Korean War 1st Cavalry Division WIA

[Military_Curator]

Hey all, today I’d like to share my recent pickup!

 

CPL Lloyd E. Deshaux was born on August 11th, 1929 in Richmond County, New York. From a young age, everything technical fascinated him. Engines, machinery, tools, and more were like candy to the young man growing up. Before he was even 12, he joined a racing circuit, being a race car driver in the 30’s and 40’s.

 

When the small backwater nation of South Korea was invaded, it was the 1st Cavalry Division who landed as the 3rd US unit in country. They would land at Pohang-Dong, making the first amphibious landing since WW2. From there, they would make a fighting retreat to the shrinking Pusan Perimeter. Then, the men of the First Team would smash the reds, making them fight and loose every inch of land up until the Yalu. It is not clear if Deschaux was with the Cav in late 1950 during the disastrous defeat at Unsan. He was likely a replacement, arriving in mid 1951 as a member of L CO, 8th Cav Regt, 1st Cav Div.

 

In 1951, he would be wounded during a new front opened by the Chinese. The new strategy was to use overwhelming force against UN patrol bases to neutralize the objective and then slip away into the dark. 
 

For Deschaux, his patrol base would be smashed on November 2nd, 1951. His entire platoon would toe up to an onslaught of a Chinese battalion. He would be seriously wounded in action, presumably by mortar or gunshot. However, Deschaux would return to duty on the 24th and continue to serve with the 1st Cav until they rotated back to Japan in 1952. 

After his service, he would work as a mechanic until his untimely death in on July 9th, 1995 due to a heart attack.

 

 

[Military_Curator]

Closeups of his uniform. The Japanese made ribbons, domed discs, and DUIs are original to the uniform. They have been there so long, there’s dust behind the ribbons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Military_Curator]

[ludwigh1980]

Great post and uniform. I have a Korean War 5th Cav regiment 1st cavalry division Ike jacket from one of the survivors that holds a very honored place in my collection. 

[Military_Curator]

Bump in honor of the date he sustained his wounds in 1951, five days after the date. Also, this is a map from the 1st Cavalry Division unit history that depicts the patrol bases where Deschaux was stationed.