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The Korean War has come to be called America’s Forgotten
War for several reasons. Primarily, World War II and Vietnam have overshadowed
it, but there was also an element of denial involved. Retired Army Major
James T. Cooper of Albuquerque says, “This war was called a ‘Police
Action,’ because we had just finished WWII, and War III was politically
unacceptable to the American people, and therefore to President Truman
and others. Unfortunately, in the opinion of many, our Secretary of State
had given the communist world the go ahead to invade a few months earlier,
by publicly stating Korea was outside our sphere of interest,” says
Cooper.
The Korean War ultimately presented some of the most intense fighting
ever experienced by American soldiers, and under some of the worst conditions.
Nearly 37,000 allied servicemen lost their lives in three years. The vast
majority – 33,492 – were American, including 172 from ND.
“Our forces were depleted when North Korea invaded South Korea on
June 25th, 1950,” says Cooper. “The War Department had responded
to the ‘bring our boys home’ at the end of WWII and essentially
gutted our ‘unneeded’ active forces. Initially, all our weapons,
ammo, equipment and K-Rations were leftovers from the WWII South Pacific
War,” he says.
Battles at “Bloody Ridge,” the “Frozen Chosin” and
“Heartbreak Ridge” were as brutal as any in WWII. To the dismay
of many survivors, it was said Korea was the first war the U.S. lost.
Some say that’s simply not true. When all was said and done, Allied
Forces held the 38th parallel, and Communist forces failed in their grab
for South Korea.
More than 7,000 Americans became prisoners during the Korean War, and
more than 2,700 died in captivity. A N.D. man, Cpl. Floyd L. Stone, was
captured on this date in 1951. He was from Calvin, about an hour north
of Devils Lake, and he served with Co. E, 8th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.
His platoon was assigned to protect an isolated hilltop outpost near Sokkogae.
On Nov 21, Chinese Communist forces fired white phosphorus shells at the
American position, which indicated they were marking the spot for artillery
fire and probably a later assault.
Sure enough, at about 9 p.m. the Chinese unleashed a fierce artillery
and mortar attack. Flares sent up by U.S. gunners illuminated a hillside
crawling with hundreds of oncoming enemy troops; approximately a battalion
– 500 men – were about to clash with Stone’s platoon of
less than 50 men. But, the Americans repelled the attack, and during the
next three hours, they fought off five more just like it. Around midnight,
the Chinese added another battalion, meaning the 48 men in Stone’s
platoon now faced possibly 800 enemy troops.
Meanwhile, Stone’s platoon leader, Lt. James Stone (no relation),
urged his men to hold fast and make every shot count. But, when the Chinese
broke through their perimeter, they were soon in hand to hand combat.
With 24 of his men dead, Lt. Stone ordered the soldiers who could still
walk to try to get back to the company, while he, Floyd Stone and five
others covered their retreat. These seven men – most or all of them
wounded – kept up the fight until just before dawn, when they were
finally captured. The next day, 545 enemy dead were found on the hillside.
Corporal Stone was the first ND POW to be released and sent home in a
prisoner exchange termed “Operation Big Switch” in August 1953.
He was surprised to learn he’d since been awarded the Silver Star,
and his platoon leader, James Stone, won the Medal of Honor.
Lt. Stone said he felt he didn’t deserve the Medal of Honor and gave
all the credit to his men. In particular, he singled out one man as the
“real hero” – a North Dakota soldier with the same last
name. . . Floyd Stone.
Sources:
Fort Pierce News-Tribune. (Florida) 2 Sep 1953.
The Fargo Forum. 25 and 26 Aug 1953. 2 Sep 1953.
VFW Magazine. June/July 1990, p.26-27.
Collier, Peter. Holding Fast: James L. Stone. Military.com. <http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,MoH_James_Stone,00.html>
Major James T. Cooper, U.S. Army, Infantry, Retired. (Personal correspondence
with the author) 7-8 Nov 2005.
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