The Korean War Veteran

Transcription

1 The Korean War Veteran Internet Journal - October 2, 2011 Caporal Albert Gagnon on parade with Baptiste at the Citadel, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

2 Veteran of Royal 22e Regiment battle at Hill 355 in November, 1951, brought unit's mascot to Canada 4 years later The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the Republic of Korea has invited Caporal Albert Gagnon to return to Korea to pay tribute to his brother Joseph Omer Gagnon who served in action with him. His brother fell in Korea in June, 1952 and is buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan.

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4 Caporal Albert Gagnon leads the first mascot of the Royal 22e Regiment along a road at Valcartier, Quebec in 1955, after bringing the goat, named Baptiste to Canada from Scotland. Albert had served in Korea with the 2nd Battalion of the R22eR with three of his brothers. In November, 1951, Albert and two of his brothers fought side by side in D Company in one of the fiercest battles experienced by Canadians during the Korean War. The company, under command of Captain Real Liboiron, was holding a saddle of ground between the massive Hill 355 and outlying Hill 227. The enemy launched a massive attack against Hill 355, trying to pass through Liboiron s position. The soldiers fought them hand to hand, would not let them occupy their vital ground. Nonetheless, large enemy formations attacked the forward slopes of Hill 355 from other localities and succeeded in taking over the most forward company position of a battalion of the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment. The enemy continued to try and reinforce their success but their troops came under withering fire from Liboiron s men, as well as from the Vickers medium machineguns of the R22eR Support Company and two tank platoons of the Lord Strathcona s Horse (Royal Canadians). The enemy commander then focused on Liboiron s company and tried to over-run his platoon positions. They launched repeated attacks off of Hill 227, which was just yards from the most forward platoon of the R22eR, and they also attacked from the ground they had occupied on Hill 355. The forward platoon, under command of Lieutenant MacDuff, had 100 percent casualties. Through four days and nights of action, in horribly cold, snowy and rainy weather, the Vingt Deux had 13 soldiers killed and 12 wounded, holding back the enemy. The American battalion finally received reinforcements and successfully drove the enemy from their positions on Hill 355. The action of the R22eR was of the highest levels of bravery. Captain Liboiron was promoted in the field to major and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. It was very unusual, perhaps unprecedented for an officer of captain rank to receive this high decoration for leadership under fire. Two of the soldiers were awarded the Distinguished Conduct medal for bravery, at the time second in precedence only to the Victoria Cross. One of the soldiers was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Two officers and one soldier were awarded Mentioned in Despatches decorations.

5 The commanding officer of the Royal 22e Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Dextraze was extremely frustrated that his recommendation for a Military Cross for bravery for Lieutenant MacDuff was not approved by the brigade commander. Lieutenant Colonel Dextraze fought long and hard to get him the award, but for some reason it was denied and the recommendation was downgraded to a Mentioned in Dispatches. Lieutenant MacDuff s platoon, with every soldier a casualty, had been entirely surrounded by the enemy and cut off from the rest of the company. He had rallied his wounded men time and again to drive the enemy out of his position. After the war, the 2nd Battalion of the Royal 22e Regiment was denied a Battle Honour for the November action, although the former Canadian Brigade commander, Brigadier John Rockingham, then a major general, had endorsed it. Three of the Gagnon s had served in Liboiron s company during that action. One of them, Soldat Joseph Omer Gagnon, is buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan. Albert Gagnon s oldest brother, Raoul Gagnon, a veteran of both World War Two and the Korean War, died at a long-term care hospital in Quebec City in August. He had been the fourth Gagnon brother to serve in Korea..