tank attack 1952 June 13

Ancelet, Christopher Columbus
Army Private 1st class

Christopher Columbus Ancelet, age 23, from Texas, Jefferson 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. Corporal Christopher Columbus Ancelet, who joined the U.S. Army from Texas, served with Company C, 140th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was killed in action on June 13, 1952, when his tank was hit by enemy bazooka fire. Corporal Ancelet died in the tank, and the chaos on the battlefield prevented the immediate recovery of his body. His remains were not identified among those retruned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Ancelet is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Dodge, Laverne Henry
Army Sergeant 1st class

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

Koeppel, Clifford L.
Army Private 1st Class

Clifford L. Koeppel, age 24, from New York, Kings 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. Corporal Clifford Lewis Koeppel, who joined the U.S. Army from New York, served with Company C, 140th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on June 13, 1952, after his unit engaged enemy forces near Kumsong, North Korea. He was last seen at the rear of his disabled tank. Corporal Koeppel was not seen to fall in battle, 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, Corporal Koeppel 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

Waits, Charles Edwin
Army Corporal

Charles Edwin Waits, age 23, from Missouri, Barton 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 Charles Edwin Waits, who joined the U.S. Army from Missouri, served with Company C, 140th Medium Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on June 13, 1952, as his unit fought Chinese troop near Kumsong, North Korea. Sergeant Waits was last seen firing at enemy forces from his disabled tank. He was not seen to fall in battle, 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, Sergeant Waits 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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