Warren Dupree, left, Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 commander, holds a never-before-seen photo of PFC Charles George which was donated by Doug Morrow, right, whose father served with PFC George in the Korean War. The photograph was donated to the Post 143 Museum during an event at Post Headquarters in Cherokee, N.C. on the evening of Monday, Aug. 18. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – A new photo of PFC Charles George, Medal of Honor recipient, has surfaced. The photo, which shows PFC George with his unit during the Korean War, was donated to the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 for its museum during a meeting at Post Headquarters in Cherokee, N.C. on the evening of Monday, Aug. 18.
PFC George, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), received the Medal of Honor posthumously after throwing himself on a grenade to save two fellow soldiers during the Korean War. He passed away from his injuries on Nov. 30, 1952 near Songnae-dong, Korea.
This is a never-before-seen photo of PFC Charles George which was donated by Doug Morrow whose father served with PFC George in the Korean War.
“This is a never-before-seen photograph of Charles George,” Warren Dupree, Post 143 commander, told the crowd. “This was probably taken right before he was killed in 1952. He is the young man right at the center and he looks like a seasoned warrior – bad to the bone, hard. This is amazing.”
The photo was donated by Doug Morrow whose father, Troy Morrow, served with PFC George in the U.S. Army’s 179th Regiment, 3rd Battalion. Both served in a unit nicknamed the “Pagan Raiders”.
Doug Morrow commented, “It was a nickname because there was a core group of guys within the 179th and 3rd battalion, that Charles George was in and my dad was in, that were picked to do nighttime raids into the North Korean trenches and the Chinese trenches to bring back prisoners. So, if you read the citation, it states that.”
Joey Owle, right, donates a U.S. Navy peacoat that belonged to his late grandfather, James Driver Jacobs.
Troy Morrow served for 15 years, over 10,000 hours, at the VA Medical Center in Ashville, N.C. which was renamed the Charles George VA Medical Center after his retirement. Along with the photo, Doug Morrow donated several pieces of his father’s Army memorabilia including a Drill Sergeant parade helmet, dog tags, photos, his Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and an Ambassador of Peace medal.
Commander Dupree told Doug Morrow, “Thank you for your kindness. Your father’s memory will live on with Charles George.”
On the same evening, Joey Owle, an EBCI tribal member from Wayohi (Wolftown), donated a U.S. Navy peacoat that belonged to his grandfather, James Driver Jacobs, who was also an EBCI tribal member.
Owle noted, “He enlisted into the United States Navy on June 11, 1946. The highest rank he attained was seaman, a construction recruit, as I’ve come to find out. He was discharged at the United States National Academy of Sciences in Jacksonville, Fla. on the fifth of May, 1948.”
He added, “I came here last year for the Veteran’s Day honoring, in this room, and I was looking around at all the wonderful memorabilia that represent members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that have served. So, this is his peacoat. I’m very amazed at the quality of it, made in the United States…my grandma kept mothballs and everything so all the clothes that we have are very well-preserved and nothing is eaten up. But, I would like to donate it to the American Legion for display.”
Commander Dupree said, “This is a very rare item, indeed. What we are going to do is we will have a mannequin with this on…as we expand our museum and build on it, this will be in it…This way his memory will live on. To be in the closet with nobody watching, nobody looking, that’s when we disappear from everything. This way, he will live on forever.”
Gerard Ball, EBCI tribal veterans service officer, helped facilitate both donations. “I’m extremely glad that the office was able to coordinate with Joey and Doug and to be able to make these connections and bring these items to the Post to be displayed for our community.”
Doug Morrow contacted Ball and texted the photo of PFC George to him as they began discussing the logistics of the donation. “As soon as I saw that picture I was like, ‘wow, that is an amazing story’.”
Ball went on to say, “This is probably a once in a very seldom opportunity to get two pieces of our military history in great shape and with a story…both of these items are where they’re meant to be.”
A photo, taken after the presentations, shows, left to right, Joey Owle, Gerard Ball, Doug Morrow, and Warren Dupree.
