Carl Wayne Gray Genealogies

Turner, W. D.

Turner, W. D.

Male 1933 - 1950  (17 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Turner, W. D. 
    Birth 26 Jan 1933  [1
    Gender Male 
    Reference Number TURN.W004 
    Military Service Korean War, Private, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, 8th United States Army  [1
    2nd Infantry Division ("Indianhead"), United States Army
    23rd Infantry Regiment, United States Army
    23rd Infantry Regiment, United States Army
    Eighth United States Army
    Eighth United States Army
    2nd Infantry Division ("Indianhead"), United States Army
    United States Army

    Prior to the establishment of the "Department of the Army Emblem", there was no official display item to identify the Army. The Seal had traditionally been used to authenticate documents only and was not authorized for public display. In recognizing the need to provide a display item, the Secretary of the Army approved the emblem design as the…
    Eighth United States Army
    Eighth United States Army
    United States of America Flag, 48 Stars (1912-1959)

    In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959,…
    Korea
    Korean War


    (1950-1953)

    United States Army
    United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
    Death 1 Sep 1950  Korea Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Cause: Killed in action 
    Burial Unknown Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I24287  Carl Wayne Gray Research
    Last Modified 31 Jul 2023 

    Father Turner, Lee,   b. 20 Aug 1910   d. 23 Aug 1997, Picher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Mother Jenkins, Loumincia Louisiana,   b. 12 Jan 1912   d. 14 Oct 1988, Mannford, Creek County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Family ID F10055  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Cause: Killed in action - 1 Sep 1950 - Korea Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • NOTES FROM STEPHEN GREGORY "STEVE" LUKE (1947-2002):
      W.D. Turner Lied about his age entered the Army at age 15 to fight in the Korean conflict. He was killed in the fighting in Korea at age 17 in 1950.

      W. D. Turner, Private, of the
      23rd Infantry Regiment, of the
      2nd Infantry Division, of the
      Eighth Army, Korea 1950.

      On August 13 the 23rd Infantry Regiment entered the front line in Korea at the Naktong Bulge, which was already under attack by North Korean forces including tanks and infantry. Each day for the next three weeks the defenders spent their timme either driving off charge after charge by the North Koreans, or hugging their foxholes under North Korean artillery fire and air raids, or staring into the darkness at night interrupted every hour or so by enemy infiltrators who would crawl up to the foxhole line and try to kill Americans with knives.

      On September 1 the combat was especially fierce, the division of about 10,000 men earning no less than six Medals of Honor, a record. During the course of the action Private W. D. Turner was killed.

      The action continued to be vicious for another two days, so that the retrieval of the fallen was sporadic at best. On September 3 the division was forced to retreat from this defensive position and it was not until mid-October that American forces reconquered this battlefield.

  • Sources 
    1. [S213] Luke, Stephen Gregory 'Steve' (1947-2002), Luke.GED, (Luke, Stephen Gregory 'Steve' (1947-2002), 01 July 2001) (Reliability: 2).