Robert L. Payne, Korean War CasualtyPorter County Data on Korean War Casualties . . . .
Robert L. Payne
Private First Class, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: October 19, 1929
Date of Death: July 24, 1950
Cause of Death: Killed in Action (Yongdong, South Korea)
Date of Enlistment: July 23, 1948
Awards: Purple Heart
Hometown: Furnessville
Newspaper Notices:
Valparaiso Youth, 19, Missing In Acton
Donald Walsh Listed On Army Notice
Is Second Young Area Man On Casualty Report
A 19-year-old Valparaiso army private today was reported to be missing in action
since July 20 in Korea.
The young soldier is Pvt. Donald E. Walsh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Walsh, 354
Lafayette.
A message conveying the tragic news was received here Monday by the parents from
the US department of defense. They were advised that further notice would be
forthcoming.
Young Walsh is the second Porter county man to be included in the Korean
casualty list, and the first from Valparaiso.
Robert Payne, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Payne, of Furnessville, was reported
killed in action in Korea, July 24, according to word received by the parents
Aug. 7 from the department of defense.
2 Years In Japan
Young Walsh was serving with the 24th Army, 19th Infantry, in Korea. He enlisted
in the service in October, 1947, and two years ago was sent to Japan.
Born in Valparaiso Sept. 7, 1930, he attended the Gardner and Central schools.
After completing the eighth grade he joined the US army.
Four of his brothers served in World War II. They are Capt. Harold T. Walsh,
Elkhart, Ind.; Richard Lewis Walsh, Hollywood, Calif.; Robert Charles Walsh,
Gary, and John Michael Walsh, Valparaiso.
There are two other brothers. They are James Frederick Walsh, who resides at
Burbank, Calif., and Thomas Walsh, Jr., who attended Valparaiso high school.
There are also three sisters, Mrs. Frances Keper, Chicago; Mrs. Rachel Dian,
Gary and Mrs. Phyllis Stephens, Valparaiso.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August
22, 1950; Volume 24, Number 41, Page 1, Column 2
Former Area Youth Killed In Action
Richard Lewry Once Resided At Furnessville
For the second time since the Korean conflict started, Furnessville, in Pine
Township, today is in mourning because a former resident of the small hamlet in
northeast Porter county has been killed in action.
He was Pfc. Richard Lewry, who died from wounds received in action Aug. 18.
As a boy he was a familiar figure in Furnessville. The son of Mr. and Mrs. John
Lewry, members of a pioneer family of Furnessville, he attended the Chesterton
grade school. Also, as a boy he was a playmate of Pfc. Robert Payne, who was
killed recently in action in Korea, the first reported in the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewry, parents of the war hero, now live at Portsmouth, O., where
they moved 10 years ago. Furnessville friends have just received word of his
death.
Besides his parents, young Lewry is survived by a sister, Karen, age 18.
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Payne, of Furnessville, parents of Pfc. Robert Payne,
reported killed Aug. 30, in Korea, have received word that their son has been
awarded posthumously the Purple Heart ribbon.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August
31, 1950; Volume 24, Number 49, Page 1, Column 4
Burlington Beach Youth Killed In Korea
R. L. Emery Is Victim, Family Hears
First Valparaiso Youth Reported Dead In This War
Robert Lee Emery, 20, has been killed in action in Korea, his mother, Mrs. B. F.
Ripley of Burlington Beach, learned Sunday night when she received a telegram
from the war department. He died Oct. 15.
The decedent was born May 6, 1930, in Piedmont, Mo., and came to this area about
15 years ago. His father preceded him in death in 1931. He formerly lived in
Valparaiso where he attended Central school and had resided with his mother at
Flint lake prior to enlisting in the Army in 1949.
Emery was the first resident of the Valparaiso area to be officially reported as
killed in action in this war. However, two other Porter county youths, Robert
Payne, 20, and Richard Lewry, both of Furnessville, were reported to have been
killed in Korea July 24 and Aug. 31, respectively. Another Valparaiso youth,
Pvt. Donald E. Walsh, 19, was reported missing in action in Korea on July 20,
and no further word has been received about him.
After his enlistment, Emery received his basic training in Kentucky and later
was sent to Japan where he was stationed when war broke out in Korea last June.
Details surrounding his death were not included in the telegram received Sunday
by his mother.
Brief Time In Korea
He had been in Korea only a short time. His mother received a letter only last
week which he had written while en route from Japan to Korea.
He was employed in the Gary Steel mills before enlisting in the Army.
Surviving in addition to his mother are four sister, Mrs. Florene Palmer of 1705
North Washington, Mrs. Louise Blake of 702 Franklin, Mrs. Mary Ann Bennett of
RFD 5, Valparaiso, and Mrs. Dorothy Roden of Gary, and three brothers, Jeff
Thompson of 1706 Washington, Lester Thompson of RFD 5, Valparaiso, and Jack
Edward Emery of South Locust.
The brief telegram did not indicate when the victim's body would be sent back to
this country.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
October 23, 1950; Volume
24, Number 94, Page 1, Column 2
Area GI's Body In US
Robert Payne Was County's First Korean War Victim
The body of the first Porter county soldier killed in the Korean war has arrived
in the United States, according to a department of defense news release.
He is Robert Payne, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Payne, of Furnessville, and
former student at the Chesterton High school.
According to the defense department Payne was killed in action in Korea July 24,
a little over a month after the outbreak of the war.
His death occurred almost two years from the day he enlisted in the army for a
three years' service on July 23, 1948.
C H S Student
Born in Furnessville Oct. 19, 1929, young Payne attended the Chesterton High
school where he finished his junior year before joining the army.
Before going to Korea Pfc. Payne was a member of the U. S. occupation forces in
Japan.
Surviving besides his parents are two brothers, Edward and Donald, and two
sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Westfall, Michigan City, and Mrs. Jayne Willett,
Chesterton.
No plans have been formulated by the family for holding the funeral rites.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June
25, 1951; Volume
24, Number 94, Page 1, Column 2
Return to
List of
Porter County Korean War Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook