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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Sep '91
Rollin White Skilton NO. 16055 CLASS OF 1946
Missing in action on 6 December 1950, between Hagaru-ri and Koto-ri,
south of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, aged 26 years; declared
dead, 31 December 1953. Interment East Morris Cemetery, Morris,
Connecticut. |
CHANGJIN! This word was on the map Rollin Skilton used in late
November early December 1950 in North Korea. He may or may not
have known that the body of water known as the Chosin Reservoir
would go down in history as the locale of a series of epic battles
against overwhelming odds. He could not know that in 1983 the
survivors of these battles, from all services, would organize
an exclusive fraternity of honor named the "Chosin Few,"
with membership requirements both simple and stringent: you must
have been there. Its aims are equally simple: to honor the valor,
sacrifice and duty of the survivors, but especially to honor
the thousands of brave young men who gave their lives at CHANGJIN.
One of those brave men was Rollin White Skilton.
Born on 9 March 1924 in Waterbury Connecticut, Rollin spent
most of his youth in Morris, Connecticut, a small rural community.
After graduating from Morris High School, Rollin spent a year
at the New Britain Teachers College. He gained an appointment
to enter West Point in 1942 with the Class of 1945. Unfortunately,
he came up short in plebe math and was found. Rollin then went
to "Doe Silverman's" in New York City for intensive
math courses, passed the re-entrance exams, and again entered
West Point in 1943 as a member of the Class of 1946.
Academics continued to cause Rollin problems, but he always
managed to stay ahead of the power curve. He was a terrific lineman
in intramural football and participated in the ski club, the
squash club and the weight lifting club. He had a great sense
of duty and really loved West Point and all it stood for. Graduation
saw Rollin become a second lieutenant of Infantry.
Rollin took off enough time from the Infantry School at Christmas
in 1946 to marry Barbara E. Way on 28 December 1946 at Old Saybrook,
Connecticut. Rollin's first assignment was as executive officer,
A Company, 17th Infantry, 7th Division at Inchon, Korea. The
company was detached from its battalion and assigned as a guard
company for Quartermaster installations in the Inchon area. Being
hardly the duty a young Infantry lieutenant wanted, Rollin was
pleased to rotate with his unit back to Japan. Not only did his
duty change, but he brought Barbara and his daughter Barbara
JoAnn to Camp Crawford in February 1949. One of his fellow officers,
Hodges S. Escue, recalls that Rollin was a professional soldier,
competent and skilled in the field. New second lieutenants wanted
to emulate him and senior offlcers relied upon hirn, yet the
trait that made Rollin stand out was his gentlemanly demeanor.
He was courteous to all, both subordinates and superiors alike,
and he treated newly-assigned officers with compassion and won
their respect.
When the Korean War broke out in June 1950, Rollin was reassigned
to the S-3 Section of the 31st Infantry as a liaison officer
to the 17th Infantry. When the 7th Division landed at Inchon,
Korea, Rollin continued as liaison officer between the 31st Infantry
and the 17th Infantry and also when the 7th Division landed at
Iwon in an attack into North Korea in early November 1950. When
the Chinese entered the War and were about to overrun Eighth
Arrny in the west, the mission of X Corps was changed with the
1st Marine Division to attack west of the Chosin Reservoir to
relieve the pressure on Eighth Army, and the 7th Division was
to send a force to the east side of the Chosin to attack north.
These attacks were to take place 27 November 1950. In order to
meet the timetable the closest 7th Division elements were ordered
to the east side of the Chosin.
The closest and first unit to arrive was the 1st Battalion
of the 32nd Infantry, followed by the 3rd Battalion and Headquarters
Company. The 2nd Battalion was to join but got only as far as
Koto-ri. When Colonel Allan D. MacClean (USMA 3()), 31st Infantry
commander arrived on 26 November, his units and others were scattered
along the road from Hagaru-ri at the southern, tip of the Chosin
Reservoir northward along the eastern side. Since all units were
not from the 31st Infantry, the force was designated Regimental
Combat Team (RCT) 31.
The events surrounding the actions around the Chosin are described
in three books: The
Forgotten War by Clay Blair; East
of Chosin by Roy E. Appleman and Escaping
the Trap also bv Roy E. Appleman. Rollin Skilton is mentioned
in each of these books. The separated parts of RCT 31 were isolated
from each other and from higher command; communications had deteriorated
rapidly. On the evening of 27 November, First Lieutenant Rollin
Skilton, now liaison officer between RCT 31 and the 1st Marine
Division at Hagaruri, delivered the RCT 31 operations order from
the RCT Main CP at Hudong-ni to the forward CP of the 1/32nd
ten miles to the north along the eastern shore of the Chosin
Reservoir. After delivering the document, Rollin drove off into
the night back to Hudong-ni and then on to Hagaru-ri. He was
probably the last person to travel back down that road to Hudong-ni,
as soon thereafter the Chinese attacked the 1/32nd and the 3/31
st.
A very important factor during all the action was the cold.
Night-time temperatures fell to 25 degrees below zero. Daytime
temperatures were seldom above zero.
Command of RCT 31 was assumed by LTC Don C. Faith, commanding
officer of the 1/32nd, after MacLean was captured. The troops
of RCT 31 fought bravely but the unit was decimated in fierce
battles over the next few days. LTC Faith attempted a breakout
from his untenable position at noon on 1 December, but the breakout
foundered at Hill 1221 and the survivors escaped by walking over
the frozen reservoir. Rollin and other members of the 31st Infantry
at Hagaru-ri coordinated the rearward passage of lines so that
survivors coming across the ice would not be fired upon by the
Marines. When the elements of the 1st Marine Division had fought
their way back to Hagaru-ri they joined the remnants of RCT 31
to fight back to Hungnam on the coast. The route they were to
follow was defended by elements of seven Chinese divisions.
This battle from the Chosin Reservoir to the sea received
much publicity at the time, but little has ever been said about
the provisional Army unit of 490 men who were left from RCT 31.
It was designated the 31st Regiment, 7th Division and formed
into two provisional battalions. The 3/31st consisted of I Company
commanded by Captain George A. Rasula; K Company commanded by
Captain Robert J. Kitz; and L Company commanded by Lieutenant
Robert Boyer. Rollin Skilton was a platoon leader in L Company.
The breakout started at first light on 6 December 1950. In the
early afternoon of the 6th, L Company engaged in a fierce battle
with the Chinese and its commander, Lieutenant Boyer, was killed.
Rollin Skilton was wounded in the same action. Colonel George
A. Rasula (Ret), recalls that he didn't hear about Rollin being
wounded until late on 6 December. The only certain facts are
that Rollin was seriously wounded he placed himself on a litter
and the litter was put on a vehicle. What happened after that
will remain forever unknown.
Subsequent events indicate that Rollin died on 6 December
1950 from his wounds and the effects of-the extreme cold. His
body was taken to Koto-ri and placed in the mass grave dug by
the Marines. At the time, however, Barbara was notified that
Rollin was missing in action. Barbara and her daughter
returned to Connecticut. One of the provisions of the final treaty
ending the Korean War was the return of the bodies from the two
Marine mass graves at Yudam-ni (west of the Chosin) and at Koto-ri.
In March 1955, Barbara received a letter from Washington that
Rollin's body had been received from the Communists and that
he had been interred in the Marine mass grave at Koto-ri. Rollin's
West Point ring had been with his body, bearing the inscription
"West Point Class of 1946," his name and US Army. Rollin
was buried in Morris, Connecticut on 16 April 1955, almost four
and one-half years after he died. He was survived by his wife,
Barbara, daughter Barbara Jo-Ann, his parents and two brothers.
Rollin was always so proud of his daughter and would be pleased
to know that she graduated from Wagner College, is a nurse and
is married with three beautiful children.
Rollin Skilton was a good soldier and a loving, caring husband
and father. Barbara heard from many of Rollin's friends, superiors
and his men during the long years waiting to learn what had happened
to him. The following represent some of their comments:
"Rollin was a rare individual and a wonderful friend.
He was loved, admired and respected by all who knew him."
"Your husband Rollin was an honored respected and beloved
member of the 31st Infantry and it was my privilege to have had
him on my staff. His optimism and cheerfulness were always a
comfort to me and I depended on him with confidence."
"I knew your husband, Rollin, very well and in addition
to admiring him, I was very fond of him. He was a fine officer
and performed his duties as a combat leader in a superior manner.
I am proud that I was able to serve with him.'
"I don't believe that there ever was an officer that
l liked or had more respect for than Lieutenant Skilton."
Rollin performed his "Duty" in an exemplary manner,
always concerned for the welfare of his men. They knew his word
was his bond. His "Honor" was one of the attributes
that endeared him to them. Rollin didn't have to ask what he
could do for his "Country," he knew He served it with
the utmost of his ability, eventually making the supreme sacrifice
during one of the epic battles in history. The Class of 1946
is proud to claim Rollin White Skilton as one of its own. The
Class pays homage to a brave soldier, classmate and friend.
'46 Memorial Article Project and his wife, Barbara
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