The State of Illinois commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War, October 1951 -

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The State of Illinois is commemorating the 60^th anniversary of the Korean War by supplying information each month about the stateâ€™s involvement in the conflict.Â

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Illinois Korean Memorial Association, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum are sponsoring â€œIllinois Remembers the Forgotten Warâ€ along with media partners the Illinois Press Association and the Illinois Broadcasters Association.Â For more information, visit www.Illinois-History.gov or www.veterans.illinois.gov.

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Â Illinoisans killed in action in Korea, October 1951

By county of residence

(Source:Â U.S. Department of Defense records)

ChampaignÂ Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Adolph J. Kraus, Army, October 5.

ChristianÂ Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Bill G. Hilton, Army, October 27.

ColesÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Donald C. Sanders, Army, October 27.

CookÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Robert A. Adelman, Army, October 13.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Maurice Angland, Army, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC George A. Baker, Army, October 9.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Theodore W. Bakker, Army, October 18.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Richard R. Bellon, Army, October 7.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Frank J. Bopp, Army, October 11.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sgt. Leopold M. Carrillo, Army, October 12.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Edward Covington, Army, October 8.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Rolland G. Deacon, Army, October 27.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. James M. Doyle, Army, October 3.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC August R. Ferracane, Army, October 3.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Peter J. Gabrish, Army, October 7.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC William R. Gaul, Army, October 19.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Edwin S. Goraj, Army, October 12.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC James W. Gram, Army, October 7.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Horace A. Griffin, Army, October 19.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Bernard Grotkowski, Army, October 11.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. James E. Hatcher, Army, October 7.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Billie Kurgan, Army, October 15.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. John B. Luckett, Army, October 3.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Selman D. Mangrum, Army, October 10.Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. John H. Meiners, Army, October 2.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Percy L. Montgomery, Army, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ME3 Joseph F. Munier, Jr., Navy, October 7.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. James P. Murphy, Army, October 17.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Daniel J. Niwa, Army, October 9.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Thomas J. Regan, Army, October 27.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Jose M. Rodriguez, Army, October 30.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Levi L. Sawyer, Army, October 19.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Frederick Scacchetti, Army, October 19.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC John Schine, Jr., Army, October 16.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. William Schweiger, Army, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Richard Standaert, Army, October 3.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Jesse H. Stockwell, Army, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Rocco Taccio, Jr., Army, October 18.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Hilario C. Vazquez, Army, October 28.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Donald G. Vick, Army, October 19.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Nicholas J. Wagner, Army, October 16.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Dewayne H. Warner, Army, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Sherwin B. Weiss, Army, October 5.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Edward E. Wilkosz, Army, October 5.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Charles Wilson, Jr., Army, October 9.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Charles Zeitler, Army, October 9.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Raymond J. Zimmer, Army, October 18.

CrawfordÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Charles R. Battershell, Army, October 17.

FultonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Raymond A. Jump, Army, October 16.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. William Pappapetru, Army, October 13.

HenryÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Charles L. Cave, Army, October 9.

Jackson SN Thomas R. Hamilton, Navy, October 7.

JeffersonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. John H. Ward, Army, October 25.

KaneÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Herbert L. Bradford, Army, October 4.

KnoxÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1^st Lt. Judson P. Hurd, Army, October 3.

LakeÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Verne E. Hodson, Army, October 3.

LawrenceÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Anthony G. Sandwell, Army, October 19.

MaconÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Donald D. Davis, Marines, October 4.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Raymond W. Tieman, Army, October 8.

Madison Cpl. Eldon E. Doyle, Army, October 18.

MarionÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Darrell G. Gilley, Army, October 13.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SFC Earl C. Sanders, Army, October 4.

McDonoughÂ Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Dewey M. Friday, Army, October 3.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Donald L. Olson, Army, October 6.

MonroeÂ PFC Norbert McDonald, Army, October 19.

MoultrieÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Harry W. Dennis, Army, October 8.

OgleÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Wayne K. Floto, Army, October 12.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC George F. Roos, Army, October 16.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Roland A. Wakenight, Army, October 26.

PeoriaÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Ronald L. Johns, Army, October 11.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Jonathan Kirksey, Army, October 15.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Merril L. Sronce, Army, October 9.

PerryÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Herman Buschschult, Army, October 31.

PikeÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC John R. Fenton, Army, October 10.

PulaskiÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1^st Lt. William Henderson, Army, October 6.

RandolphÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Kenneth A. Bodeker, Army, October 15.

RichlandÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Ray D. Tucker, Army, October 4.Â Â Â Â

Rock IslandÂ Â Â Â PFC Patrick A. White, Army, October 6.

St. ClairÂ Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. William E. Gilbert, Army, October 10.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2^nd Lt. Walter C. Herr, Air Force, October 1.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cpl. Elbert D. Powers, Jr., Army, October 10.

SchuylerÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Norman D. Cox, Army, October 17.

VermilionÂ Â Â Â Â Â PFC Robert L. Gilkison, Army, October 20.
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pvt. Harold M. Saylor, Army, October 7.

WabashÂ PFC Franklin D. Porter, Army, October 10.

WhitesideÂ Â Â Â Â Â PFC Robert J. VanQuakebeke, Army, October 5.

WinnebagoÂ Â Â Â Â Â PFC James H. Briggs, Army, October 28.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PFC Lindor H. Lindblade, Army, October 26.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Key events during the Korean War

October 1951

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The costly Battle of Heartbreak Ridge that began in September 1951 continued in October as the U.S. Second Infantry Division resumed the attack for this key terrain feature.Â The division finally seized the ridge on October 15 after suffering 3,700 casualties in some of the most vicious fighting of the war featuring intense artillery fire and hand-to-hand combat.

Meanwhile, South Korean, British and American units attacked Communist forces in an area known as Old Baldy as the United Nations sought to regain some lost ground.Â The 4,000 U.N. casualties and the estimated 22,000 Communist casualties testified to the ferocity of the fighting from October 3 – 19.Â The United States First Cavalry, Third Infantry and 25^th Infantry Divisions participated in the fight for Old Baldy.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

While combat raged on, often for seemingly meaningless pieces of terrain, the armistice talks resumed.Â Negotiators from both sides finally agreed to move the talks from Kaesong to Panmunjom on October 7.Â The talks resumed on October 25, then limped forward at an agonizingly slow pace.

History of another sort was made on October 1, when the Eighth U.S. Army either disbanded all-black combat units or infused them with white personnel.Â President Truman had officially ordered the end of segregation in the military in 1948, but the Army was slow to implement the decision for many of its historically black regiments, some of which saw action in Korea during the brutal campaigns of 1950 and 1951.Â Finally, segregation was purged from the United States Army.Â Â Â

Illinois Korean War Memorial

The Illinois Korean War Memorial is located in Springfieldâ€™s Oak Ridge Cemetery, the same cemetery that contains the Lincoln Tomb.Â Oak Ridge is the nationâ€™s second most visited burial ground behind only Arlington National Cemetery.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dedicated on June 16, 1996, the memorial consists of a 12-foot-tall bronze bell mounted on a granite base.Â At the circumference of the base are four niches, each with a larger-than-life figure representing a branch of the armed services.Â Inscribed on the base are the 1,754 names of Illinoisans killed in Korea.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Illinois Korean War Memorial is administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and may be visited daily free of charge.Â

Korean War Veterans Oral History Project

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museumâ€™s Oral History Program offers â€œVeterans Remember,â€ a collection of interviews with Illinois residents about their wartime experiences, at the Libraryâ€™s website,Â www.alplm.org/oral_history/home.html.Â The audio interviews concern the experiences of Illinois veterans who fought in several conflicts, including the Korean War, as well as the experiences of those on the home front.Â Visitors to the website can listen to or watch the interviews in their entirety.Â Several of the interviews have transcripts, and most have still images as well.

Website visitors will need a computer capable of playing MP3 audio files or MPG compressed video files in order to listen to the interviews.Â The transcripts and still images are also accessible.Â Volunteers conducted and edited many of the interviews and developed the transcripts that accompany them.Â Â Â

Korean War National Museum

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Korean War National Museum (KWNM) celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War with a new Board of Directors, new professional staff, and a renewed focus on getting a world-class museum built now, in the lifetime of the Korean War veterans.Â Recent news media reports outlined a proposal of the KWNM to obtain 7,000 square feet of prime space on Navy Pier in Chicago for a state-of-the-art, world-class museum where visitors could come to honor and learn about the service and sacrifices of the Americans, South Koreans and their UN Allies in the “forgotten victory.”Â Those plans are continuing to be developed, and the KWNM hopes to be able to share some exciting news soon.Â Meanwhile, the Denis J. Healy Freedom Center, located at 9 South Old State Capitol Plaza in Springfield, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Â Admission is free, but donations are accepted.Â The KWNM welcomes donations of photographs, documents, diaries, and artifacts of those who served in the Korean War. To learn more about the KWNM, or to volunteer or donate, please visit www.kwnm.org or look for the Museum Facebook.

Korean War Booklet

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Illinois Korean Memorial Association, an all-volunteer organization, has published a booklet, A Brief History of the Korean War, copies of which have been provided free of charge to public libraries, high schools and junior high schools in Illinois.Â Individuals may obtain a copy by sending a $10 check or money order to:Â Illinois Korean Memorial Association, P.O. Box 8554, Springfield, ILÂ 62791.Â

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tax deductible donations are welcome.Â One hundred percent of all donations go to the book project and to the upkeep of the Illinois Korean War Memorial.Â

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