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)
03/12/2021
- KOREAN WAR
- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- Unaccounted For
Sergeant John William Gahan joined the U.S. Air Force from Kentucky and was a member of the 6132nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. On November 30, 1950, he was on temporary duty with the 2nd Infantry Division operating in a forward position near Kunu-ri, North Korea, when advancing enemy troops overran the unit's position. Sgt Gahan was last seen leaving the area on foot. Enemy presence prevented organized ground searches for Sgt Gahan, and he was declared missing in action. His name later appeared on an unofficial enemy propaganda release; however, Sgt Gahan could never be confirmed as a prisoner of war. He has not been associated with any remains returned to U.S. custody, and is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Gahan 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.