Laying of Roses

[thedrifter]

Valley Korean War Veterans gather in Austintown to pay tribute to a fallen hero. The group unveiled a memorial honoring Private First Class John D. Kelly during a laying of the roses ceremony. Kelly...a Youngstown native...is one of only two Korean War medal of honor recipients from the state of Ohio. He served as radio operator with the First Battalion 7th Marines before being killed in action in 1952. Kelly is remembered for a heroic battle against Korean forces...where he single handily assaulted a machine gun bunker

"HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE ACT BUT CONTINUED TO FIGHT AND CHARGED FROM ONE NEST TO ANOTHER. WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED IN THE PROCESS, BUT MOTIVATED HIS PLATOON AND COMPANY TO CONTINUE ON THE CHARGE AND EVENTUALLY THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF HIS ACTIONS."--Major Mike Stull Speaker, YSU Military Science Professor.

123 soldiers from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties died while serving in the Korean War.

Ellie