Captain Ward Neville was the son of Orville and Maude Neville. He was born in North Dakota and grew up in Halliday and Zap, ND. He was an Army Air Corps veteran of WWII, enlisting from Richmond, CA.
(Then) Lieutenant Neville was stationed in Japan and was deployed to Korea in the opening days of that war. He he commanded Company B, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. His company was in charge of laying land-mines and anti-tank mines, blowing bridges, and other hazardous duty deep in enemy territory.
Lt. Neville's unit arrived in Korea on 5 July, 1950. He received the Bronze Star/Valor for actions 8 July near Chochiwon; the Silver Star for actions 12 July near Chongju; and the Distinguished Service Cross for actions near the Naktong River while on a search and destroy patrol on 11 August. In this mission, Neville and his 13 men were attacked by an estimated 200 enemy rifleman. In a desperate move, he led his men 1000 feet further into enemy territory to the east bank of the Hoechon River, without casualties. There, an estimated 100 enemy rifleman fired on them from the north and the south, killing three of his men and leaving Neville wounded and immobilized. He insisted his men continue on in an attempt to escape while he covered them; only five survived.
Neville was last seen lying in a rice paddy with a hand grenade and was subsequently listed as Missing in Action. At war's end, he was presumed dead and listed as killed in action.
However, Neville's body was returned by the Chinese Communist government in October 1955, leading to the conclusion that Neville was taken prisoner and survived long enough to reach the northern reach of North Korea, where the Chinese later were in charge of the prison camps. Details of Neville's demise are publicly unknown at present. (If you knew Lt. Neville, please contact me.)
Neville was laid to rest 1 November, 1955.
(Then) Lieutenant Neville was stationed in Japan and was deployed to Korea in the opening days of that war. He he commanded Company B, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. His company was in charge of laying land-mines and anti-tank mines, blowing bridges, and other hazardous duty deep in enemy territory.
Lt. Neville's unit arrived in Korea on 5 July, 1950. He received the Bronze Star/Valor for actions 8 July near Chochiwon; the Silver Star for actions 12 July near Chongju; and the Distinguished Service Cross for actions near the Naktong River while on a search and destroy patrol on 11 August. In this mission, Neville and his 13 men were attacked by an estimated 200 enemy rifleman. In a desperate move, he led his men 1000 feet further into enemy territory to the east bank of the Hoechon River, without casualties. There, an estimated 100 enemy rifleman fired on them from the north and the south, killing three of his men and leaving Neville wounded and immobilized. He insisted his men continue on in an attempt to escape while he covered them; only five survived.
Neville was last seen lying in a rice paddy with a hand grenade and was subsequently listed as Missing in Action. At war's end, he was presumed dead and listed as killed in action.
However, Neville's body was returned by the Chinese Communist government in October 1955, leading to the conclusion that Neville was taken prisoner and survived long enough to reach the northern reach of North Korea, where the Chinese later were in charge of the prison camps. Details of Neville's demise are publicly unknown at present. (If you knew Lt. Neville, please contact me.)
Neville was laid to rest 1 November, 1955.
Captain Ward Neville was the son of Orville and Maude Neville. He was born in North Dakota and grew up in Halliday and Zap, ND. He was an Army Air Corps veteran of WWII, enlisting from Richmond, CA.
(Then) Lieutenant Neville was stationed in Japan and was deployed to Korea in the opening days of that war. He he commanded Company B, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. His company was in charge of laying land-mines and anti-tank mines, blowing bridges, and other hazardous duty deep in enemy territory.
Lt. Neville's unit arrived in Korea on 5 July, 1950. He received the Bronze Star/Valor for actions 8 July near Chochiwon; the Silver Star for actions 12 July near Chongju; and the Distinguished Service Cross for actions near the Naktong River while on a search and destroy patrol on 11 August. In this mission, Neville and his 13 men were attacked by an estimated 200 enemy rifleman. In a desperate move, he led his men 1000 feet further into enemy territory to the east bank of the Hoechon River, without casualties. There, an estimated 100 enemy rifleman fired on them from the north and the south, killing three of his men and leaving Neville wounded and immobilized. He insisted his men continue on in an attempt to escape while he covered them; only five survived.
Neville was last seen lying in a rice paddy with a hand grenade and was subsequently listed as Missing in Action. At war's end, he was presumed dead and listed as killed in action.
However, Neville's body was returned by the Chinese Communist government in October 1955, leading to the conclusion that Neville was taken prisoner and survived long enough to reach the northern reach of North Korea, where the Chinese later were in charge of the prison camps. Details of Neville's demise are publicly unknown at present. (If you knew Lt. Neville, please contact me.)
Neville was laid to rest 1 November, 1955.
(Then) Lieutenant Neville was stationed in Japan and was deployed to Korea in the opening days of that war. He he commanded Company B, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. His company was in charge of laying land-mines and anti-tank mines, blowing bridges, and other hazardous duty deep in enemy territory.
Lt. Neville's unit arrived in Korea on 5 July, 1950. He received the Bronze Star/Valor for actions 8 July near Chochiwon; the Silver Star for actions 12 July near Chongju; and the Distinguished Service Cross for actions near the Naktong River while on a search and destroy patrol on 11 August. In this mission, Neville and his 13 men were attacked by an estimated 200 enemy rifleman. In a desperate move, he led his men 1000 feet further into enemy territory to the east bank of the Hoechon River, without casualties. There, an estimated 100 enemy rifleman fired on them from the north and the south, killing three of his men and leaving Neville wounded and immobilized. He insisted his men continue on in an attempt to escape while he covered them; only five survived.
Neville was last seen lying in a rice paddy with a hand grenade and was subsequently listed as Missing in Action. At war's end, he was presumed dead and listed as killed in action.
However, Neville's body was returned by the Chinese Communist government in October 1955, leading to the conclusion that Neville was taken prisoner and survived long enough to reach the northern reach of North Korea, where the Chinese later were in charge of the prison camps. Details of Neville's demise are publicly unknown at present. (If you knew Lt. Neville, please contact me.)
Neville was laid to rest 1 November, 1955.
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