Captured! A Prisoner of War Story

Bill Skinner was just a humble West Virginia boy from Barbour County whose greatest claim to fame growing up was the story of his great grandfather, Jackson Skinner. Jackson had proudly fought in the Civil War and brought home the muzzle loader he had used in battle. He then passed it on to young William “Bill” Skinner.
Skinner would leave his beloved West Virginia and travel around the world to fight in a conflict using guns and ammunition his great grandfather could have never dreamed of. The guns would be much shorter, but much more powerful.
Sylvia Skinner, Bill’s daughter living in Pittsburgh, mentioned her father over the past 25 or so years we have gotten together for family reunions and special events, but I never paid close attention to what she said he did throughout his life.
After Bill’s passing in 2018, his daughter began to talk more about his time in the Korean War, and specifically his time as a prisoner of war. She had my full attention then.
The life story she shared of her father is nothing short of amazing. I deeply regret not meeting him or interviewing him so I could have heard his story firsthand!
When the Jefferson Historical Society decided to do an exhibit on the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, June 25, 1950, I began to ask her more questions. We met halfway when she decided to loan the personal war effects of her father to be the center of our exhibit.
Bill Skinner became U.S. Army Pfc. Skinner with the 7th Infantry, 8th Army Division. He would serve in Korea, 1950-53, most of the time in captivity. He said he had never heard of Korea and neither had most of the other men. While in battle at the infamous Chosin Reservoir, the allies were surrounded, with no way of escape as fresh waves of Chinese soldiers poured across the border between North Korea and China. He was captured by the North Korean forces on November 30, 1950 and spent nearly three years, 989 days to be exact, as a prisoner of war.
When interviewed for the Korean War veterans oral history project by the Library of Congress, Skinner would tell of two strong memories.
One was of the North Korea Camp Commander, “Tiger,” and the other was the Tiger Death March. For nine days, every time the allied troops got near, the North Korean troops would march the 845 American POWs.
They marched 120 miles for nine days.
In October, 1950, just one month before Skinner’s capture, “Tiger” had taken over the camp command of more than 700 American servicemen who had been captured. When Skinner became a part of the captives, he soon learned of the cruelty of Tiger, whose real name was Maj. Chong Myong Sil. Books have been written about this cruel commander. Skinner would later join an organization called “Tiger Survivors.” Another Tiger survivor risked his life by secretly recording the names of his fellow prisoners who had died during their captivity.
The world might not have learned the names of the 496 men who died of the original 700 in the camp if it had not been for a chance encounter in 1995 at Korean War veterans reunion in Sacramento, California. An analyst from the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office was attending the reunion when he heard about Army Pfc. Wayne A. “Johnnie” Johnson and his secret list.
The analyst went through the intelligence archives from the Korean War upon his return and found Johnson’s original debriefing report and the reports of fellow POWs corroborating Johnson’s report. Among the files, he found a recommendation from the debriefer that Johnson be recognized for his bravery. The recommendation was never followed up. When the Department of the Army received the information in 1996, Johnson was finally awarded the Silver Star. I am so glad he was still alive to receive the honor.
The winter temperature dipped as low as 30 degrees below zero in the camps. Most of the men lost all or part of their toes. Skinner lost eight of his. He also lost 80 pounds from his 6-foot frame.
The greatest cause of death was starvation, as the men were given little or nothing to eat or drink. There was no medical treatment for injuries or disease. Men who died were buried in unmarked, unrecorded locations, making identification and recovery almost impossible. There is an ongoing recovery of unknown remains to this day, known as the Korean War Unknowns Project and remains are still being uncovered.
Skinner survived and returned to the United States, married and had several children. He became a member of the Tiger Survivors and a member of “The Chosin Few,” made up of those who fought in the most savage battle of modern warfare lasting from November-December, 1950.
Through the ongoing efforts of “The Chosin Few” the Korean War Memorial was established to remember the silent veterans of the “Forgotten War.” The memorial is in Washington, D.C.
Of Skinner’s company, 7th Division, 1st Battalion, Co. B., 100 were killed in action, 19 were wounded in action and 65 were captured and became POWs. The Jefferson Historical Society is honored to feature William Skinner’s story, 1930-2018, in the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Also on display are the stories and pictures of many local Korean War veterans who have been given to the society.
The society has a framed glass wall cabinet of the men from Jefferson High School who were in World War II, as well as one for those in the Vietnam War from all of Ashtabula County. The society hopes to do to the same for the Korean War veterans. Make sure you submit your veteran’s name for this project.
You can visit the exhibit at the Jefferson Historical Society on Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. These are the normal summer hours. For questions or to donate the personal effects or a picture of a Korean War veteran, call the society at 440-576-5333.