Carroll County, Virginia native First Lieutenant Jansen Calvin Cox served with the United States Army in the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division during the Korean War. After the outbreak of the war in 1950, Jansen and his unit were sent to Korea as part of Task Force Smith – the first U. S. ground unit to enter the country. General Douglas MacArthur hoped the unit would fool the North Koreans into believing a larger forceful strike was imminent. Unfortunately, the task force failed and suffered high casualties. Luckily, Jansen was not one of those lost through the fighting but was captured by the enemy on July 5, 1950.
US Soldiers being marched by North Koreans
By October 1950, Jansen and 850 other Prisoners of War quickly realized that death may have been the better alternative. In this particular Prisoner of War camp, a Korean officer nicknamed “The Tiger” took over and began his brutal reign. That November, The Tiger decided to move the prisoners to another camp located 90 miles away near the Yalu River. During the excruciating hike, the prisoners were stripped of their boots and socks with no protection from the elements. Eighty-nine men were killed and others received no water or medical treatment. In 1953 when the POWs were repatriated, only 260 were still alive.
Jansen survived the trek to the prison camp, but did not make it long afterwards. On December 31,
1950, Jansen succumbed to starvation and cruel treatment. He was interned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the recipient of the Silver Star, Prisoner of War Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, UN Service Medal, Republic of Korea War Service Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge with most awarded posthumously.
Prisoner of War Medal
We honor Jansen and all those who are serving and have served and have given the ultimate sacrifice.
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