U.S. GENERAL IN KOREA KILLED IN JEEP SMASH
On His Way To Decorate Son
TOKIO, Dec 23 (Recd 6 pm).—LieutGeneral Waltcn Walker, commander of the United States Bth. Army, was killed today in a jeep accident north of Seoul • Lieut.-General Walker was on his way to decorate his son for bravery in action. Captain Sam Walker, an infantry company commander, had been waiting to receive a Silver Star from his father’s hands. The general war also to have given a Distinguished Unit citation to the United States 24th Division, in whch h*s sen served and to the Commonwealth 27th. Brigade. General Walker's jeep crashed into a Scuth-Kcrear. track. The other three occupants of the jeep were injured. Hundreds of American soldiers saw their tough 61-year-old commander killed. Troops it the convoy stood up and screamed at the jeep to halt, but they were too late. The Korean truckdriver pulled out of the convoy info the patn of the jeep, which
braked, skidded and hit the lorry. General Walker was thrown out and run over by his own jeep. General MacArthur, in paying tribute to General Walker, said he had proved a brilliant military leader. “I had just recommended him for promotion fo full general,” General MacArthur added. “His gallantry in action has been an inspiration to all and hi? loss will be keenly felt, not only by his own country, but those with us in the defence of the Korean peninsula.”
Lieut.-General Matthew Ridgeway has been appointed the new commander of the Bth. Army in succession to General Walker. Lieutant-General Ridgway, formerly the commanding general of the 82nd. Airborne Division and 38tb. Airborne Corps in Europe during the war, is aged 55. He was promoted lieut-general in 1945. He was chosen by General Eisenhower as representative on the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations. He has been deputy army Chief of Staff for the Administration since August, 1949. He is at present in Washington. Tire Ist. Corps Commander, Frank Milburn, has taken over temporary command of the Sth. Army on an order from General MacArthur.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 5
Word Count
346U.S. GENERAL IN KOREA KILLED IN JEEP SMASH Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 5
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