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Casualty Info
Home Town New Salem, PA
Last Address 90 Millview St Uniontown, PA
Casualty Date May 13, 1952
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Korea, North
Conflict Korean War
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates MH,0,487 (memorial)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Lieutenant Sanko was a decorated veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the pilot of a F4U-4 Corsair fighter with Fighter Squadron 653, aboard carrier USS Valley Forge (CV-45). On May 13, 1952, while on a combat mission over north of Munchon, North Korea, his aircraft suffered a direct hit by a 37mm shell, lost its wing, crashed and burned. His remains were not recovered.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 407105
Silver Star citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Joseph Daniel Sanko (NSN: 0-407105), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in combat as a pilot of a fighter plane in Fighter Squadron SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE (VF-653), attached to U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE (CV-45), during action against enemy North Korean and Chinese Communist Forces over hostile North Korean territory on 13 May 1951. While carrying out a special interdiction mission against vital enemy locomotives located in the most heavily defended sections of Northeast Korea, Lieutenant Sanko, with a division of Corsairs, relentlessly pressed home repeated attacks in the face of a storm of heavy, medium, and light caliber anti-aircraft fire to destroy a locomotive, tender and sixteen boxcars, and severely damage a second locomotive in the vicinity of Hamhung. He continued his unrelenting pursuit of the enemy targets by flying low altitude through Kowon, an area normally prohibited to friendly aircraft because of the tremendous concentration of fire power, in his search for a reported train. Despite the fact that he was instructed by Commander Task Force 77 to proceed to the Munchon areas only at his own discretion because of the formidable array of anti-aircraft batteries surrounding that strategic location, he continued without hesitation to that village, and with his flight commenced an attack upon the train located there. During this coordinated attack upon the locomotive and the defending gun positions, Lieutenant Sanko, completely heedless of the vicious barrage of withering 37-mm. and 20-mm. fire, pressed home a ferocious and determined attack upon a battery of five 37-mm. weapons, to protect the other aircraft of the flight and enable them to carry out bombing assaults against the trains. Because of the tenacity and boldness of his attack, Lieutenant Sanko's aircraft was hit at a low altitude, causing the plane and pilot to crash into the ground. It was largely through Lieutenant Sanko's unselfish devotion to duty which caused him to press home his attack with such bold determination that he lost his life, that the enemy batteries were sufficiently suppressed to permit the flight to completely destroy one locomotive and tender and inflict severe damage upon a second. His intrepidity and gallant courage in the face of the gravest odds are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service and his Nation for which he gave his life. General Orders: Board Serial 771 (September 5, 1952) Action Date: May 13, 1952 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Company: Fighter Squadron 653 (VF-653) Division: U.S.S. Valley Forge (CV-45)
Distinguished Flying Cross citation:
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Joseph Daniel Sanko (NSN: 0-407105), United States Navy, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving in Squadron SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE (VF-653), embarked in U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE (CV-45), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 1 January 1952.
General Orders: All Hands (February 1953) Action Date: January 1, 1952 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Company: Fighter Squadron 653 (VF-653) Division: U.S.S. Valley Forge (CV-45
The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources..
Description North Korean aggressively interrupting U.N. patrols. In May 1952 an estimated total of 102,000 artillery and mortar rounds fell in Eighth Army positions.
As a result of increased Chinese ground action in the 45th Division sector, the division planned an operation to establish eleven patrol bases across its front. Operation COUNTER began on 6 June. By the 7th, ten of the eleven objectives had been taken. The last one (Hi11 191, eight miles west of Ch'orwon) was captured after a 48-hour battle on 14 June. The Chinese immediately launched counterattacks along the entire division front, climaxing their efforts on the night of 28-29 June with an unsuccessful 4-hour attack. The division sustained over 1,000 casualties during the month of June; Chinese losses were estimated at more than 5,000.
Throughout the first half of 1952, the U.N. forces waged a. war of containment. The frontline soldier, meanwhile, hoped that the armistice negotiators would soon reach an agreement.
As the Korean War went into its third year, in June 1952, the deadlock continued. July began with a series of small-scale attacks by both sides. Torrential rains restricted activity in the last week of July and through most of August. For some time the enemy had gradually increased the volume of mortar and artillery fire in support of his attacks, and in September fired a total of 45,000 rounds against the Eighth Army's front.
During the summer of 1952 the air war over Korea intensified. In addition to striking at supply centers, troop concentrations, power plants, factories, and rail and road networks, U.N. aircraft rendered valuable assistance to frontline troops by bombing, or searing with napalm, enemy bunkers, trenches, gun positions, and communications lines. On 29 August the largest U.N. air raid of the Korean War was carried out on P'yongyang, the North Korean capital. During the month of September alone the U.S. Fifth Air Force shot down 64 MIG-15's at a cost of seven Sabrejets.
A series of enemy attacks in October 1952 produced some of the heaviest fighting in more than a year. Most of it centered around two key heights, Hills 281 and 395, northwest of Ch'orwon. The attacks were opened on 6 October with the largest volume of mortar and artillery fire received by the Eighth Army during the war. By 15 October the disputed ground was held firmly by U.N. forces, and the enemy withdrew. Over 2,000 Chinese dead were counted on these two hills after the 10-day battle.
