Lives Lost in Korea from Cascade County

Representatives of both sides signing the armistice agreement on July 27, 1953. [THM 2016.024.0029]

July 2023 is the 70th Anniversary of the Signing of the Armistice for the Korean War.  Over 130 Montanans lost their lives in Korea, 10 of whom were from Cascade County. We post their names here to help their memories live on.

1.       CPL Earl Banks, Army, July 27, 1950

2.       PVT Daniel DiPasquo, Army, August 23, 1950 (enlistment notice)

3.       AA Roger Clark Hammond, Navy, October 7, 1951

4.       PFC Frank N. Lake, Army, July 18, 1953

5.       PFC Walter Edward Mason, Marine Corps, October 26, 1952

6.       PFC Gerald J. McConkey, Army, March 7, 1951

7.       2nd LT Robert E. McCormick Jr., Air Force, August 22, 1950 (MIA notice) (more details)

8.       SGT Eugene J. Osweiler, Army, May 11, 1952

9.       SFC Willis Nelce West, Army, November 28, 1950 (body not recovered)

10.   PFC Hugh C. Wilson, Marine Corps, April 24, 1951

Of our 10 soldiers, Sgt. Willis Nelce West was the only one not buried on American soil.  He was listed as MIA when his plane went down.  They couldn’t confirm what happened at the time, as the Chinese were making their push down the Korean peninsula.  He was declared dead on December 31, 1953.  His remains were never recovered.