Posthumous Purple heart to Cpl. William G. Hardin

[devildog34]

Good evening all, I am posting some pics of a few Korean War purple hearts. Not to sound cliche, but I feel like these guys are forgotten quite a bit in America's conscious memory and feel it an honor to be able represent these men here on this forum. This particular hear belongs to Cpl. William Gordon Hardin. William enlisted in the Marines on July 26, 1948, 5 days after he turned 18 years old. He joined the th Marines at Camp Lejeune on Oct. 7, 1948. When hostilities broke out in Korea in the Summer of 1950, Hardin embarked on the USS Thomas Jefferson from San Diego in August of 1950 where I believe elements of the 8th Marines were redesignated as part of the 7th Marines. He was sent to Korea and on Sept. 21, 1950 he disembarked at Inchon, 6 days after the pivotal and historic landing. A brief unofficial history of the 2nd Battalion 7th Marines gives a good idea of their baptism of fire experienced only 4 days after William arrived at Inchon. By then the battle for Seol was raging. A brief history of the 2nd Battalion 7th Marines sums up what William likely experienced:

 

25 September, a hot, dusty day, Dog Company moved out in a southwesterly direction along the Kaesong-Seoul highway - it's longest march to that date and probably 15 plus miles in length. In the early evening, the Company arrived at its objective a few miles northwest of Seoul. Its assignment was to establish a roadblock to cut off any of the North Korean Army fleeing the city from the advance of the 5th Marines.

 

Prior to dawn on the 26th, the Company was ordered to "saddle up"; Dog Company was going into the City. As we approached the outskirts of Seoul, Korean citizens lined the road, cheering and waving flags. A bridge had been destroyed and the N. Koreans had laid land mines. We threaded our way through the minefield and proceeded up a steep incline. At the crest, the blacktop road became a steep descent for about one-half mile and then leveled out. Near the base of this hill, on the west, was a school building. Native houses stood on the east side of the road with a wide deep drainage ditch between them and a hill. Abutting the road on the west side, south of the school, sat Soedaemum Prison. A substantial portion of the north end of the east prison wall had been destroyed.

 

As the Company came abreast of the prison a savage rain of small arms fire slammed into it's ranks, and the Company could not advance. The N. Koreans occupied the prison and the high ground on all sides; the company was totally enveloped. This would be the first of many times that Dog Seven would be isolated by enemy troops. The battle raged for the better part of the day until late afternoon when the order was passed to pull back to the high ground to the north. This skirmish cost Dog Seven 13 dead Marines and 30 wounded. Capt. Richard Breen, the CO, had been wounded and evacuated. Capt. Milton Hull replaced him.

 

That night the Company was to hold in defensive positions on the hills to which the unit had withdrawn. We learned that three Marines from the machinegun platoon had been cut off and left in Seoul near the south end of the prison. All three avoided capture and came out the next morning, one seriously wounded. The night passed without serious incedent. It was learned that the North Koreans had nicknamed the Marines the "Yellow Legs" because of our leggings. They appeared to fear the "Yellow Legs".

 

The next morning Dog Seven moved north and east over one of the steepest hills in South Korea. The new objective was to set up on the road leading to Uijongbu, again with the mission of intercepting any fleeing North Korean troops. As the Company neared it's objective, enemy mortar fire rained down on the area. It was one of the heaviest concentrations of mortar fire the Company would receive in the first year of the war.

On or about 1 October, the 7th Regiment commenced an attack along the Uijongbu highway, with the 1st and 3rd Battalions in the attack and the 2nd in reserve. Heavy resistance was met almost immediately and progress was slowed over the next two days. The road had been heavily mined and tanks could not advance until the road was cleared of mines. On the morning of 3 October, the attacked resumed with the 2nd Battalion on the road, flanked by the 1st and 3rd. Things now moved quickly and the Battalion entered Uijongbu in the late afternoon. The road was littered with destroyed Russian T34 tanks and the Battalion captured large stores of North Korean artillery pieces, ammunition and supplies. Commandant Cates had observed this battle, the last 1950's engagement in South Korea for the 1st Marine Division.

The 7th Regiment moved into staging areas near Inchon on 7 October. Dog Seven set up camp adjacent to an old Japanese submarine factory. Korean musicians and dancers entertained us with a musical show in one of the factory buildings. This would be the only entertainment provided Dog Company, at least for the first year.

 

 

On October 13, 1950 William boarded the USS Coso, an LST at Inchon and arrived at Wonson, Korea on Oct. 26, 1950. The battalion's history goes on to state:

By 10 October troops of I ROK Corps (Republic of Korea) had advanced rapidly up the East Coast of Korea and entered Wonsan. It was decided that the Marines would land over Yellow and Blue Beaches as originally planned. With ROK forces having secured the Wonsan area, aircrews arrived at the Wonsan airfield and established operations by 13 October. Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell were flown to the landing area on the 24th where they put on a USO show spiced with quips at the expense of the 1st Marine Division, still waiting on ships. Hope commented, "This was the first time I have landed before the Marines". Probably more than one Marine was thankful that Bob Hope was there, rather than North Korean or Chinese armies.

 

The battalion was again thrust into action near Sudong-ni. The battalion history goes on to say:

 

2 November was a clear, mild, day as Dog Seven moved out on foot, entering the Sudong Valley, about one-mile south of the town of Sudong-ni . As the Company entered the valley, ROK [Republic of Korea] soldiers were encountered, running south and pointing north, saying excitingly "Chinese, Chinese"! The Company was ordered to attack and secure hill 698, it being the high ground on the west side of the road. The hill designations are the hill altitude in meters. Hill 698 was not high for this mountain range, but it was one of the steepest. Dog Seven moved to the attack and immediately came under heavy automatic weapons fire. The attack was pressed throughout the day and into the early evening, with the Company sustaining many causalities. The steepness of the terrain made climbing extremely difficult. As darkness came, the Company had not yet gained the crest of the hill. Ammunition supplies ran low and the casualties were mounting. It became obvious that the Company needed to be reinforced or relieved. Easy Company, 7th entered our lines and relieved Dog Seven of it's positions. The Company started it's descent from Hill 698 taking it's dead, wounded and equipment. Descending the hill was as difficult as climbing it and the troops did more sliding than walking. The Company reached the road and dug in for the remainder of the night in what appeared to be an orchard. The night passed without further action. The entire Company was physically and mentally drained. It was quickly determined on the 2nd that we were not engaging the North Korean army, but a new enemy, the Chinese Peoples Army. Morning on 3 November came all too quickly. The troops ate "C" rations, saddled up, formed in columns of two on the road, and moved out north. The mission was to go to the aid of the 1st Battalion, 7th which had been isolated by the Chinese. The advance had gone less than 50 yards when the Company came under heavy automatic weapons fire from the hill to the northeast. All hands dove for cover in the roadside ditch, listening to the rounds whistle over their heads.

 

Enemy fire prevented the Company from advancing on the road. Capt. Hull ordered that the advance continue over the hills to the west of the road. The unit advanced about one mile without enemy opposition. The column swung east and started its descent towards the road. As the Company neared the road Chinese troops could be seen on the hill directly east, across the road and river. Captain Hull called for an air strike and then artillery. The machine guns were set up on the east side of the road to deliver overhead fire for the assault. The riflemen crossed the road, waded the river, and commenced the assault as the machine guns delivered overhead fire to keep the enemy seeking cover.

 

As darkness began closing in, Dog Seven had secured it's objective and commenced digging in for the counter attack that was sure to come. The sight of the dead enemy was awesome. This was the first time that many in the Company observed at close range the results of napalm on the human body. The enemy trenches were loaded with Chinese bodies, cooked and blackened, their arms and legs split like roasted hot dogs.

 

Sometime during the day or evening of November 2 or perhaps early on the 3rd, 1950, 21-year old William Hardin was killed in action. The muster rolls for Dog company report him KIA Nov. 3, 1950, as do his official records. However, the casualty file declares that he died November 2. He was buried November 5, 1950 in the 1st Marine Division cemetery in Hungnam, Korea. His remains were brought home and according to his casualty file on March 1, 1955 he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery where he remains today in Section 33 site 3343.

 

Semper Fi,

Kevin

[devildog34]

The back of the heart

[devildog34]

Here is the casualty report

[devildog34]

Last one of the casualty file. Thank you for looking

Semper Fi

[Jack's Son]

He was barely there long enough to get the lay of the land.

20 years old. :crying:

[devildog34]

I almost forgot, I found this image online so I hope I'm not violating any copyrights but it was with the 7th Regiment's page. Sadly of the dozens of names id'd in the photo, Hardin is not one of them. Given that we are not yet at the 65 year point from the time of discharge accessing his full record file at NARA will be restrictive otherwise perhaps there would be a photo of him. I'm posting it nonetheless.

 

This picture is of Dog Company 2nd Battalion 7th Marines. I have no doubt that William is in this photo somewhere. The picture was taken August 28, 1950 at Camp Pendelton.

[Jim Baker]

Sir,

 

You are a bottomless pit of beautiful hearts!! Thanks very much for sharing these. I've really enjoyed seeing them.

 

:thumbsup:

[scottplen]

:crybaby: I Want a Korean war USMC KIA heart!!!! :console:

[mes]

Kevin Absolutely fantastic. Korean war casaulties are underappericated but as long as there are outstanding people like you to honor their memory they will never be forgotten. Nicely done. Mark

[Teamski]

Kevin Absolutely fantastic. Korean war casaulties are underappericated but as long as there are outstanding people like you to honor their memory they will never be forgotten. Nicely done. Mark

 

 

Word! :thumbsup:

 

-Ski

[devildog34]

Wow Mark thank you! I know that a few of these look familiar I really think it's an honor to share them. When you think about the forum has become a sort of museum/display venue for those of us who envision or dream of building or obtaining a place, room etc. where these things can be seen or displayed for the view of more than just ourselves.

semper fi,

Kevin

[Jack's Son]

:crybaby: I Want a Korean war USMC KIA heart!!!! :console:

OH Scott,

I just picked one up............had I known????

[Ricardo]

Againg, great group!!! :thumbsup:

 

Ricardo.

[scottplen]

OH Scott,

I just picked one up............had I known????

 

 

Robin

Don't know how Kevin seems to have them all at his house!!!!

But if you feel bad for me please send it to me!!!!

[devildog34]

Robin

Don't know how Kevin seems to have them all at his house!!!!

But if you feel bad for me please send it to me!!!!

 

locked in a safe actually.

[teufelhunde.ret]

When you think about the forum has become a sort of museum/display venue for those of us who envision or dream of building or obtaining a place, room etc. where these things can be seen or displayed for the view of more than just ourselves.

semper fi,

Kevin

So true Kevin :thumbsup: and thank you for sharing this one as well! s/f D.

[Brian Dentino]

So true Kevin :thumbsup: and thank you for sharing this one as well! s/f D.

 

Agree with D on your comment above....and while I don't think I have commented on all the beautiful Marine medals you have been sharing, I have at least read through and viewed all of them and all I can say is that you have some very special medals in your collection and I REALLY have appreciated you sharing them with us!

[MPage]

The muster rolls for Dog company report him KIA Nov. 3, 1950, as do his official records. However, the casualty file declares that he died November 2.

 

This is a common occurrence; he likely was killed sometime between the morning report of November 2, and the morning report of November 3, when it listed him as KIA.

[devildog34]

Thank you guys for your comments. I had mixed reviews, I have been fortunate enough to come across some great medals over the years and I wanted everyone to be able to see and experience the sense of pride I feel when I see these. They are just items of silk ribbon metal and enamal but they represent something that I think we all feel is among the most sacred things in the world, the price of freedom and and reassurance and sanctity of living in the beautiful and wonderful nation that we do and it is all thanks to the millions who've met, with their lives, sanity and innocence those threats that have challenged our freedom and sancitity over the past 230 plus years. I love to collect but it's so much more and I feel like we all have that same notion in our minds when we find such an item and wonder and strive to find the person whose name is engraved on that back, or stamped in the armpit or typed across the certificate. It's so moving and emotional when you think about what they must have experienced at 18 or 22 years of age and how that affected them for the rest of their lives as well as the loved ones who may have always questioned what their last moments on earth were like and never knew. I think that is why we do what we do and so I'm glad you guys are so receptive to my posting these and in no way shape or form do I want to come off as if I am showing off a trophy or a prize. I know you guys and ladies are in that same school of thought and that is why I love this forum. I will post more in the coming weeks as I am glad you guys enjoy seeing these and I am honored to be able to share as much of their stories as I know with such outstanding people.

Semper Fi,

Kevin

[devildog34]

Remembering Cpl. Hardin 61 years after he gave it all for his nation.

Rest in Peace you are not forgotten.

Semper Fi,

Kevin

[Raidercollector]

Very nice heart, Thanks for sharing it with us.Nice to see a Korean marine heart.

[vicjoy1945]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

Fantastic tribute to a gallant marine Kevin !!

 

Thanks for the bump !!

 

Vic

[devildog34]

Remembering William Hardin on this 62nd anniversary of his unimaginable sacrifice.

[KySoldier]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful Purple Heart! Can't wait for a picture to put with a name. God bless this brave marine and keep him.

[MilitaryPlaques]

Kudos!!