Cold Days in Hell: American POWs in Korea

Photograph gallery

Soldiers from Task Force Smith arrive at Taejon on July , . (Courtesy US Army Military History Institute [Ref. #ARC]) North Korean soldiers guard captured Americans outside the Seoul City Hall. Most of the prisoners were members of Task Force Smith. (Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration [Ref. # PSD-]) Captain Ambrose Nugent was the senior American POW among those captured with Task Force Smith. (Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration [Ref. # PSD- ]) A soldier from the st Infantry Regiment lies dead in the road, where his North Korean captors executed him. Rumors of enemy brutality quickly spread through the American ranks. (Courtesy Harry S. Truman Library & Museum) As commander of the th Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. William F. Dean waged a difficult battle to delay the North Korean forces. Dean became separated from his headquarters while evacuating from Taejon and was subsequently captured. He became the highest-ranking POW in communist hands. (Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration [Ref. #SC]) Forced to carry propaganda banners, prisoners from Task Force Smith trudge through the streets of Seoul. Major Nugent is on the far right of the front rank. (Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration [Ref. # PSD- ]) Marines use scaling ladders to clamber over the sea wall at Inchon. (Courtesy Marine Corps photograph [NARA file #-N-A]) Men of the th Cavalry Regiment roll north through Korean villages on September , , as part of the Eighth Army breakout from the Pusan Perimeter. The Eighth Army’s attack cut off retreating North Korean units and captured thousands of enemy POWs. (Courtesy Harry S. Truman Library & Museum) Recently captured American POWs sit through a propaganda lecture during the summer of . The North Koreans made half-hearted efforts to reeducate their POWs. Later the Chinese would make a far more serious effort. (Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration [Ref. # PSD-]) Chaplain Emil Kapaun served with the th Cavalry Regiment from its arrival in Korea to his capture at Unsan. In captivity, Kapaun fearlessly defied communist propaganda while caring for his fellow prisoners. He died at Camp Five in May . (Courtesy Ray Skeehan) Lieutenant Bob Wood was captured at Unsan. (Courtesy Bob Wood) Lieutenant Mike Dowe was captured near Anju and later made several unsuccessful escape attempts. (Courtesy United States Military Academy) Lieutenant Bill Funchess was captured with Dowe near Anju. (Courtesy William Funchess) General MacArthur meets with Maj. Gen. John Coulter to observe the commencement of Eighth Army’s final offensive. (Courtesy US Army Military History Institute) Lieutenant Paul Roach was captured north of the Chongchon River and survived the squalor of Death Valley. (Courtesy United States Military Academy) Marines and soldiers move south along the MSR during the breakout from the Chosin Reservoir. (Courtesy US Army Military History Institute) POWs march along a frozen trail during the winter of . More than three thousand Americans were captured during the fighting in November and December, and many more were listed as missing in action. Mainly as a result of mistreatment and neglect by their communist captors, only half of the men captured during this period survived captivity. (Courtesy Associated Press) A Polish journalist interviews senior POWs in Camp  during the autumn of . Major Paul Liles and Capt. Ambrose Nugent are the third and fourth individuals, respectively, from the left. (Courtesy National Archives) B-s conduct a low-level attack on an enemy rail yard near Wonsan, North Korea. (Courtesy US Army Military History Institute) Captured B- aircrew members at Camp , shortly after their transfer from “the caves.” Marvin King is the second POW from the left. Dan Oldewage is on the far right. (Courtesy National Archives) In the spring of , the Chinese permitted Associated Press photographer Frank Noell to take a series of photographs of life in the POW camps. This photograph depicts Lt. Harold E. Stahlman of Nashville, Tenn., Capt. Anthony Pecoraro, South Windham, Me.; Capt. Sidney Esensten, Minneapolis, Minn., Lt. Walter L. Mayo Jr., Watertown, Mass., and Capt. Harry F. Hedlund, Fullerton, Calif. (Courtesy Associated Press) In November , the Chinese staged a “POW Olympics” at Camp Five to illustrate their humane treatment of prisoners. Raymond Mellin, who survived the Tiger...