American Professor Hopes North Korea Returns Remains of Civilian Father Killed During Korean War

Here is an interesting article about one of the seven American civilians that were captured and killed in captivity during the Korean War:

William Evans says his father and namesake was a mining engineer who acted as an adviser to the U.S. military in Seoul when the Korean War broke out. He was captured by the North Koreans and died alongside U.S. soldiers imprisoned by a brutal commander known as “The Tiger.” COURTESY OF WILLIAM EVANS

The list of American civilians lost in North Korea during the 1950-53 war is short. Just seven names, compared with more than 7,000 troops.

But William Evans says the government has a responsibility to try to bring them all home.

His father and namesake was a mining engineer he says acted as an adviser to the U.S. military in Seoul when the Korean War broke out. He was captured by the North Koreans and died alongside U.S. soldiers imprisoned by a brutal commander known as “The Tiger.”

Evans, a 72-year-old retired professor, is hoping his father may be brought home as the hunt for remains gains new attention.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed during his June 12 summit with President Donald Trump to try to recover the war dead, including “the immediate repatriation of those already identified.”  (…..)

Less known is a list of seven American civilians who died in the war and were not recovered, including Evans’ father who ended up in a group of more than 700 mostly 24th Infantry Division soldiers commanded by a notorious North Korean officer.

Pfc. Wayne “Johnnie” Johnson, one of just 262 survivors from the so-called “Tiger group,” secretly recorded the names of 496 fellow prisoners who died in captivity.

The “Johnnie Johnson list,” which didn’t become public until the 1990s, recorded the date of death for William H. Evans Sr. as Dec. 12, 1950. He was 55.  [Stars & Stripes]

I recommend reading the whole thing at the link.

 

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