Nearly 68 years after he was killed in Korea at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, Sfc Rufus Ketchum returned home to Superior, Wisconsin in 2018. His story is one of courage and sacrifice.
Sfc Ketchum’s military career began in WWII where he served as a medical technician with the 759th Bomb Squadron Heavy in the European Theater. He reenlisted with the Army after the war and continued his medical work stateside. He married Dorothy Pelletier, a Women’s Army Corps nurse, in 1947, and they had one daughter, Mary Jo. In 1950, he was assigned to the Medical Detachment of the 57th Field Artillery Battalion and shipped out to Japan and then to Korea.
In late November 1950, a conclusion to the Korean War appeared to be close at hand. The U.S., Republic of Korea (ROK), and various U.N. units had advanced deep into North Korea in an attempt to destroy any remaining North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) units and reunite Korea under one government. Some units had even reached the Yalu River, which separated Korea from Communist China.
But just as U.N. forces launched what was hoped to be the final offensive, hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese soldiers poured into Korea, overwhelming the U.N. troops and completely changing the nature of the war. Fighting in extreme cold and over rugged terrain, the Americans and their allies were forced to retreat south down the Korean peninsula, suffering heavy casualties along the way.
Sgt Rufus Ketchum was one of 2,500 U.S. and 700 Republic of Korea soldiers assembled into the 31st Regimental Combat Team (RCT) on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir. On November 27th, the Chinese People’s Volunteer Force surrounded the unsuspecting 31st RCT and attacked. Following continued attacks on November 28th and 29th, the Americans withdrew south. During the attack, defensive positions suffered heavy casualties.
By December 1st, the 31st RCT’s fighting withdrawal was underway with the help of the U.S. Marine Corps airstrikes. Slowly moving south, the 31st RCT encountered blown bridges, roadblocks and determined CPVF attackers. As darkness approached, U.S. Marine Corps aircraft departed while the 31st RCT was still in the midst of fighting to clear both road and fire blocks. After several hours of exhaustive combat, the 31st RCT eliminated the last roadblock resumed its movement south but the toll taken on the soldiers and equipment in the cold and under continued attacks by the Chinese Forces led to the eventual destruction of the convoy near Hudon-ni early on December 2nd. Those who were able to escape did so by abandoning the convoy and heading south across the frozen reservoir. For several days after, survivors continued to arrive at the Marine Corps positions at Hagaru-ri. By December 5th, only 385 of the approximately 3200 Americans and South Koreans assigned to the 31st were still fit for duty. By December 6th, the U.S. Army evacuated approximately 1500 wounded service members; the remaining soldiers had been either captured or killed in enemy held territory. The remnants of the 31st RCT, fought alongside the Marines defending the base at Hagaru-ri and on December 6th, they broke out of Hagaur-ri and began the long march southeast to Hungnam on the east coast of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, never returning to the Chosin Reservoir.
The only knowledge of Sfc Ketchum’s fate is through an eyewitness, John Satterelli (a former 57th FA corporal. He wrote to Sgt Ketchum’s mother after the war and described the retreat and his last encounter with Ketchum.
“we were in the Chosin Reservoir. We were there a few days and then the Chinese hit us with everything they had, and that was around December 1st, and we suffered a lot of men. Your son and I were pretty busy taking care of the boys that were wounded. I didn’t see your son to[sic] much when the Chinese came into the war, cause we were all cut off from our units. Until we got the orders to retreat, we were fighting all the way and when we got about two or three miles from the where the Marines were, the Chinese were waiting for us and they gave us everything they had. We stayed right there fighting and dying and that where I seen[sic] your son again, still taking care of the wounded soldiers. He was going all over the field picking up men and carrying them to safety and then all of a sudden I seen[sic] him fall down. I went over to him and when I got to him he was still alive, he was shot in the chest. I put a big bandage over it and tied it very tight so no air could get in, I made him comfortable and put him behind a truck.”
Satterelli was himself wounded not long after and was evacuated.
Sgt Ketchum was initially reported as MIA on December 6th 1950. For over 3 years, Sgt Ketchum’s family was left to wonder about his fate. His name never appeared on any POW lists. During Operation Little Switch, the United Nations and North Korea/China exchanged selected sick, wounded and injured POW’s. The two sides exchanged all remaining POW’s during Operation Big Switch in August/September 1953. Returning POW’s provided information about other POW’s. None of the returning POW’s provided any information concerning Sgt. Ketchum. On January 22, 1954, citing the testimony of witness John Satterelli, a “Report of Death Memorandum” was issued recommending December 6, 1950 as his official death date. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class and his family was informed.
Sfc Ketchum was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military honor, for his, “…unflinching courage under fire, inspirational actions and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and are in keeping with the noble traditions of the military service.”
The Search for our MIA
North Korea did not allow Americans access to battle areas north of the DMZ for nearly 40 years. Then, in 1990 the US Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI) received possible American remains from North Korea. From 1990-1994, a total of 208 boxes of American remains were returned to the U.S. Unfortunately, none of these remains were associated with Sfc Ketchum.
In 1996, North Korea granted CILHI teams access to battle areas north of the DMZ for the first time. From September 1-October 2, 2001, personnel from CILHI conducted the 25th Joint Recovery Operation with members of the North Korean Army in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir.
During the mission two witness statements (from brothers) reported that one of the brothers found and reburied remains believed to be American. Investigation and recovery sites were determined based on these statements. The site was situated approximately 1 kilometer southwest of the 31st RCT’s defensive perimeter and beside the road used by the 31st RCT during its withdrawal. During the excavation, the team recovered material evidence and possible human remains for at least seven individuals. Because of the large number and types of remains found, it was theorized that this location may have been a collection point for battlefield remains. One of the witnesses stated that in 1992 he was working on the road around the reservoir and found bones he believed to be a US soldier. Although he didn’t find any artifacts, he believed the remains to be US because so many died in the area. He reburied the bones along the road closer to the reservoir.
Scientists used mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA analysis, anthropological analysis and other evidence to determine some of the remains were indeed Sfc Rufus Ketchum. Once identified, his remains returned with a military escort from Hawaii to Superior, WI for a full military burial on August 14, 2018.
After a lifetime of never knowing the details of her father’s fate, Mary Jo, was finally able to bring him home.
Sfc Ketchum’s story of heroism and sacrifice is highlighted in our Korean War exhibit gallery.