The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, CPL Floyd Alton Keacher, US55036343, who died in the service of his country on September 9th, 1951 in Hills 717-682, North Korea. The cause of death was listed as KIA. At the time of his death Floyd was 24 years of age. He was from Chisago County, Minnesota. Floyd's Military Occupation Specialty was 4745-Light Weapons Infantryman.
The decorations earned by CPL Floyd Alton Keacher include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Distinguished Service Cross, 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.
Corporal Keacher was a member of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on September 9, 1951. Corporal Keacher was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantrymans Badge,the Distingushed Service Cross, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
His DSC citation:
Citation:
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Floyd A. Keacher (US55036343), Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company G, 2d Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Corporal Keacher distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Tangunon-ni, Korea, on 9 September 1951. On that date, Corporal Keachers company was engaged in an attack against a numerically superior hostile force occupying heavily fortified hill positions. In the initial phase of the attack the assaulting elements were pinned down by a devastating volume of enemy small-arms, automatic-weapons and mortar fire Realizing that his comrades faced possible annihilation in their present untenable positions, Corporal Keacher voluntarily left his position of comparative safety and crawled forward with his machine-gun. Although he was constantly under direct observation of the enemy and subjected to their concentrated fire, Corporal Keacher continued his advance until he reached a vantage point from which he could direct fire on four key enemy emplacements. With a total disregard for his personal safety, he put his weapon into operation on the exposed terrain and began to rake the strongpoints, which were holding up the advance of his comrades, with a devastating fire. In desperation, the hostile troops concentrated their entire firepower on Corporal Keachers position. He finally fell, mortally wounded by the enemy fire, but not before his deadly accuracy had destroyed three of the four enemy emplacements. His self- sacrifice and fearlessness enabled his comrades to renew their assault and to secure their objective with a minimum of casualties. When the hostile positions were captured, the friendly troops counted twelve enemy dead near the silenced automatic weapons.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 24 (January 11, 1952)
Home Town: Chisago, Minnesota
BURIAL LOCATION,SAINT JOHNS CEMETERY, WEBER, MN
|
