The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, PFC George Eldridge Kessler, RA13345995, who died in the service of his country on February 15th, 1951 in the vicinity of Ch'Ongch'On, North Korea. The cause of death was listed as Captured-Died POW. At the time of his death George was 17 years of age. He was from Virginia. George's Military Occupation Specialty was 4745-Light Weapons Infantryman.

The decorations earned by PFC George Eldridge Kessler include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Korea Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

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Private First Class Kessler was a member of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in North Korea on November 28, 1950 and died while a prisoner, possibly of appendicitis, on February 15, 1951. "Death Valley Camp."

His body was returned to the United States in Jan 1956. George is buried in DENBY CEMETERY, NEWPORT NEWS, VA

It would have been during the above that PFC George Kessler was captured. My uncle, and namesake, PFC George E. Kessler, served with 3rd Battalion, Company K, 35th Infantry Regiment. Although the details are not well known, he was reported as captured on or about 28 November 1950. I believe this would have been near Munson (PRNK) along the Chongchon River at action close to Kunuri. My Uncle George never returned from captivity. Around 1955, an aunt told me she remembers a man came by the house and informed the family that PFC George E. Kessler got sick and died of appendicitis while in captivity. A few years later a body was shipped back to the family in Virginia but it was never really known if it was indeed my Uncle George. (CW3 George R Kessler, nephew, as written in the 35th history section)