The water may be still but the memories live on

Pat Smith

April 29, 2008 09:57 pm

— Judging from pictures, the Korean War Memorial is surely one of the most dramatic of all memorials. There are 19 sculpted heroic scale statues about 7 feet 3 inches tall; 14 Army statues, three Marines, one Navy, one Air Force.
The stilled water of the Pool of Remembrance is meant to be a place where visitors can sit in the shade of the trees and reflect upon what occurred during the Korean War. It was made especially for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms - a life stilled.
An inscription, inlaid with silver, has, "Freedom Is Not Free." It’s possible that those of us who haven’t fought in wars, or have a loved one die or injured in one, could take freedom for granted. The lives of the eleven young men from Decatur County who died in the Korean War, plus those injured, demonstrates that "Freedom is Not Free."
Last week I wrote about Charles Robert Low, the first man from Decatur County who died fighting in Korea. There was confusion in 1950 about who was the first because the bodies of those killed or record of those taken prisoner were difficult to determine.
The second man to die in Korea was Gerald Rathburn. Son of John and May Rathburn, he died Aug. 12, 1950. Born south of Greensburg, heattended Greensburg schools. He had volunteered for the Army in 1946 and was with the 1st Calvary, 24th Division. He was killed when he was 22 years old. He was buried at Copeland Cemetery in St. Paul with the Rev. Guy Carpenter of the Greensburg Methodist Church conducting the service.
The third man to die in Korea was William E. Darby, 20 years old, of St. Paul who died Sept. 19, 1950. His parents were Bernell and Thelma Darby of St. Paul. He was the first one whose death the Army could verify. Robert Low and Gerald Rathburn were still listed as missing in action at that point. He went to school in St. Paul and was a member of the St. Paul Catholic Church. He was a Boy Scout with the St. Paul troop. His siblings were Roy, Edgar, Russell, John and Mrs. Arthur Jones, Mrs. Violet Bare Lulu Belle Rathburn. He was with the 24th Division. He was buried in Hebron Cemetery at Adams.
The fourth man to die in Korea was Raymond Eugene Morford, 18 years old, who was born and reared in Clarksburg and went to school there. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Morford. The family moved to Kokomo just before Raymond joined the Army in 1950. He was with the 17th Regiment of the Seventh Army Division. He was killed Nov. 17, 1950. He was one of two brothers serving in Korea and one of three brothers in the armed forces. Pfc. Billy J. Morford was stationed in Seoul and S/Sgt. R. C. Morford was stationed in Detroit. He had another brother and two sisters.
Sgt. Robert White, 22 years old, was the fifth man to die in Korea. On Jan. 5, 1951 his parents Mr. and Mrs. Ike White of Greensburg had been notified that Robert was reported missing since Nov. 30, 1950. He had been wounded once but returned to duty. He had fought in the battle of Choson Reservoir (Nov. 27-Dec. 9, 1950 with 1,641 combat fatalities) and later in the battle in the Kum-Ri sector (this is where Charles Robert Low, last week’s column, was killed July 14, 1950.) Sgt. White was serving with Company B – 9th Infantry Regiment – 2nd Division – 8th Army. It wasn’t until Jan, 4, 1953 that his parents were notified that Robert had been killed on Nov. 30, 1950. He earned the Purple Heart. (According to the Internet, his identification was obtained through DNA) In the meantime, the Whites were notified that their second son, Cpl. Donald Eugene. White, 19 years old, had also been wounded. At one time the two brothers served with the Second Division but Donald had been transferred to another unit. Those are the Decatur County men killed in 1950. Next week the remaining six men that were killed in the Korean War after 1950.
Fifty seven years ago this month, on April 11, 1951, President Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur. General Matthew Ridgway was given his command. It’s difficult now to imagine the uproar the firing of MacArthur caused in the U.S. Many were opposed and some agreed. President Truman prevailed and history has approved of his actions.
I love hearing from readers but am seldom in the Daily News building. You can email me at patjsmith@verizon.net or send a note to Pat Smith, 122 W. Sheridan, Greensburg, IN 47240.

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