Another Is Accounted For
DPAA’s “Recently Accounted For” webpage indicates that the following formerly-missing US personnel have been accounted for.
From World War II
None
From Korea
PFC Donald L. Menken, US Army, assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, was lost near Surang-ni, North Korea on 10 June 1953. His family was notified of his accounting on 3 February 2022.
From Southeast Asia
None
Welcome back, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.
Rest easy. You’re home now.
. . .
Over 72,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,500 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,500 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Additionally, 126 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Cold War; 5 remain unaccounted for from the Gulf Wars; and 1 individual remains unaccounted for from Operation Eldorado Canyon.
Comparison of DNA from recovered remains against DNA from some (but not all) blood relatives can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered. The same is true for remains which may be recovered in the future.
On their web site’s Contact Us page DPAA now has FAQs. The answer to one of those FAQs describes who can and cannot submit DNA samples useful in identifying recovered remains. The chart giving the answer can be viewed here. The text associated with the chart is short and is found in one of the FAQs.
If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts who has not yet been accounted for and you qualify to submit a DNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.
Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.
Category: No Longer Missing
He made it to the last six weeks. My thoughts and prauers go out to his family
Thanks, Hondo.
Now for the rest of the story:
Son of Lola Godsey and Louis Menken, Corporal Menken was was born on 25 March 1932 in Letcher County, Kentucky.
Corporal Menken (Service Number: RA13428835) was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On June 10, 1953, he was defending his position at “Outpost Harry” in North Korea when he came under intense artillery and mortar fire.
He was seriously wounded and died of those wounds later that day. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
He 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.
Rest in peace, senior warrior.
A bit of info on “Outpost Harry”.
.
Outpost Harry was a remote Korean War
outpost located on a tiny hilltop in what was commonly referred to as the “Iron
Triangle” on the Korean Peninsula.
This was an area approximately 60 miles (100 km) northeast of Seoul and
was the most direct route to the South
Korean capital.
More than 88,000 rounds of Chinese People’s
Voluntary Army (PVA) artillery
fell on Outpost Harry. Since the outpost was defended each night by only a
single company of American or Greek soldiers, the PVA had anticipated an easy capture.
Over a period of eight days repeated PVA infantry attacks were launched against
the outpost. Five United Nations Command (UN): companies, four US and
one Greek, took turns in defending the outpost.
Most of the fighting occurred at night, under heavy mortar fire, while the daylight hours were usually spent by the UN forces evacuating the dead and wounded, replacing the defending company, sending up resupplies and repairing the fortified position.
10-11 JuneEarly on 10 June, K Company, 15th Infantry Regiment, commanded by CPT Martin A. Markley, had been briefed on an imminent attack, and he in turn briefed his men. Ammunition and communications were checked, as were final protective fires.
During the night of the first attack, the PVA outnumbered Harry’s defenders by 30 to 1. “All total, there was a reinforced PVA regiment of approximately 3,600 enemy trying to kill us,” said Captain Markley. Despite an intense barrage of defensive firepower and the detonation of napalm, the PVA stormed the slopes of the outpost and soon penetrated the trenches.
When K Company got under cover in bunkers, UN artillery was called in to stop the attack. The artillery rounds exploded in the air rather than on impact, and this, plus hand-to-hand combat, finally drove the PVA from Harry that night. By morning, all but a dozen Americans had been killed or severely wounded.
Welcome home.
Welcome home, PFC.
Rest well.
Welcome Home Warrior! A Salute to your Service and Honors paid to your Sacrifice. Rest well.
Thanks Hondo. And Thanks to Sky Jumper for bringing us the story on Outpost Harry. DAAAYYUUUM! Those troops defending ground that was literally rained on by steel and watered by blood. 88,000 rounds in 8 days is somewhere near 460 rounds an hour. Get small…incoming!
My father-in-law fought at Outpost Harry. He was a machine gunner.
He’s still with us; we’re going to try to “interview” him about his experiences and get it all written down.
That would be awesome, Mick. The Vets of “The Forgotten War” are slipping away from us more and more. Many of those left are pushing their late 80s and 90s. Their story is important and must not be forgotten or swept deeper into the dustbins of history. Let us know how you do. Thanks! :saluting:
Welcome home Brother. Rest in peace now.
Welcome home, Warriors.
RIP
*slow*salute*
Outposts Tom, Dick and Harry were between US and Chinese lines, April-June 1953. From the 15th Infantry, 110 soldiers were killed. UN reinforced during daylight, Chinese attacked at night. After night, after night.
Chili Feed UPDATE – Posted February 15 (today)
on the Elko POW*MIA Awareness Ass
page on the Book of the Fake.
Today, they are listing items donated for auction at the
Saturday, February 19 Chili Feed
Look carefully at the item donated,
what it says,
and then at the bottom, who made it, and who donated it.
You guys can take it from there…..