Tag: South Carolina South Carolina

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Carter, Andrew N.
Army Private 1st class

Andrew N. Carter, age 33, from South Carolina, Chester county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Friday, July 10, 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 Andrew Carter, who joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina, served with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing on July 10, when Chinese troops overran his unit’s position as they fought for control of Porkchop Hill. No one saw him fall in battle, and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. Conditions on the battlefield prevented an immediate search for him, and under the terms of the armistice, the area where he fell became part of the Demilitarized Zone. Today, Corporal Carter 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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Street, Johnnie
Army Private

Johnnie Street, age 19, from South Carolina, Orangeburg county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, February 24, 1952
Death details: In late October 1952, elements of the U.S. 32nd Infantry Regiment attacked Chinese forces on Hill 598 (often referred to as the Triangle Hill Complex) near Kumhwa, North Korea. Triangle Hill was composed of three high peaks, two of which were nicknamed “Pike’s Peak” and “Jane Russell.” If U.S. troops could push the Chinese off Triangle Hill, the Chinese would have to fall back to the next high defensible position. The initial U.S. assault was effective; however, the Chinese quickly counterattacked, sending wave after wave of troops against the 32nd’s positions on Pike’s Peak and Jane Russell. Chinese forces eventually re-established themselves on Pike’s Peak and U.S. troops were unable to dislodge them. Private First Class Johnnie Street, who joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina, served with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing during the fight for Pike’s Peak, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. He was not seen to fall in battle and he was not reported to be a prisoner of war. U.S. forces did not again control the area where he disappeared, and after the ceasefire Hill 598 was located on the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone. Private First Class Street’s remains were not identified among those returned to U.S. custody after the war, and he is still unaccounted for. Today, Private First Class Street 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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Nicholson, William Howard
Army Sergeant

William Howard Nicholson, age 21, from South Carolina, Greenville county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Wednesday, November 29, 1950
Death details: On November 29, 1950, men from Company G of the U.S. 1st Marine Regiment, MP Company and Tank Company, 1st Marine Division, Company B and elements of Company D of the 31st Infantry Regiment, Headquarters Company of the X Corps, and Royal Marines from Number 41 Independent Commando Battalion were sent north from Koto-ri to open the main supply route to Hagaru-ri and resupply and reinforce Allied troops that had been surrounded near the Chosin Reservoir. The group, known as Task Force Drysdale, set out with tanks and other vehicles in the lead and rear, and initially only met light resistance from Chinese Communist Forces (CCF). As attacks increased in ferocity, the group became fragmented as the CCF managed to establish road blocks that further split the task force. Soon, the CCF blew a bridge and halted the convoy altogether. The Royal Marines and most of Company G were north of the bridge at this time and were able to continue to Hagaru-ri. Near the south end of the convoy, a destroyed truck blocked the road. The tanks and troops south of the destroyed truck fought as long as possible before ultimately returning to Koto-ri on November 30. The men between the blown bridge and the destroyed truck, however, were trapped, and subjected to several mortar barrages before CCF moved into hand-to-hand combat range. Fighting raged there until the morning of November 30, when the survivors were forced to surrender. Over 300 troops were wounded, captured, or died during the action. Sergeant First Class William Howard Nicholson entered the U.S. Army from South Carolina and served in Headquarters Company, X Corps. He went missing during Task Force Drysdale’s drive from Koto-ri to Hagaru-ri, though specific details regarding his loss are unknown. No one saw him fall, and there is no evidence suggesting he was ever alive in enemy hands. Attempts following the war to recover or identify his remains were unsuccessful. Today, Sergeant First Class Nicholson 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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Burkett, John Joseph Jr.
Army Sergeant 1st class

John Joseph Jr. Burkett, age 25, from South Carolina, Charleston county.

Parents: John J. Burkett Sr. and Alice Jane Burkett
Spouse: Natalie R. Burkett
Children: Alice Faye Burkett and Linda Gale Burkett

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 John J. Burkett, who joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina, was a member of Company C of the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On November 1, 1950, Company C was in reserve backing up other 1st Battalion units in defensive positions near Unsan when it was hit by a surprise enemy attack and forced to withdraw. Units faced small arms fire during the withdrawal, and upon reaching an assembly area at Ipsok to muster, Master Sergeant Burkett could not be located. He was never reported as a prisoner of war and was not identified among the remains that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Master Sergeant Burkett is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Walterboro Press and Standard

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Moore, Leon Mckiver
Army Private 1st class

Leon Mckiver Moore, age 18, from South Carolina, Charleston 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 Leon M. Moore, who joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina, was a member of Company B of the 70th Tank Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, and his platoon was attached to the 3rd Battalion. On November 1, the CCF engaged in a sneak attack on U.S. forces in defensive positions near Unsan. Despite fierce resistance, the American battalions were forced to withdraw. While the 1st and 2nd Battalion were largely able to retreat to safer positions, strong Chinese presence in the area cut off the 3rd Battalion from its exit routes, forcing its members to form two defensive strongpoints. The men held out against the CCF for two days before being overrun. Most the trapped men were killed, wounded, or captured, with the remainder escaping in small groups. Corporal Moore may have been killed on November 2, during the 3rd Battalion’s defensive operations. Survivors of the incident report that he was aboard a tank that was destroyed by antitank fire; however, these claims have not been confirmed. Corporal Moore was not recovered at the time of his loss, and he could not be associated with any of the remains that North Korean officials returned to U.S. custody following the declaration of ceasefire. Today, Corporal Moore 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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Wise, Luther
Army Sergeant 1st class

Luther Wise, age 31, from South Carolina, Richland county.

Parents: John O. Wise
Spouse: Married

Service era: Korea
Schools: Arden

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 Luther Wise joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina 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 it was attacked and forced to withdraw. Master Sergeant Wise went missing during the withdrawal combat, though specifics surrounding his loss are unknown. Following the battle, a survivor reported that MSG Wise’s remains were seen with other American dead at the 3rd Battalion Command Post dugout around November 4, 1950; however, they he was not identified among the remains recovered and returned to the U.S. following the ceasefire. Today, Master Sergeant Wise is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, The State (1954)

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Bright, James Lester
Army Private

James Lester Bright, age 23, from South Carolina, Greenville county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Sunday, September 3, 1950
Death details: On September 3, 1950, the 8th Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd Engineer Battalion, both elements of the 1st Cavalry Division, were holding a defensive line between Tabu-dong and Taegu at the upper end of the Naktong Perimeter. Company F of the 8th Cavalry, defending Hill 448, was attacked by elements of North Korea’s 13th Infantry Division and forced to retreat to Hill 449, defended by Company G of the 8th Cavalry. The 8th Cavalry Regiment found itself cut off from its supply train and withdrew from the area to keep from being surrounded by the enemy. Upon reaching the village of Tabu-dong, members of Companies D and E of the 8th Cavalry became involved in hut-to-hut fighting before they could retreat. Meanwhile, elements of the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which had been ordered to take and hold Hill 755, were also forced to withdraw. United States forces did not re-take this territory until September 21, 1950. Private First Class James Lester Bright, who joined the U.S. Army from South Carolina, served with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was reported missing in action on September 3, 1950. No one witnessed PFC Bright’s death, and evidence indicates he was not held as a prisoner of war. His remains have not been recovered. Today, Private First Class Bright 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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Gosnell, Albert Aaron
Army Private

Albert Aaron Gosnell from South Carolina, Greenville 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. Private First Class Albert Aaron Gosnell entered the U.S. Army from South Dakota and was assigned to the Heavy Mortar Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He went missing in action on July 16, during the Battle of Kum River, following his unit’s attempt to withdraw around an enemy roadblock outside Taejon. Private First Class Gosnell was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains were not recovered or identified following the conflict. Today, Private First Class Gosnell 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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Grainger, Ernest William
Army Sergeant 1st class

Ernest William Grainger from South Carolina, Horry county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Tuesday, July 11, 1950
Death details: On February 28, 2013, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Master Sergeant Ernest William Grainger, missing from the Korean War. Master Sergeant Grainger entered the U.S. Army from South Carolina and served with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. On July 11, 1950, the 21st Infantry Regiment was in defensive positions near Chochiwon, South Korea, when it was attacked by North Korean forces and was forced to withdraw. MSG Grainger was killed at some point during this action, though the exact details surrounding his loss are unknown, and his body was not recovered at the time of his loss. In 2012, the South Korean government repatriated human remains and artifacts from the vicinity near Chochiwon where MSG Grainger was last seen alive. Analysts were able to identify MSG Grainger from among these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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West, Clarence E.
Army 1st lieutenant

Clarence E. West from South Carolina, Charleston county.

Service era: World War II
Military history: 109 Infantry 28 Division

Date of death: Tuesday, November 6, 1945
Death details: The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, was fought between Allied and German forces from September 1944 to February 1945. As U.S. forces advanced eastward into Germany, the defending Germans manned “Siegfried Line” positions opposite the Belgian border. The battle grew to involve approximately 200,000 troops, with tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. American forces initially entered the area seeking to block German reinforcements from moving north toward the fighting around Aachen, the westernmost city of Germany, near the borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the battle’s second phase and as part of the Allied’s larger offense toward the Rhine River, U.S. troops attempted to push through the forest to the banks of Roer River. Aided by bad weather and rough terrain, German forces in the Hürtgen Forest put up unexpectedly strong resistance due to a well-prepared defense. American forces were unable to break through to the Rur before the German Ardennes offensive struck in December 1944, known as the Battle of the Bulge, which halted the eastward Allied advance until February 1945. First Lieutenant Clarence E. West, who entered the U.S. Army from South Carolina, was a member of the 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. On November 6, 1944, he was reported missing in action following an enemy ambush near Germeter, Germany. 1LT West was not seen again following the incident, and attempts to locate his remains following the end of hostilities have been unsuccessful. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant West is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten.
Cemetery: Unaccounted For

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency