A photo album of the men of Task Force Smith
file:///Users/edmarek/Documents/Talking Proud/HistoryTaskFo...
Men of Task Force Smith, I report we
completed our assigned task with honor
Go!
February 19, 2008, updated February 25, 2008.
Epilogue: A photo album of the men of Task Force Smith
Editor's note: I have scoured about as many sources as I can scour for photos
of the men of Task Force Smith. If you have any, and would like them posted
in this album, it would my honor to do so. That includes the infantry, the
medics, and the field artillery. The only requirement is that they fought at the
"Battle of Osan," July 5-6, 1950.
This section is also a work in progress. I have a roster of most of the men who
were with Task Force Smith and I intend to list them below if I can find out
something about them and/or get a photo of them. This endeavor will take
time. I feel obligated to do my best for these men.
Ed Marek, Lt. Col., USAF (Ret.), editor
We honor service and
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Thanks.
President Truman honoring Task Force Smith members at the White House,
June 1952. Colonel Brad Smith is standing to the far right. Presented by The
Korean War: The Story and Photographs, by Donald M. Goldstein, Harry J.
Maihafer.
Lt. Col. Bradley Smith retired from the Army at the rank of
brigadier general.
We found an Photo Album on the website of the 21st
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Regimental Combat Team Association that has photos of some
of the officers and men who were part of Task Force Smith at
the "Battle of Osan." The organizer of the web site laments that
he has "no clue how to build a website or manage a group like
this." We not only comment this web site to you, we urge you
to send the association a big "Bravo" for the superb historical
record it has assembled. There are photos there that cannot be
found elsewhere. If you contribute photos to us, we will
contribute them to the association as well.
James Beilstein at the "Korean War Educator" web site
provides what he calls an incomplete list of all those who were
there. We've used his list to authenticate the men as members of
Task Force Smith. For those taken POW, and released, we
simply say, "subsequently released," assuming they were
released at war's end but unsure of the date.
Prior to showing the individual photos we have found, and
while speaking of POWs, we are compelled to alert you to the
Tiger Survivor's List.
American POWs climbing a hillbank of the Han River. The men are clean
shaven because the enemy knew they would be marching through Seoul, and
subject to international photography.
Pfc. Wayne A. "Johnnie" Johnson of Lima, Ohio, 1-21 Infantry,
was captured by the enemy on July 11, 1950. While in
captivity, Johnson used every means available to record the
names of all POWs about whom he knew. He maintained two
lists, the enemy found one, and beat him, accusing him of
maintaining enemy propaganda. The 18 year old American
infantryman replied, "It's not propaganda. It's for the families."
Upon release in 1953, he was able to get his second list out
inside a toothpaste tube. Once on the troopship home, he
provided it to an officer. There were 496 names on it. This is
variously known as "Johnson's List" and the "Tiger Survivor
List." It has been published.
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A photo album of the men of Task Force Smith
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American POWs from the 24th Infantry Division captured in Korea, July
1950. In the background, parts of Johnson's list. Presented by US POWs in
Korea - Johnson's List
Capt. Donald Duerk, MD, MC, the 1-21 surgeon who
arrived with the 3-21 Infantry, on or before July 11, 1950,
reported seeing three bound bodies of US soldiers at an aid
station. He reported at least one of these had been shot behind
the ear. This corroborated reports received to that point that 18
American GIs had been bound and murdered by North Korean
soldiers, very shortly after their capture. We must assume some
or many of those were from Task Force Smith. As you page
through the photos and briefs below, you will see many men of
the task force were captured and died while held captive.
1st Lt. Raymond E. "Bodie" Adams, MC, 1-21 Infantry.
Prior to this battle, had been the captain and pitcher of the
regimental baseball team, accounting for his grenade accuracy
during the Battle of Osan. Rose to the rank of colonel, having
served 34 years in the Army Medical Service Corps, including
duty in Vietnam. He received the Silber Star for his ace grenade
throw to wipe out an enemy machinegunner during the task
force's withdrawal.
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Pfc. Ramon Alba, B/1-21 Infantry. Killed in action, July 5,
1950.
Pfc. Roger Bane, HQ Co. 21st Infantry. Worked supply,
delivered rations and ammo to the line companies, and
company runner. Served later in outpost duty with ROKA
soldiers, thought highly of them. Fell back with other US forces
to Pusan Perimeter, then north to the Yalu River and back.
Rotated out of Korea in July 1951. Proud of his service.
2nd Lt. Carl Bernard, Platoon Leader, B-21 Infantry.
Continued fighting, with L/1-21 Infantry, and was later awarded
the Distinguished Service Cross for valor on July 11, 1950,
engaging enemy tanks and destroying two, advanced through
enemy lines killing four enemy, destroyed an enemy machine
gun emplacement, and then organized a withdrawal of his
force. Rose to the rank of colonel.
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1st Lt. Russell W. Berthoff, HQ Co. Commander, 1-21
Infantry.
Pvt. George E. Buskirk, B/1-21 Infantry, Light weapons
infantryman. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's
List: Died in captivity, January 28, 1951.
Pfc. Alton Christie, B/1-21 Infantry. Missing in Action, July
5, 1950, presumed killed.
Pvt. Wilbur B. Colford, Light weapons infantryman, B/1-21
Infantry. Captured July 5, 1950. On Tiger's Survivor's List:
Died in captivity, October 31, 1950.
Pfc. Karl Francis Connick, 1-21 Infantry. Captured July 5,
1950. On the Tiger Survivor's List: Died in captivity, June 18,
1951.
Pfc. Boyd E. Cox, B/1-21 Infantry. Light weapons
infantryman. Missing in Action, July 5, 1950, presumed killed.
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2nd Lt. Jansen Cox, 1-21 Infantry, captured July 6, 1950,
along with some 35 others, and died in captivity. A Virginian
by birth from Carroll County. Pfc. Amos L. Scott and Pfc.
Marvin Patton, both of Task Force Smith, both Virginians,
were also captured with Cox. Both Patton and Scott died in
captivity as well.
Corporal Herman Critchfield, Battery A, 52nd FA Bn. Rose
to the rank of Command Sergeant Major. Quoted by Sandy
Strait, in the book, What was it like in the Korean War?, saying
the US should have employed nuclear weapons in Korea.
Received the Bronze Star for his service as chief of section,
forward gun, Battle of Osan.
Captain Richard Dashner, Commander, Charlie Co., 1-21
Infantry
2nd Lt. Philip Day, Jr., Rifle Platoon Leader, C/1-21
Infantry. Rose to the rank of colonel.
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Cpl. William C. Denson, Jr., Cook, B/1-21 Infantry. Missing
in Action on July 5, 1050, presumed killed. Promoted to
sergeant. received the Purple Heart (Posthumous). An example
of infantry first, cook second.
2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. Harold "Hal" Dill, Platoon Leader, Charlie
Co., 1-21 Infantry. Organized a group of troops, some
wounded, led them south, moving behind enemy lines for six
days, hungry and disheveled, but they made it alive.
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Lt. Jack Doody, Heavy Mortar Platoon Leader, B/1-21
Infantry. Rose to the rank of colonel. At some point in his
career, he said this about his experience: "A month or so before
this (being sent to Korea) we had undergone an ordnance
inspection and half of our rifles were condemned. They were all
left over from World War II, retrieved from Okinawa, or places
like that. The same went for the mortars and machine guns. I
don't remember ever seeing anything new."
Pfc Clyatt R. DuBose, HQ Co., 21 Infantry. Radio repairman.
Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's List: Died in
captivity, May 27, 1951.
Sgt. First Class Edwin A. "Cotton Eddie" Eversole, the
Chief of Firing Battery, A Battery, 52nd FA. Received the
Silver Star for his valor on July 5, 1950.
Cpl. Ernest "Frenchy" Fortuna, Medic 1-21 Infantry.
Remained behind at the aid station to care for wounded.
Captured. Repatriated in the "Big Switch" release of POWs in
August and September, 1953.
1st Lt. John A. Fox, 1st Platoon Leader, Bravo Co., 1-21
Infantry. Captured, held at Camp #2, subsequently released.
Pfc. Robert Daniel Furlow, HQ Co., 21 Infantry. Message
center clerk. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's
List: Died in captivity, January 8, 1951.
Pfc Nicholas "Nick" Garza, C/1-12 Infantry. Defending his
position north of Osan on July 5, 1950, he was overrun and was
captured by the enemy. He was moved from place to place until
the "Tiger Death March" began on October 31, when the POWs
were forced to march through mountainous terrain in sub-zero
weather for 108 miles. Those who survived were taken to the
POW camp at Hanhang-ni. Pfc. Garza died of malnutrition on
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December 20, 1950 and was buried in a mass grave at the POW
camp.
Pfc Florentino Gonzales, B/1-21 Infantry. During an enemy
attack that had been underway for some seven hours on July 5,
1950, his unit was ordered to withdraw. He volunteered to stay
at his position to employ his machine gun to cover the
withdrawal and to protect his assistant gunner, Pfc. Vernon L.
Wade, who was seriously wounded by a grenade, and then
taken POW. The North Koreans killed him immediately.
Gonzales delivered heavy fire until he was overrun. He was
was last seen at his position, and thought to have been killed.
However he was taken POW and was seen in a photo of POWs
marching through Seoul. He was awarded the Distingished
Service Cross while captive, retired a MSgt, and served in
Vietnam.
Pvt. Myron E. Gross, Light weapons infantryman, B/1-21
Infantry. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's List:
Died in captivity, January 14, 1951.
Pvt. Karl Hoher, Jr., Light weapons infantryman, B/1-21
Infantry. Missing in Action, presumed killed.
Pvt. William R. McGill, light weapons infantryman, B/1-21
Infantry. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's List:
Died in captivity, December 18, 1950.
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Lt. Alan B. Macaulay Platoon Leader, 2nd Platoon, Bravo
Co., 1-21 Infantry.
Pfc. Max Meyers, Medic 1-21 Infantry. Remained behind at
the aid station to care for wounded. Captured. Repatriated in
the "Big Switch" release of POWs in August and September,
1953.
2nd Lt. Robert C. Neimann, HQ Battalion, 1-21 Infantry.
Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger Survivor's List: Died in
captivity, August 1950.
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Captain Ambrose H. Nugent, A Btry, 52 Bn FA, captured
July 5, 1950, subsequently released. Thought to have fought
along side the infantry when that's where they were at in the
battle. While a major, court-martialed for collaborating with the
enemy while a POW. Acquitted and promoted to lieutenant
colonel. One enlisted POW was with Nugent in Seoul, along
with some 75 other American POWs. The enemy demanded
Nugent make some concession to them, or the enemy would
kill the 75 other POWs. Nugent agreed and saved the men. Col.
Nugent died in 1988 at the age of 78 and was buried at Ft. Sam
Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas.
1st Lt. Lawrence C. Powers, HQ Co. Communications
Officer, 1-21 Infantry.
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Lt. Colonel Miller O. Perry, commander, 52nd Field
Artillery Battalion. West Point. Rose to the rank of brigadier
general and was executive officer, 24th Division Artillery in
Korea, and then became Deputy Commander, MAAG
Indochina. He also served as commanding general, 1st
Armored Division Artillery, 10th Mountain/2nd Infantry
Division Artillery, and 7th Army Artllery. Was 102 years old in
2010 and attended celebrations hosted by the 21st Regimental
Combat Team as president, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion
Association. Died March 20, 2010.
Sgt. Floyd Alexander Roy, Light Weapons Infantry Leader,
B/1-21 Infantry. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger
Survivor's List: Died in captivity, July 3, 1951.
Lt. Duane Scott, commander, A Battery, 52nd FA. Rose to
the rank of lieutenant colonel. POW.
Lt. Colonel Charles B. "Brad" Smith, commander, 1-21
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Infantry. West Point, retired from the Army at the rank of
brigadier general.
Captain Charles R. Thomas, Commander, Bravo Co., 1-21
Infantry
Captain Edwin Overholt, Medical Platoon, 21st Infantry.
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The late Edwin Overholt is shown in this photo in later life. A
few words about him. He would serve in the Army for 23 years
and rise to the rank of colonel and was considered one of the
Army's most outstanding clinicians and teachers. Throughout
his civilian career, he was affectionately known as "The
Colonel." He passed in 2006.
Pvt. Vincent Angelo Vega, listed as Light weapons
infantryman and cook, B/1-21 Infantry. Missing in Action
July 5, 1050, presumed killed.
Pvt. Calvin Van Winkle, Light weapons infantryman,
B/1-21 Infantry. Captured July 5, 1950. On the Tiger
Survivor's List: Died in captivity, February 16, 1951.
Pfc. Vernon L. Wade, B/1-21 Infantry, assistant gunner to
Pfc Florentino Gonzales. During an enemy attack that had
been underway for some seven hours on July 5, 1950, his unit
was ordered to withdraw. Gonzales volunteered to stay at his
position to employ his machine gun to cover the withdrawal
and to protect his assistant gunner, Pfc. Vernon L. Wade. A
grenade flew over Gonzales and detonated where Wade had
sought cover. Wade was seriously wounded, and then died.
Major General William Dean,
the commander of the 24th
Infantry Division, received the
Medal of Honor for his valor in
combat just a few weeks after the
Battle of Osan. This was the first
Medal of Honor to be received for
valor in the Korean War.
On July 20, 1950, General Dean,
alone, attacked an enemy tank
while armed only with his sidearm
and a hand grenade. He further
directed the fire of his own tanks from an exposed position
while under artillery and small arms fire. Despite his valor and
those with whom he fought, the town he hoped to defend,
Taejon, was overrun. He ordered his men to retreat but he
refused to depart with the leading elements. He remained
behind to organize his retreating units and provide directions to
stragglers. He was last seen assisting wounded to safety. As his
forces dropped back, he became separated from them. He hid
alone in the woods around the countryside during the day and
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traveled at night for over a month. On August 25, 1950 he was
captured by the North Koreans after hand-to-hand fighting. He
remained a POW until his release on September 4, 1953.
General Dean's whereabouts were unknown until December 18,
1951, when Wilfred Burchett interviewed him in prison. This
was the first time anyone knew he was alive since being
reported missing in action.
In addition to receiving the Medal of Honor, at his retirement
on October 31, 1955, he was awarded the Combat Infantry
Badge for his front line service in WWII and Korea, an award
he particularly cherished.
At his retirement, General Dean said this:
"If the story of my Korean experience is worth telling,
the value lies in its oddity, not in anything brilliant or
heroic.
"There were heroes in Korea, but I was not one of them.
There were brilliant commanders, but I was a general
captured because he took a wrong road. I am an Infantry
officer and presumably was fitted for my fighting job.
"I don't want to alibi that job, but a couple of things
about it should be made clear. In the fighting I made
some mistakes and I've kicked myself a thousand times
for them. I lost ground I should not have lost. I lost
trained officers and fine men. I'm not proud of that
record, and I'm under no delusions that my weeks of
command constituted any masterly campaign.
"No man honestly can be ashamed of the Medal of
Honor. For it and for the welcome given to me here at
home in 1953, 1 am humbly grateful. But I come close to
shame when I think about the men who did better jobs
some who died doing them and did not get recognition. I
wouldn't have awarded myself a wooden star for what I
did as a commander.
"Later, as fugitive and prisoner, I did things mildly out of
the ordinary only at those times when I was excited and
not thinking entirely straight; and the only thing I did
which mattered to my family and perhaps a few others
was to stay alive. Other prisoners resisted torture, but I
wasn't tortured. Others hid in the hills and finally
escaped, but I failed in my escape attempts. Others
bluffed the Communists steadily, whereas I was lucky
enough to do it only once in a while.
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"Others starved, but I was fed and even learned to like
Kimchee. Others died for a principle, but I failed in a
suicide attempt.
"My life was an adventure, I did see the face of the
enemy close up. I did have time to study his weaknesses
and his remarkable strengths, not on the battlefield but
far behind his lines. I saw communism working with men
and women of high education or none, great intelligence
or little and it was a frightening thing.
"I ought to know. I swatted 40,671 flies in three years and
counted every carcass. There were periods when I was
batting .850 and deserved to make the big leagues."
General Dean passed on August 25, 1981. He is buried at the
Presidio of San Francisco, with his wife.
The 21st Infantry had two men to receive the Medal of Honor.
They were Sergeant First Class Ray E. Duke, Charlie Co.,
April 26, 1951, and Pfc. Mack A. Jordan, Kilo Co., November
15, 1951. Both were received posthumous.
Recall British Captain Vyvyan Holt, the first minister of the
British Legation to Seoul, who warned British citizens to leave
Seoul three weeks before the invasion. That was his instruction,
but he some staff and a few others remained behind, figuring
they would benefit from diplomatic immunity. Not so. The KPA
captured them and they were POWs until release in April 1953.
Mr. Holt was later knighted. While a POW, he endured long
forced marches in the cold and efforts by the Soviets to convert
him to communism.
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