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Shaun Thomas (Underdog), OSC
to remember
Noonan, William Donald, ENS.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Kansas City
Casualty Date Nov 27, 1950
Cause Non Hostile- Died Other Causes
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Korea, North
Conflict Korean War
Location of Interment Buried at Sea, Pacific Ocean
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Korean War/CCF Intervention (1950-51)/Chosin Reservoir (Battle of Changjin)
From Month/Year
November / 1950
To Month/Year
December / 1950
Description The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign was a decisive battle in the Korean War. "Chosin" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Korean name, "Changjin". The UN forces relied on Japanese language maps dating from their occupation of Korea which had only ended five years earlier at the conclusion of World War II. Shortly after the People's Republic of China entered the conflict, the People's Volunteer Army 9th Army infiltrated the northeastern part of North Korea.
On 27 November, the Chinese 9th Army surprised the US X Corps commanded by Major General Edward Almond at the Chosin Reservoir area. A brutal 17 day battle in freezing weather soon followed. In the period between 27 November and 13 December 1950, 30,000 United Nations troops (later nicknamed "The Chosin Few") under the field command of Major General Oliver P. Smith were encircled and attacked by approximately 120,000 Chinese troops under the command of Song Shi-Lun, who had been ordered by Mao Zedong to destroy the UN forces. The UN forces were nonetheless able to make a fighting withdrawal and broke out of the encirclement while inflicting crippling losses on the Chinese. While the battle resulted in the Chinese pushing the UN out of North Korea, it was a Pyrrhic victory. The evacuation of the X Corps from the port of Hungnam marked the complete withdrawal of UN troops from North Korea
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1950
To Month/Year
December / 1950
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Two months later when the Chinese surprised the United Nations ground troops with an unexpected drive south, down the middle of the peninsula, Philippine Sea planes saw heavy action. Throughout the long retreat from the Yalu River, the ships' Panther jets, Skyraider attack bombers and Corsair fighter bombers provided air-cover for the trapped Marines. Hill after hill was cleared all the way to Hungnam where Philippine Sea and other carriers of TF 77 sent up a virtual aerial umbrella. Hundreds of carrier planes swarmed over the tiny evacuation perimeter from which 150,000 troops and civilians came to the sea.
