John Kelvin Koelsch

John Kelvin Koelsch ( born December 22, 1923 in London, † October 16, 1951 in Korean captivity ) was an American soldier and rescue pilot with the rank of lieutenant.

Life

He graduated from Princeton University in 1942 and took place on 14 September of the same year in the service of the U.S. Naval Reserve as a flying cadet in. In Fort Lauderdale he was on duty in the relay 15 and torpedo squadron 97 and 18, in the latter as a senior officer. He climbed on August 1, 1946 in the rank of lieutenant ( lieutenant junior grade ) and was transferred two months later to the U.S. Navy. After a further training at Princeton University in May 1948 Rhode Iceland, he was in February 1949 when a torpedo unit in Quonset Point, used.

After the outbreak of the Korean War, he became in 1950 a member of the Helicopter Unit 1 in Miramar in California in August. As a responsible officer he accompanied the aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CV -37) to the east coast of Korea. He brought several successful rescue of downed pilots Flights behind.

On the afternoon of July 3, 1951 Koelsch and his co- pilot Neal were appointed to a volunteer who should carry them with their helicopters to rescue deep on North Korean territory: 56 km south-west of Wonsan was previously the pilot James V. Wilkins with his heavy fighter was shot down. Despite the advent of darkness, to deteriorating weather and under fire from the ground Lt. acquisition could. Koelsch locate the crash-landed pilots and initiate a maneuver to the rescue. However Thick fog prevented fire fighters and the accompanying so the helicopter through enemy fire was while co-pilot Neal picked up the injured pilot to the cable, forced to land and captured by North Korean soldiers, the entire crew.

During the whole captivity Koelsch said to have divulged any information allegedly despite brutal beatings and other ill-treatment. This is to his Mitgefangen have been encouraged to do the same. While Neal copilot survived Koelsch died there of malnutrition and dysentery infection on 16 October 1951.

Honors

Koelsch was posthumously awarded the 1955 Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the American government.