“Our Nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met”
-Korean War Memorial

Eight heroic soldiers are on record as having been killed in the Korean War, who listed Richland Parish as their home or place of enlistment.

• BIGGS, GLYNN R. – DELHI, LA (August 7, 1950) Korea. Corporal Biggs was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded in action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on August 7, 1950, and died later that day. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. WarMemorial.com

• BRUSTER, JOHN LEE – RAYVILLE, LA (August 1, 1951) Korea. Bruster had enlisted in the Army. Served during the Korean War. He had the rank of Private. Service number was 18210204. Served with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion 24th Infantry Division. Bruster experienced a traumatic event which resulted in loss of life on August 1, 1951. Recorded circumstances attributed to: “Non-Hostile Death”. Incident location: North Korea. On August 1, 1951, he was driving a truck near Hupyong, North Korea, when the road under his vehicle failed causing it to overturn and killing him. He is buried in St. Paul Cemetery in Girard, LA. Newspaper Announcement | HonorStates.org

• BURGESS, TED COLUMBUS – DUNN, LA (September 21, 1950) Korea. Private First Class Burgess was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on September 21, 1950. Pfc. Burgess was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. His remains were buried in Lincoln Parish. Obituary and Newspaper Stories | WarMemorial

• CATER, JR., MONROE – RAYVILLE, LA (July 10, 1950) Korea |Private First Class Cater was a member of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, South Korea on July 10, 1950. Private First Class Cater was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. He is buried at the Masonic cemetery in Rayville. Obituary and Newspaper Stories | WarMemorial

• DRISKELL, JR., HERMAN LAMAR – ALTO, LA (July 6, 1950) Korea – USNA Class of 1950, Second Lieutenant Driskell was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in South Korea on July 6, 1950, forced to march to North Korea on the “Tiger Death March”, and shot by a guard on a train to Manpo, North Korea on September 7, 1950. Second Lieutenant Driskell was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Obituary and Newspaper Stories | WarMemorial

• KIMBALL, JAMES E. – RAYVILLE, LA (March 25, 1953) Korea. Private First Class Kimball was a member of Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on March 25, 1953. Private First Class Kimball was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal. He was buried in the New Forest Cemetery in West Carroll Parish | Obituary and Newspaper Articles | WarMemorial

• LIVINGSTON, JOHN ARCHIBALD – RAYVILLE, LA (August 12, 1952) Korea. Corporal Livingston was a member of the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on August 12, 1952. Corporal Livingston was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Rayville. Obituary and Newspaper Articles | HonorStates

• MC COMIC, JAMES C. – MANY, LA (October 27, 1951) Korea. According to military records, Mc Comic was born in Richland Parish, though spent the majority of his life in Sabine Parish. Private Mc Comic was a member of the U.S. Army, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on October 27, 1951. Private Mc Comic was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean War Service Medal. WarMemorial

• REDDICK, BILLY F. – RAYVILLE, LA (October 10, 1951) KIA – Korea. Cpl. Billy Reddick was 19 at the time of his death. He received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously. He is buried at Stevenson Cemetery. Obituary and Newspaper Stories | WarMemorial| Hall of Valor

• STATEN, FRANK – RAYVILLE, LA (September 3, 1951) Korea. PFC Staten had enlisted in the Army. Served during the Korean War. He had the rank of Private First Class. Service number was 18281038. Served with Battery A, 933rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. Staten experienced a traumatic event which resulted in loss of life on September 3, 1951. Recorded circumstances attributed to: “Non-Hostile Death”. Incident location: North Korea, Battle of Bloody Ridge.

• WISENOR, ERNEST J. – RAYVILLE, LA (August 13, 1950) Korea. Corporal Wisenor was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on August 13, 1950. Corporal Wisenor was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. He is buried at the Alexandria National Veterans Cemetery. Obituary and Newspaper Stories | WarMemorial

Facts About The Korean War

June 25, 1950 – July 27, 1953
Total who served in all Armed Forces: 5,720,000
Battle Deaths: 33,741
Other Deaths (In Theatre): 2,833
Wounded: 103,284

Medals of Honor: 131

The Korean War was fought from 1950 until 1953 and pitted the United States, South Korea and their UN allies against North Korea and the Chinese Communists.The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when North Korea, under a communist government, invaded South Korea. North Korea hoped to unite the peninsula under a single Communist government. The newly formed United Nations condemned the actions of North Korea and ordered troops to withdraw. The United States entered the conflict when the UN called on member states to aid South Korea. With the help of U.S. troops, South Korea pushed North Korean troops all the way to the Yalu River. This counter invasion gained the attention of the Communist Chinese government who quickly came to the aid of North Korea. While Soviet Union forces never directly entered the conflict, the government supplied war materials to both the Chinese and North Korean governments.After China entered the conflict, South Korean and U.S. forces were pushed back to the 38th parallel which became the center of the fighting for the remainder of the war. Heavy fighting continued and casualties mounted, the United States lost 36,574 soldiers and another 103,284 soldiers were injured. Finally an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953 which once again designated the 38th parallel as the border between the two Koreas. The Korean War is often called the “Forgotten War” because it was largely overshadowed by WWII and Vietnam. The importance of this war in the history of the United States and the world is vastly understated; this conflict marked the first clear battle of the Cold War. Tensions were already high between the Communist East and the Democratic West, and the Korean War certainly exacerbated the mistrust between the two sides. While this war is often forgotten, it is important that the Veterans who fought in this conflict are not also forgotten.