Eugene Erickson; Korean War POW comes home to NM

| May 11, 2015

Eugene Erickson

The other day, Hondo wrote about Private Eugene Erickson coming home after being Missing in Action as a Prisoner of War since August 1951. His family will inter his remains in Santa Fe National Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Pvt. Eugene Erickson enlisted in the Army in September 1950, three months after the Korean War began. He was 20 years old.

Following 14 weeks of basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., Eugene Erickson was sent to Fort Lawton in Seattle for additional training as an infantryman before being shipped overseas in February 1951.

By springtime, he was in the thick of combat in South Korea. In mid-May, he and his Company B mates from the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division became engaged in a two-day battle with Chinese forces.

The odds weren’t good: 10,000 Americans against 180,000 Chinese.

“They were not going to make it out,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Ramsey, a Korean War analyst with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

“It was a straight-up Chinese wave of attack. It didn’t matter how much barbed wire we had out there. It didn’t matter how deep the mine fields were. It didn’t matter how much firepower we had. The Chinese were not going to be denied by the weight of human capital they were willing to expend in that battle.

Private Erickson died of starvation according to witnesses, one of whom was a hometown friend, Sergeant Herbert Floyd. who told of his death to his family and reportedly was with Erickson when he died. Eugene’s 87-year-old brother, Clayton, will also receive the nine awards that Eugene earned posthumously.

Category: No Longer Missing

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HMCS(FMF) ret.

Jonn – thanks for passing on to us stories like Eugene Erickson’s and the other POW/MIA’s that are brought home to their families and loved ones. These are America’s real heroes…

Reb

Someone posted on my FB that she wished her grandfathers brother would come home. I emailed that if she gives her DNA it could be compared to those who came home, but not yet identifed. Is there a website these young ones can go to so they can give DNA.Being mildly forgetful, I have no clue how to start one…

HMCS(FMF) ret.

Reb – just found a starting point on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website. She should contact the service that the family member was in to see what they can do to help her out:

http://www.dpaa.mil/Families/ContactInformation.aspx

Good luck to her and I pray that she is able to find her grandfather’s brother and bring him home.

Skippy

RIP….. rest well welcome home !!!!!!!!

Sparks

Welcome home Pvt. Eugene Erickson. Thank you for giving your all. Rest in peace in your home soil now my elder brother. God bless and comfort your family.

OC

Welcome home Pvt. Erickson, rest now, in peace.
Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice.

OC

3E9

RIP

Big Steve

There was silence all around the throne
Where saints had often trod
And the soldier waited quietly
For judgement from his God

“Step forward now, you warrior
You’ve borne your burdens well
Walk peacefully on Heaven’s streets
You’ve done your time in hell.”

Reb

Time to stand down young soldier….

Ex-PH2

Starved to death. They couldn’t even spare a bowl of rice for him or the others.

Jesus.