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 1933 - 1953 (19 years)
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| Name |
William Floyd Payne |
| Birth |
14 Dec 1933 |
Culbertson, NE  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
19 Jul 1953 |
Korea |
| Burial |
Korea |
| Person ID |
I14207 |
Bob Juch's Tree |
| Last Modified |
31 Dec 2022 |
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| Notes |
- I HAVE A LETTER I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT MY UNCLE FLOYD
RECIEVED FROM THE MAJOR U.S. MARINE CORPS CONCERNING WILLIAM (BILLY'S) DEATH. AUNT SYLVIA HAS HAD THIS LETTER SINCE UNCLE FLOYD'S DEATH AND WAS NICE ENOUGH TO SHARE IT WITH US.
MR. FLOYD J. PAYNE
2075 LOCUST STREET
GRAND ISLAND, NE.
MY DEAR MR. PAYNE,
A REPORT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN THE HEADQUARTERS FROM OVERSEAS WHICHENABLES ME TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF YOUR SON, SERGEANT WILLIAM F. PAYNE, 1070176, U.S. MARINE CORPS.
ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT ON JULY 19, 1953, THE FIRST PLATOON OF COMPANY "G" OF WHICH YOUR SON WAS A MEMBER, HAD JUST OCCUPIED OUTPOST "EAST BERLIN" WHEN AT 10:00 P.M. IT WAS ATTACKED BY INTENSE MORTOR AND ARTILLERY BOMBARDMENT AND OVER RUN BY ENEMY TROOPS. WILLIAM AND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS TRAVIS L. RYAN, U.S. MAARINE CORPS, WERE IN PLATOON COMMAND POST BUNKER WHEN A BARRAGE OF ENEMY MORTOR FIRE LANDED ON IT CAVING IT IN AND PROHIBITING ENTRY OR EXIT.
THE FEW MARINES WHO COULD MOVE AFTER THE INITIAL BARRAGE AND ATTACK FOUND THEMSELVES COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY ENEMY TROOPS. THEY WERE ABLE TO MUSTER THEMSELVES TOGETHER AND FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT TO THE MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE; HOWEVER THE INTENSE COMBAT SITUATION DID NOT PERMIT THEM TO REMOVE THEIR DEAD OR WOUNDED COMRADES.
WHILE I MUST REGRETFULLY EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT YOUR SON MAY BE DEAD, THE REPORT FROM HIS ORGANIZATION DOES NOT CONTAIN SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO WARRANT A CONCLUSIVE DETERMINATION OF DEATH. HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CARRIED ON THE ROLLS OF THIS HEADQUARTERS AS MISSING IN ACTION. SHOULD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BE RECEIVED, OR SHOULD ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OCCUR WHICH WOULD WARRANT A CHANGE IN HIS STATUS YOU WILL BE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED.
I EARNESTLY HOPE THAT INFORMATION OF A MORE DEFINITE NATURE WILL BE
RECEIVED SOON.
SINCERELY YOURS,
MAJOR U.S. MARINE CORPS.
HEAD CASUALTY SECTION
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