My walk today was dedicated in honor of:
Marine Cpl Ralph M. Engstrom
HQ Battery, 11th Regiment, 1st Marines.
POW/MIA – December 10, 1950 Korea/Choisin Reservoir
DNA on file for identification
He joined the Marine Reserve on May 10, 1950 after serving 4 years in the US. Army 101st Airborne as a Paratrooper. When the Korean conflict arose, his Marine Reserve unit was frozen, activated and sent to Korea at the beginning of the war in 1950. In spite of all his military service, Engstrom was only 21 years old when he went missing. He had lied about his age in order to join the Army.
His daughter Julia had the opportunity to talk to the last Marine to see him alive, who said it had haunted him all these years. He told her, “Finally, this old tired Marine can get some rest.”
He was never reported as a prisoner of war, and his remains have not been recovered or identified. Today, Corporal Engstrom is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
His name is on the POW/MIA monument in from of the courthouse in Sparta, TN.
Had an amazing walk. I want to thank Bruce for walking a few miles with me. I was able to honor this hero with a 13 mile walk. It was just amazing. I love the people here in Crossville. Glad to call it my home. Thank you for helping me honor this hero with all the amazing honks and waves. I pray that his remains will be found and that he can be brought back home where he belongs. We shall NEVER forget him.
Thank You
Thank you for honoring my father, Cpl. Ralph M. Engstrom, USMC, KOREA/Choisin Reservoir. POW-MIA: 12.10.1950. May they all be returned to American soil, the Country they loved, fought and died for. SEMPER FIDELIS!!!
It was an honor to walk for you father Julia. We will keep his memory alive . We will NEVER forget him.