joining the withdrawal to Sunchon. A series of intense moving battles ensued, and CPL Brewer was killed at some point during the fighting. His remains could not be recovered at the time due to the chaotic nature of the withdrawal, and the area never returned to Allied control. He could not be associated with any remains returned to U.S. control following the end of hostilities. Today, Corporal Brewer is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Times Herald (1950)
Ronald Jack McComb, age 20, from Marine City, Michigan, Saint Clair county.
Parents: Ruby Gail McComb
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. Private First Class Ronald Jack McComb joined the U.S. Army from Michigan and was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, 1950, Company C was near Unsan with the 1st Battalion when it was hit by a severe enemy attack and forced to withdraw. PFC McComb went missing during the withdrawal, and a witness stated that PFC McComb was last seen carrying his wounded squad leader to a tank for transport. PFC McComb was never reported to be a prisoner of war, and he was not identified among remains returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Private First Class McComb is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Detroit Free Press (1950)
Robert William Springborn from Michigan, Saint Clair county.
Parents: Clyde A. Springborn
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 William Springborn joined the U.S. Army from Michigan and was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 2, 1950, Company L was in defensive positions with the 3rd Battalion near Unsan, when the unit was hit by an enemy attack and forced to withdraw. The Battalion soon became surrounded and Corporal Springborn was captured during this action; specific details are unknown. He was eventually brought to Camp 5 at Old Pyoktong where he died shortly in January 1951 from malnutrition, dysentery, exhaustion and possibly pneumonia. He was buried by his companions on rising ground overlooking the camp, however, U.S. officials have not yet been able to search this area for his grave site. Today, Corporal Springborn is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Lansing State Journal (1950)