A Korean War Memorial Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Simon Estes Auditorium at the Centerville High School. The ceremony will honor the 10 servicemen from Appanoose County who lost their lives during the Korean War, 1950-1953.

On hand for the ceremony will be state Rep. Kurt Swaim, who will deliver the keynote address, SFC William Harrison, a former Cincinnati native and a Korean War combat veteran of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division will also speak and Lt. Col. Richard Keilig, Jr. Medical Service Corps US Army Reserve (Ret). The Centerville High School band will provide music for the event and A Company 224 Engineer Battalion of the Iowa National Guard will be present.

During the ceremony, veterans or relatives of the servicemen will read off the rank, names, units and where they paid the ultimate price for the defense of freedom.

The following names and other information will be placed on two plaques, which will be placed at an appropriate location in the courthouse to honor their service. The list includes a Marine pilot, six combat infantry men, a combat engineer and two combat medics. These servicemen gave their lives to protect the people of South Korea and this country from brutal Communist aggression.

• PVT Jessie W. Rutliff, of the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division. He was killed in action on the Sangju front in South Korea on July 22, 1950.

• CPL Ernest E. Puckett, of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was killed in the Taegu area in South Korea on Sept. 5, 1950.

• SFC Raymond W. Tatro, of the 187th Regimental Combat Team. He was killed in North Korea on Oct. 21, 1950.

• CPL Patrick Henry Creagan, of the I Company 3rd Battalion of the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. CPL Creagan was listed as missing in action after the war. He most likely was killed in action in early December 1950 at the eastern end of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea.

• CPT Alfred Hiram Agan, of the Marine Fighter Squadron 212 from the USS Bataan (CVL-29) flew his Corsair on a bombing mission against enemy forces. His aircraft was damaged by the explosions and he crash landed in the water one mile offshore and 11 miles south of Inchon, South Korea. Before rescue teams could arrive he died from exposure in the freezing water, The date was Jan. 20, 1951. CPT Agan was also a combat pilot during WWII in the Pacific.

• CPL James W. Howe, of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was killed in action in South Korea on Feb. 22, 1951.

• CPL Jack G. Conger, of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. CPL Conger was a combat medic who was caring for his fellow soldiers when he was killed in action on Nov. 29, 1951.

• SGT Clifford Carl "Bud" Proffitt, of the 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. He died from other causes near Kowont-ong, North Korea on March 8, 1953.

• PVT Harold E. Foster, of the 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was killed in action in North Korea on April 17, 1953.

• CPL Edward J. Davis, of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was a combat medic who was killed in action while tending his wounded comrades in North Korea on July 18, 1953.

The memorial plaque to hang in the courthouse is not complete. Missing are pictures of CPL Puckett, SFC Tatro and CPL Davis. Bring them and any other information about these three servicemen to Lisa Owens, director of the Appanoose County Veterans Affairs, at 19999 St. Joseph Drive in Centerville across from Mercy Medical Center. Her telephone number is (641) 856-6597 or (641) 856-5479.