L on the Imjin
MK note (01 Oct 2002): You may notice, as you visit photo pages of other Bunker guys of the 3rd Bn of the 15th Inf Rgt, that Daniel Wolfe (#69) has been of great help to me (a Co A, 1st Bn, 15th guy) and you by finding other 3rd Bn guys to jump in our Bunker and send me their photos. One of his buddies who sent me photos was Donald Elmer (#69), another L guy who also sent two drawings he made - one from the Co L position in March, 1952, and the other from its position in August, 1952; but, Dan never sent any photos of his own so that I could make a photo page for him too. Finally, Dan gave me my excuse for making this page. He wanted to show me the location of some of the Co L doings when it was on the MLR east of the Imjin, so he made some additional markings and explanations on a copy of Cpt Pearson's Map and snail mailed me a copy of that. Here are Dan's map and thumbnail copies of Don's drawings (Clicking on either thumbnail will take you to the photo page Don and his Buddies - use "back" on your browser to return here.):
March 1952
August 1952
The position of Co L, 3rd Bn, 15th Inf Rgt shown in the map is identical to the position of Co A, 1st Bn, 15th Rgt earlier - for most of the winter of 1951-1952 and early spring 1952. That time period was when I spent many days staring at the hills Dan has marked, and also when my very cold fingers drew Corporal Key's Map.
Dan's "Bubble" on the map was our (Co A's) "Hebert Two". Where Dan marked "B" is Hill 117. Where he marked "D" for the "jon" boats was where we (Co A) also had a rinky-dink deal for crossing the river, by pulling on a rope (strung across the river) while riding in a small boat.
At about the same time (in April of 1952) that Co A left the position that you see in Dan's map, Co L left its position on "our hills" west of the Imjin (March 1952 drawing). About the middle of July, the 2nd Bn and the 3rd Bn (including Co L) of the 15th Inf Rgt went back to the Imjin MLR, with the 3rd Bn to the area shown in the map and with the 2nd Bn to the west and across from Kelly. The 1st Bn (including Co A and MK) did not return to the Imjin until the night of 30 Jul 1952 - this for the purpose of retaking Kelly which had just been captured by the Chinese.
Now, for what Dan wanted to say on this page, here are some edited excerpts from Dan's emails, in quotes and double indented. I have interspersed some remarks and some excerpts from the 3rd Division casualty lists. Where the name of a man he mentions has an underlined name, it means that the man has entered our Bunker and that the underlined name is a link to that man's entry into the Bunker - if you go there, you may click "back' on your browser to return to this page.
"On the night of 8 Aug 1952, Company L was on a patrol on the heights overlooking the Imjin River. When we reached Hill 117 (marked 'B' on my map), we were ambushed and an intense firefight ensued. When our Company Commander, Lieutenant Wilbur A. Sidney, gave us the order to withdraw, he directed us to scale down the cliff and wade in the Imjin back to the Bubble (identified on my map). Some of the men knew that there was a withdrawal going on, but did not hear the part about wading the Imjin; so, many of the men returned on the path that took us toward and to Hill 117. That path led them back over Big Nori and Little Nori (both identified on my map) and caused an increase in our many casualties for the night.
"KIA (killed in action) that night were SFC Robert Massengale, CPL Jesus Camacho, and CPL Truman Moen. 2LT William Edmonds and PFC Philip Dickson received wounds which led to their premature deaths. Some of the others wounded that night were PFC Truman Bastin, PFC John Hollier, CPL Charles Nunns, and PFC Francis Mette.
"Four days later, on 12 Aug 1952, we were ordered to make a night assault on Hill 121, marked 'A' on my map. We used the Bubble, also identified on my map, as an assembly area and used an old tank track down the right side of the valley to approach Hill 121 at the far end of the valley. There was one tank (a British Centurion) which stayed on the MLR and, with it's cannon and heavy machine guns, helped our mortars and artillery soften up Hill 121 before we began the assault.
"While we were clearing Hill 121, the Chinese made an attempt to encircle us from the rear. Lt Sidney ordered a recoilless rifle team to be set up on a smaller hill nearby and behind us. The RR team completely destroyed the Chinese with white phosphorus rounds. The screams of the burned Chinese remain with me to this day.
"The 12 Aug 1952 assault on Hill 121 was a very successful operation and we inflicted very heavy casualties on the enemy. The story of how my foxhole buddy, Wayne Caton became listed as MIA (missing in action) on that operation is told below where his name is listed. Some of our wounded in the assault on Hill 121 were SFC Ray Flaherty and SGT Ralph Gerecke.
"None of what I have written above or below appears in books on the Korean War. The writers have to interview the riflemen."
That's what I'm doing, Dan, that's what I'm doing
.
Dan asked me if I would add the names of a few of his Company
L buddies (called "heroes" by Dan) along with a few short remarks about each of
them. I, of course, replied "can do" without remembering how carried away I can
get sometimes. Please blame your humble webmaster for any default in, omissions
from, or lousy editing of Dan's submissions - not Dan. I don't mind hurting the
feelings of people I never knew .
"I want to say a few more words about all of my buddies whom I mentioned above and also about some who were KIA or MIA after 12 Aug 1952. But first, I want to mention a particular hero whom I admired, and still admire very much. He was Colonel Wilbur A. Sidney who, when Co L returned to the MLR opposite Big and Little Nori, was a First Lieutenant and our new Company Commander.
"He went out on and led every patrol and raid. He motivated a group of green draftees into a finely honed infantry unit. By carefully planning and conducting our raids, he often prevented our company from complete annihilation. For instance, his decision during the operation of 8 Aug 1952 to tell as many of us as he could to climb down the cliff and return to the Bubble by wading down the Imjin saved the lives of many of us.
"After his infantry service in WWII and Korea, Colonel Sidney took flight training and served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and an airfield commander. He is a member of the OCS Infantry Hall of Fame. He earned three Combat Infantryman Badges, a Purple Heart, and more than sixty medals during his service. His medals include two Silver Stars, seven Bronze Stars, a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Legion of Merits, eight Air Medals, and the Bravery Gold Medal of Greece.
"Colonel Sidney is now deceased and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I am proud to have served with such a man."
"Wayne Caton was a dear buddy of mine and we shared a bunker overlooking the Imjin River. He always had a mysterious supply of cigars. Where did he get them? Wayne was the medic for our 2nd Platoon. He first showed his dedication to his men and his job on the night of 8 Aug 1952 when our company was ambushed on Hill 117. He did not withdraw from the action until all the wounded were attended to and evacuated. Then, on the night of 12 Aug 1952 when we were the attacking platoon on Hill 121 and were ordered to withdraw, Wayne ran to the jon boats to assist in bringing the wounded across the river. There, a GI was directing the operation for crossing the river. Ed Heister, a brave but uninjured 2nd Platoon man, was carrying on his shoulders a severely wounded Truman Bastin (see his listing below) who needed to be evacuated as soon as possible. The GI at the boats said he was waiting for more wounded. After hearing that, Wayne removed his .45 caliber pistol from its holster, placed it into the abdomen of the GI, and told him to get Truman across right now or he'd pull the trigger. Needless to say, Truman was evacuated quickly. However, Wayne went back to the scene of the action to look for more wounded. He never returned and was listed as MIA."
CATON WAYNE R
Rank= PFC Serial Number= RA13405836"Robert Massengale was an ex-paratrooper assigned to Co L. Our CO, Lt Wilbur Sidney, said that Massengale's walrus mustache made him resemble 'Pete The Tramp'. Massengale was killed while heroically leading his men on the night of 8 Aug 1952. During the retreat, I floated his body down the Imjin to the Bubble."
MASSENGALE ROBERT
Rank=
SFC Serial Number=
RA12290839
State of Record=
GA County of Record=
Cobb
Race= 1
Year of Birth= 1930
Branch=
Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745) Light
Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= KIA
"Jesus Camacho was an intense but smiling Guamanian whose BAR was bigger than he was. Our platoon was unaware that Jesus had been killed on the night of the 8 Aug 1952 ambush. The next morning, our CO, Lt Wilbur Sidney, Sgt Ray Flaherty, and PFC Ed Heister went out and recovered Jesus' body after a firefight."
CAMACHO JESUS A
Rank= CPL Serial
Number= RA10736995
State of Record= R6
County of Record= US Possessions
Race= E
Year of Birth= 1930
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= KIA
"Truman Moen was a gentle soul who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and, unfortunately, was killed in the ambush of 8 Aug 1952. He was a good buddy also of Don Elmer, #69 in the Imjin Buddy Bunker, and a photo of Truman's gravestone is on Don's photo page Don and His Buddies."
MOEN TRUMAN O
Rank=CPL Serial
Number= US55146200
State of Record= WI
County of Record= Trempealeau
Race= 1 Year of Birth= 1931
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= KIA
"Lieutenant William Edmonds heroically led his 3rd Platoon on the night of the 8 Aug 1952 ambush. He received serious intestinal wounds which eventually led to his premature death."
EDMONDS WILLIAM R
Rank= 2LT Serial
Number= O-2205294
State of Record= NC
County of Record= Halifax
Race= 2 Year of Birth=
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= 1542
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= WIA by
missile-Hospitalized-Separated from Army (US)
"Phillip Dickson was a machine gunner in my platoon who came to us as "The New Kid On The Block" because he was the youngest member of the 2nd Platoon. He too received serious intestinal wounds which eventually led to his premature death."
DICKSON PHILIP R
Rank= PFC Serial
Number= RA21017935
State of Record= CT
County of Record= Fairfield
Race= 1 Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)=
"Truman Bastin was our squad's BAR man. I'm surprised the men in our squad returned with earlobes - he constantly nibbled at them with his soft, slow Kentucky drawl. While moving up Hill 121 and firing his weapon, a mortar round exploded in his area. He lost an eye and part of his jaw, and has a steel plate in his skull to this day. He was in the hospital for 1 and 1/2 years being rehabilitated. Today, he is still an upbeat and wonderful man."
BASTIN TRUMAN E
Rank= PFC Serial Number=
US52084788
State of Record= KY
County of Record= Lincoln
Race= 1
Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745)
Light Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd
Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= Seriously
WIA by missile-Returned to Duty (US)
"John Hollier is #68 in the Imjin Buddy Bunker. He was a machine gunner in my platoon, one happy Cajun, and a very good buddy who found my scalp with its thinning hairs more interesting than pulling the trigger on his machine gun. He was hit on the night of 8 Aug 1952 by a piece of shrapnel which sliced into the center of his back. The MDs said that, if it had gone 1/4 inch deeper, it would have penetrated his spine and made him a paraplegic. John remembers clearly that he was wounded on Little Nori, so he may have been hit on the trip back, or his machine gun may have been set up on Little Nori to give support to the forward elements of the patrol."
HOLLIER JOHN L
Rank= PFC Serial
Number= US54067900
State of Record= LA
County of Record= St. Landry
Race= 1 Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/09
Casualty Description= WIA by
missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (FECOM)
"Charley Nunns was a close buddy who, during the ambush on the night of 8 Aug 1952, was wounded in the left shoulder by automatic weapon fire. Back in Kansas, we both tried, but failed, to charm and win over his disinterested girlfriend. 'It wasn't my fault, Charley.' "
NUNNS CHARLES J
Rank=
CPL Serial Number=
US55149331
State of Record=
MO County of Record=
Jackson
Race= 1
Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)=1952/08/09
Casualty Description= WIA
by missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (FECOM)
METTE FRANCIS A Rank=
PFC
Serial Number= US55210010
State of Record=
MI
County of Record= Wayne
Race= 1 Year of Birth= Branch=
Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)=
1952/08/09
Casualty Description=
WIA
by
missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (US)
FLAHERTY RAYMOND F
Rank= SFC Serial Number= RA31504539
GERECKE RALPH A Rank= SGT
Serial Number= US55153348
State of Record=
MI County of Record= Livingston
Race= 1
Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745)
Light Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd
Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)=
1952/08/13
Casualty Description=
WIA
by
missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (US)
"Charley Kauneckis always volunteered to be the point man on any patrol he was on and, when he was the leader of a patrol, he would not allow anyone but himself to be the point man. In late Nov 1952, after we had left the Imjin, Charley was returning from a patrol during which contact had been made with the Chinese. He felt warmth in his chest area. Upon removing his jacket, sweater, and fatigue shirt, he saw a large red slash in his T shirt and had to be evacuated. When I asked him, forty-five years later, if he remembered a court martial we had while in reserve, he said, 'Which one? I had about twenty-five of them.' "
KAUNECKIS CHARLES
Rank= SGT Serial Number= RA19259980"Oscar Konnerth
was a dependable, non-complaining draftee who seemed to thrive on C-rations, even the Ham and Lima Beans. He was hit 28 Aug 1062 while we were entrenched on Big Nori. He was wounded in his buttocks and left leg by shrapnel from a mortar round. Today, he is well and is the same gentle person I knew in Korea."KONNERTH OSCAR F
Rank= CPL Serial Number= US52113071
State of Record= PA
County of Record= Erie
Race= 1
Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745)
Light Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd
Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/28
Casualty Description= WIA
by
missile-Hospitalized-Separated from Army (US)
Disposition of Evacuations= Separated
for disability
"William Gardner, who is #70 in the Imjin Buddy Bunker, and Evertie Moore were both hit at the same time and place. Neither one of them can remember exactly where it happened, but it was certainly after we left the Imjin. Merv says that three photos of Bill are on the Don Elmer (#69 in the Imjin Buddy Bunker) photo page Don and His Buddies. Don is another Co L man and a good friend of mine."
GARDNER WILLIAM S Rank= CPL
Serial Number=
US55174510
State of Record= CO
County of Record=
Mesa
Race=
1
Year of Birth=
Branch=
Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty=
(1745) Light
Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit=
15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty=
N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)=
1952/11/16
Casualty Description=
WIA by
missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (FECOM)
MOORE EVERTIE E
Rank= PFC Serial
Number= US25169335
State of Record= SC
County of Record= Pickens
Race= 1 Year of Birth= Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745) Light
Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/11/16
Casualty Description=WIA
by
missile-Hospitalized-Returned to Duty (FECOM)
"John Mendel was the L Co commo man and I can still picture him with either a radio on his back or with a roll of commo wire being unwound from a reel as he as would walk towards our target alongside of our Platoon Leader. His back seemed to straighten out some when his trunk disguised as a radio was replaced by a new, thin RCA radio. John shared a bunker with a Forward Observer from our artillery support. After their return from a raid, their bunker received a direct hit which killed both of them."
MENDEL JOHN C Rank= PFC
Serial Number= US51117739
State of Record= NY
County of Record= Queens
Race=1 Year of Birth= 1930
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745) Light
Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/11/17
Casualty Description= KIA
"Harry Lapich was a newlywed who constantly worried about his wife's concern about him. He was completely devoted to her and once said to me, 'All I can do is send her a letter every day.' On 14 Aug 1952, he stepped out of the trench adjacent to his bunker to join Sergeant Fostine Rutledge. A sniper hit and killed them both."
LAPICH HARRY F JR
Rank= PFC Serial
Number= US55209868
State of Record= MI
County of Record= Wayne
Race= 1 Year of Birth= 1929
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (4745) Light
Weapons Infantryman
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/14
Casualty Description= KIA
"Fostine Rutledge was a WWII veteran and a very much respected Platoon Sergeant who never saw a camera he didn't like. You may see his photo of him on the Don Elmer (#69 in the Imjin Buddy Bunker) photo page, Don and His Buddies. Fostine was KIA on 14 Aug 1952 by the same sniper that killed Harry Lapitch.
RUTLEDGE FOSTINE R Rank= SFC Serial Number= RA34937669
State of Record= TN
County of Record= Sullivan
Race= 1 Year of Birth=1920
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745) Light
Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/08/14
Casualty Description= KIA
"Murray Lichtman was, at first, a Co L rifleman. All he wanted was to have a .45 pistol hanging from his belt just like an officer or gunner had. He finally got one when he became Company L Armorer. Later, on Jackson Heights, a mortar round hit and killed him and Lt Chavous while they were engaged in a conversation."
LICHTMAN MURRAY Rank=
PFC
Serial Number= US51118851
State of Record=
NY
County of Record= Bronx
Race= 1
Year of Birth= 1930 Branch=
Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= (1745)
Light Weapons Infantry Leader
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd
Inf Div
Place of Casualty= N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/11/25
Casualty Description= KIA
"Edwin Chavous was our Platoon Leader who had not been with our platoon in L Co long before he was transferred to and made Company Commander of Item Company. Then, a mortar round found him and Murray Lichtman while they were having a conversation on Jackson Heights. Ed, we hardly knew you."
CHAVOUS EDWIN D Rank= 1LT
Serial Number= O-0063684
State of Record= SC
County of Record= Aiken
Race= 2 Year of Birth= 1929
Branch= Infantry
Military Occupation Specialty= 01542
Assigned Unit= 15th Inf Regt-3rd Inf Div
Place of Casualty=N Korea
Date of Casualty (Year/Mo/Day)= 1952/11/25
Casualty Description= KIA
Wilbur A. Sidney must have been much admired by all the men who served with him in Korea. I think that all of the 3rd Bn men in our Bunker have favorably mentioned him to me at one time or another. One of the lighter mentions of him was by Sherwin "Arc" Arculis (#6). Arc has told a tale of a non-combat joint venture they had after both of them had been promoted from their respective line companies to 3rd Battalion Headquarters. The tale is told at the entry into the Bunker by Ray Flaherty (#24). There, Ray too pays his tribute to Colonel Sidney.
On the next page, The Men in Love, linked to below, you can see photos of Dan Wolfe, Fostine Rutledge, John Mendell, Oscar Konnerth, Charles Kauneckis, Ralph Gerecke, Ray Flaherty, John Hollier, Truman Bastin, Jesus Camacho, Wayne Caton, and a few other men of Love Company.
Donald Elmer (#69) also has furnished some photos of Co L men, including two of William Gardner and another one of Fostine Rutledge - they are on the page Don and His Buddies.
Thanks, Dan,
for your hard work in the making of this page.
This flame is lit in remembrance of all Love Company men whom you have mentioned on your pages, whether or not they are with us yet.
3rd Division Page
IBB Map and Photo Index
IBB
- Page Seven
The Men in Love 
"Can
Do" Photo Album