The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

Death Notice of a Member of KWVA
Beginning with the discovery of the
famous Johnny Johnson list, the DPMO
has now established a new date of death
for Austin as 28 October 1950. Other prisoners
have described the area of his death
as “the cornfield” at Mamp’o. Juan J.
Vigil, a fellow prisoner and friend of
Austin’s, cited nearby Kosan in his
debriefing.
In material provided Jerry as Primary
Next of Kin, DPMO speculates
Either at Mamp’o or Kosan, Lawrence A.
Doyle (Army spelling) had reached point
where he could not continue. He gave away
boots knowing he would probably be killed.
In Kosan version, there were six men to be
left behind, and the slim possibility of ox cart
to bring them along. In Mamp’o version,
there was a larger number in the cornfield.
Shots heard as others left.
In his book, “In Enemy Hands,” Larry
Zellers, who befriended Jerry, gives a
noble account, painting a gripping picture
of that week. The North Korean guards
were becoming friendly as they expected
U.N. forces to liberate the prisoners soon,
the North Korean guards started hiding
because they feared the Chinese troops
who appeared everywhere, the brutal
North Korean colonel called “The Tiger”
seemed to assume command, and the
weather started to become cold. This then
is the image that Jerry now has of his
brother’s final days of illness.
He is forever indebted to John Barnabi,
Juan Vigil, Larry Zellars, Major John
Dunn, Dr. Alexander Boysen, and other
unknown former prisoners whose solicitude
and understanding surpassed all
belief. Heartfelt thanks are due to Wilbert
“Shorty” Esterbrook who thoughtfully
made Jerry and his sister Mary T. Koch
Honorary Tiger Survivors. The brilliant
Phil O’Brien of the Defense Department
(DPMO) gives hope to all families still
waiting for resolution of their loss
In January 2001, at the invitation of the
Chinese government, Jerry accompanied
Vince Krepps, Harley Coon, Jack Carney,
Kenneth Cook, and Donald Byers on a
visit to Beijing with Defense Department
officials led by Deputy Assistant
Secretary Robert Jones. The objective of
this mission was to enlist Chinese help in
the search for remains of missing persons
of the Korean War. (Your Graybeards editor
plans on doing an outline on this trip in
an upcoming issue.)
At the present time, the U.S.S
Glendale is one of the two frigates
remaining in use. She is now in Thailand
as the Tachin-PP1.
(Thank you Jerry for the front and rear
cover and the stories related to both. A
special thanks for your short bio including
a special history of a hero (Austin) that
paid the extreme price for the freedom
South Korea and the world enjoys today.
We are also proud of your service in two
wars also contributing to these endeavors.
The KWVA and I are proud to call you our
friend. Jerry will be donating the front
cover painting to our National Museum
and Library in Tuscola and the painting
on this page will be donated to the Korean
War Display Hall, Memorial Building in
Baltimore, MD.)
The following notice is submitted for publication:
Name of deceased __________________________________________________
Date of death ______________________________________________________
Department/Chapter__________________________________________________
Home of record ____________________________________________________
Army Navy Marine Corps Air Force Coast Guard
Other ____________________________________________________________
Primary Unit of service during Korean War
Submitted by ______________________________________________________
Relationship to deceased ______________________________________________
Send to: Membership, P.O. Box 10806, Arlington, VA 22210
CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
Rev. Irvin L. Sharp
Easter 2001
“Why seek ye the Living among the dead?
He is not here but is risen:
remember how he spake unto you when
He was yet in Galilee? Saying,
‘The Son of God must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men and be crucified,
and the third day rise again.”’
-Luke 24:5-7
The original Christian festival and
the basic building block for all the
church year is the Lord’s day,
Sunday.
The earliest Christians set aside
Sunday, the day of the resurrection,
as a time of special remembrance of
Christ. By the second century, most
Christians were observing a special
celebration of the resurrection at
Easter. In most areas, the season
before Easter, later called Lent, was
a time of penitence and the training
of new Christians.
As the Christian church grew and
the need for ordered worship
increased, the need for focusing on
the central affirmations at the heart
of the Christian message also
increased. By the fifth century, the
basic elements of the modifications
continued to be made throughout the
Middle Ages and the Reformation.
Even today, the symbols and rituals
of the Christian festivals vary
according to denomination, culture,
and personal preference.
- Fred A. Grissom
Our Heavenly Father,
We do humbly thank you for
sending your beloved Son, Jesus
Christ, to rescue us from eternal
destruction. We pray, as we seek
day by day to be worthy of your
loving kindness, that the Holy
Spirit will work vigorously within
us. We will always give you the
praise and the glory.
Amen
March/April, 2001 Page 61