James Mortrude, Chosin Survivor

[MPage]

Mortrude won the DSC at Inch'on and later fought with 1st of the 32nd Infantry as part of the doomed RCT-31 on the east side of Chosin Reservoir; I believe he was also in WWII but the obit doesn't specify.

 

Mortrude was mentioned in Clay Blair's The Forgotten War and Roy Appleman's East of Chosin. UnfortunateIy can't get a scan of the photo in East of Chosin.

 

He made it to 92.

 

 

He was raised and educated in Nebraska graduating from Royal Public High School. He also attended Wayne State Teachers College in Wayne, NB. James migrated to Seattle, WA. He was drafted and served 3 years in the Army Infantry, first in Germany, then in the occupation of Japan. Subsequent to his discharge, he enrolled at the University of Washington and in two years was granted a BA and commissioned a 2nd Lt. He was then deployed to Korea where he participated in the Inchon Invasion. Jim earned a Distinguished Service Cross. He survived the "East of Chosin" withdrawal from North Korea. Upon returning to the states, he commanded a rifle company for 3 years at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It was there he met and married the love of his life, Mary Hoggarth, a registered nurse from Canada. They enjoyed 31 years of duty, travel and service together. They served on medical safaries to the nomadic areas of Eritrea and 2 military advisory tours in Ethiopia. Jim also served in Vietnam and Germany as a member of the special battle group who thwarted Russia's planned takeover of West Berlin. He retired from Ft. Huachuca in 1974 at the rank of Lt. Colonel. He was an accomplished horseman and herdsman.

http://www.hatfieldfh.com/obits/obituary.php?id=566964

 

 

 

 

[Legion Para]

LEST WE FORGET.

[uberguido]

RIP brother.

 

"Against All Odds"

[USMCRECON]

I knew Jim well; he did serve in WW-II as well as Korea and after; he was a good man. I saw at least every year at the Army Chapter of the Chosin Few and sometimes talked with him on the phone. I could tell that, over the past few years he was failing a bit but he still seemed to be getting on alright. He was not in attendance at this year's reunion and I was asking some of the other Chosin vets about him ahd they indicated that they thought he was doing OK......I hadn't heard that he had passed. Some years ago he was one of the vets who sponsored me as an honorary member of the Army chapter and several years ago he signed on his picture in my copy of East of Chosin. I'll miss him.

[USMCRECON]

[patches]

Was fortunate to spot this portrait of him in Dress Blues at the Fort Leavenworth C&GS college in 1963.

 

Major James O. Mortrude