Australians Missing In Action Korean War
Recovery and Identification

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Australians Missing in Action in the Korean War

 

The Not Forgotten Men in a Forgotten War

 

This website is dedicated to the 43 Australian Military Force servicemen who became Missing in Action (MIA), presumed killed, in the Korean War who have no known grave, and to their recovery and identification. This website is equally dedicated to the past and present family members of these servicemen. 
 
The investigation and recovery of Australian MIAs process is currently being advanced by the Australian Defence Force, Unrecovered War Casualties-Army Branch, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Further information can be found at the MIA Progress Report page.
 
When remains are recovered, identification will be a priority. Therefore, through this website, we are seeking the public's assistance in locating family members of the Australian MIAs (highlighted in red below), for the purpose of securing Family References Samples of DNA for comparative analysis to any remains recovered. Without these DNA family reference samples, these servicemen are unlikely to ever be identified. 
 
If you have information that may help us locate the families of Australian MIAs (those highlighted), please contact us.
  
 
AUSTRALIANS MISSING IN ACTION IN THE KOREAN WAR - ARMY        
Surname First Name/s Awards Service No. Rank Unit MIA in Korea Last Known Location
               
ASHE John Berkley   3/3706 CPL 2nd Battalion, RAR 28/05/1953 South Korea DMZ
BOURKE Edmund George MID 2/401173 PTE 2nd Battalion, RAR 7/06/1953 South Korea DMZ
BRADY Francis   4/400156 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
CHRISTIE John King   5/2514 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 15/04/1953 South Korea DMZ
FOOT Thomas Randolph   2/401322 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/05/1953 North Korea DMZ
GRIFFITHS Leslie John   3/10647 PTE 1st Battalion, RAR 11/12/1952 North Korea DMZ
HALL John Rogers   5/400213 PTE Reinfmnt Holding Unit 3/10/1952 Lost at Sea*
HODGKISSON Joseph William   5/400181 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
KUNKEL William Rudolph   1/1641 PTE 1st Battalion, RAR 16/11/1952 South Korea DMZ
LORD William Thomas Henry   2/400437 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 13/07/1952 North Korea DMZ
McKANDRY John Lawrence   2/400919 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/05/1953 North Korea DMZ
MURPHY William Kevin   3/400143 CPL 3rd Battalion, RAR 24/04/1951 South Korea
NICHOLSON John William   2/400798 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/05/1953 North Korea DMZ
ROOTES Reginald Donald   2/5124 PTE 1st Battalion, RAR 11/12/1952 North Korea DMZ
RYAN Laurence Bonaventure   3/37672 LT 3rd Battalion, RAR 13/07/1952 North Korea DMZ
SAUNDERS John Philip   3/400868 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
SCURRY Arthur John    5/2103 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
SHENNON Ronald William   1/400304 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
SMITH Francis Charles MID 2/35020 LT 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
TERRY Lionel John MID 3/400376 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 25/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
WALLACE Thomas George   3/400430 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 13/07/1952 North Korea DMZ
WHITE Peter   3/400608 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/01/1953 North Korea DMZ
WHITEHOUSE Dennis Edward   3/10796 PTE 3rd Battalion, RAR 14/08/1952 North Korea DMZ
               
               
AUSTRALIANS MISSING IN ACTION IN THE KOREAN WAR - RAAF        
Surname First Name/s Awards Service No. Rank Unit MIA in Korea  
               
ARMIT Ernest Donald US Air Medal O22221 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 1/12/1951 North Korea
BROWNE-GAYLORD Mark Astil Baren Henry DFC , US Air Medal O23665 FLTLT 77 Squadron, RAAF 27/01/1952 North Korea
CHALMERS Peter Botley   O35079 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 26/03/1953 North Korea
COLEBROOK Maxwell Edwin  DFM, US Air Medal O5895 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 13/04/1952 North Korea
COWPER Lionel Henry Cadogan US Air Medal O33831 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 30/03/1952 North Korea
ELLIS Donald Campbell US DFC&Air Medal O21261 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 22/12/1950 North Korea
GILLAN Bruce Thomson US Air Medal O33625 FLGOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 27/01/1952 Lost at Sea
HALLEY John Beverley MID O5309 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 11/02/1953 North Korea
HILLIER Donald   O4425 SQNLDR 77 Squadron, RAAF 8/03/1953 North Korea
LAWRENSON Frederick James DFC, AFC, MID O22005 SQNLDR 77 Squadron, RAAF 24/12/1952 North Korea
PURSSEY Ian Goodwin Swan DFC, US Air Medal O11561 FLTLT 77 Squadron, RAAF 22/04/1952 Lost at Sea
ROBERTSON Donald Neil   O32536 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 15/05/1952 North Korea
ROBERTSON Douglas Merson US Air Medal  O5672 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 11/11/1951 North Korea
ROBINSON Richard George US Air Medal O22422 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 15/02/1952 North Korea
SMITH Kenneth Dudley US Air Medal O33843 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 8/07/1952 North Korea
STEPHENS Geoffrey Ingram US DFC&Air Medal O647 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 6/01/1951 South Korea DMZ
STRANGE Harold Thomas   A2997 SGT 77 Squadron, RAAF 19/03/1951 Lost at Sea
SURMAN John Leonard US Air Medal O32537 PLTOFF 77 Squadron, RAAF 9/06/1952 North Korea
               
               
AUSTRALIANS MISSING IN ACTION IN THE KOREAN WAR - RAN        
Surname First Name/s Awards Service No. Rank Unit MIA in Korea  
               
CLARKSON Keith Elwood DFM   LT 805 Squadron, RAN 5/11/1951 North Korea
COLEMAN Ronald James     SUB LT 805 Squadron, RAN 2/01/1952 Lost at Sea
               
* Lost at Sea = Pte John Rogers HALL was lost at sea while enroute to Australia after Korean War service.     

 

AFC = Air Force Cross

DFC = Distinguished Flying Cross

DFM = Distinguished Flying Medal

DMZ = Demilitarisation Zone

MID = Mentioned in Dispatches
 
 
 
This website is sponsored by OPERATION AUSSIES HOME INC  
 
Copyright 2011 Ian Saunders