Corporal Wayne Minard comes home
Army Corporal Wayne Minard was laid beside his mother yesterday. The family legend goes that she died of a broken heart when he was captured by Chinese soldiers in November 1950 and died of starvation three months later. She claimed that he came to her in a dream at the moment he died. Two years before, she had given permission for him to join the Army at the age of 17. From the Bradenton Herald;
“I never thought this would happen,” said one of his nieces, Janet Stubbs.
The Army honor guard folded the American flag that had draped his casket.
At the graveside, a soldier knelt and handed the folded flag to Stubbs.
[…]
She told afterward what she knew about the family.
Bertha Minard, her grandmother and Wayne Minard’s mother, had lost her farmer husband, Wayne’s father, in 1947, a year or so before Wayne Minard volunteered for the Army.
“They were poor and struggling,” she said. “My grandmother tried to take care of nine kids.”
In September, Hondo told you that he was coming home. From the Bellingham Herald;
The Department of Defense issued a statement this week about his fate:
“In late November 1950, Minard was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fighting units of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Forces (CPVF) … in North Korea, in a delaying action south to Kunu-ri,” the Army wrote.
“Enemy forces launched a large-scale attack with heavy artillery and mortar fire on Nov. 25, when the regiment was located in defense positions near the Chongchon River. By the following day, enemy fighting had isolated the unit and they were ordered to withdraw. Minard was reported missing in action as of Nov. 26, 1950.
“Minard’s name did not appear on any POW list provided by the CPVF or the North Korean People’s Army,” the Army statement said. “However two repatriated American prisoners of war reported that Minard died at Hofong Camp, part of Pukchin-Tarigol Camp Cluster, on Feb. 16, 1951.
“Based on this information, a military review board amended Minard’s status to deceased in 1951.
“In April and May of 2005, a Joint Recovery Team conducted the 37th Joint Field Activity in Unsan County, South Pyongan Province, North Korea. On April 19, the team visited a site reported by a local witness to contain American remains.
Category: We Remember
“The family legend goes that she died of a broken heart when he was captured by Chinese soldiers in November 1950 and died of starvation three months later. She claimed that he came to her in a dream at the moment he died.”
I have not a scintilla of doubt that all of that is true, and I think of our Gold Star Moms and wonder how they have managed to live with such grief. God bless each of them.
Some of the most emotional/bitter sweet moments in my life have been working with Gold Star Mom’s/Dad’s & Families on tributes for their[our] fallen.
In Memory Of Staff Sgt. Jeremie S. Border (KIA 01 SEP 12)
On Memorial Day – Honor The Fallen/SO1 Patrick Delaney Feeks
In Memory of Cpl. Philip D. McGeath, USMC (KIA)
Just a few of the memorials I was privileged to create for Gold Star are posted above.. Personally, I wish none were needed for any of our sons or daughters who serve.
Sadly, Wayne Minard’s family is not alone.
The POW/MIA issue for all era’s has dragged on for too long with data remaining classified, data Roger Hall has had to litigate to try and free. The McCain’s & Kerry’s who are, in my estimation, nothing but traitors who did all they could to suppress the truth concerning Vietnam POW’s and MIA’s and insult the families of those missing.. but on this, I know, my moment of ranting on this issue is only “preaching to the choir.
WELCOME HOME Wayne Minard
WELCOME HOME!
‘Till they are all home, or burried in American soil.
Thank you for sharing those videos Joe.
Joe. That’s difficult but, I imagine, rewarding work. Nice job. Very nice job. Thank you.
Kind of dusty in here this morning. Welcome home brother. We’ve missed you. Rest well in your home soil now. God be with your family.
Rest in peace, Corporal Minard.
Welcome home, CPL Minard. See you on the other side.
How these honor guards can present the flag to a grieving widow/loved one is beyond me.
I would be literally bawling.
You do it for them, their families, and for our country. It’s tough. You don’t get used to it.
Did several long ago and faraway. Some of the clearest memories (and saddest) I have..
A couple of years ago, a close friend of mine passed away at age 79. He had been in the Air Force (a mechanic). Two of his grandsons, one Army and one Air Force, performed the Flag Ceremony during the service. As they displayed the flag and then carefully folded it and presented it to Ben’s wife Annie, it was all I could do to keep from crying. It was such a solemn occasion, carried out with true professionalism by two young men who loved their grandfather very much. I don’t know how they managed to do it without breaking down. My eyes were red after they finished.
Welcome home, Corporal.
Rest well.
Welcome home Brother.
Considering the wackiness of the North Korean’s does anybody care to put forth a theory on why they are continuing to cooperate in repatriating our fallen like this?
They aren’t. These remains were obtained between 1996 and 2005. There are known sites in North Korea where American remains are located but b/c of the, um, problems between North Korea and the US, no recovery efforts have been made in over a decade.
Welcome home, Corporal Minard. Rest in peace.
Rest easy, soldier.
Welcome Home, Fallen Warrior, Rest In Peace. You’ve earned your place in History and Valhalla.
Welcome home, Corporal Minard, welcome home.