Data Sources - Air Force Manual No. 200-25A, Department of the Air Force, Washington, October 16, 1961 page 1. Sanitized copy. National Archives KOREAN Conflict Casualty File (KCCF) 1950-1954.
03/92 -- Korea, and the men yet to be accounted for -- the "official list" -- is a list of U.S. servicemen known to have been
held as prisoners of war by the red Chinese and North Koreans from the Korean War
but not released or accounted for by the communists, as released on May 27,
1957 at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Far East and Pacific by the Department
of Defense.
The lists, the printed minutes of the May 27, 1957 hearing and the
"sense of congress" resolution were subsequently buried in the
archives. The original list had 450 names compiled from American POWS who were
repatriated by the Reds, as well as from photographs released by the Reds, Chinese
radio propaganda broadcasts, and letters written home by captured men. The "revised" list was narrowed down in august of 1961 to 389 men, and
all were arbitrarily declared dead by the military services, the USG still
lists them as "unaccounted for".
Names and ranks only were released at the time, and printed in "The Spotlight" on August 27, 1979, along with the above information and background. Further information has been compiled by the P.O.W. Network from the Hawaii POW/MIA Korean Memorial records, National Archives documentation, and public United States Air Force documentation, and changes made to the original published information. (FEBRUARY 1992)
James Crutchfield is listed on the "HONOR ROLL OF FORGOTTEN AMERICANS" yet is noted as having died "while missing" by the National Archive.
03/11/2021
- KOREAN WAR
- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- Unaccounted For
Lieutenant Colonel James Frank Crutchfield, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Florida, served with the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Group. On July 23, 1952, he piloted an F-80 Shooting Star (serial number 49-3600, call sign "Whippet Roger") when it departed Suwon Air Base, South Korea, as the lead in a formation of twenty F-80s on a bombing mission against enemy supply and troop concentrations southwest of Wonsan, North Korea. While over a target, his aircraft's left wing was hit by enemy ground fire and caught fire. He ejected safely, and other pilots in the flight saw him parachute to the ground, fold up his parachute, and walk away from the area. Several rescue helicopters attempted to hover long enough to pick him up, but all were turned back by heavy enemy fire. Lt Col Crutchfield was believed to have been captured by enemy forces, but no returning POWs mentioned having contact with him, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, Lieutenant Colonel Crutchfield is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Deferred.
If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.
 Lt Col JAMES FRANK CRUTCHFIELD
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