A child of the depression, James Perry received a commission as a Lieutenant in the Army Infantry, and arrived in France with the 97th Division in late 1944. He was a Captain with the 2nd Infantry Division when war broke out in Korea. He served with the 9th Infantry Regiment from the Pusan Perimeter all the way north toward the Yalu River. After the Chinese launched an offensive, he survived running 'the Guantlet' at Kunu-Ri, where he earned the first of two Silver Stars.
Interview Links
Abstract
Feature Excerpt
First through the gaunlet
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Service during WW II and first year of Korean War
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Combat operations in Korean War
Transcript
Related Materials
Picture Captions
Detailed descriptions of the pictures listed below
Photos
Caption
2nd Lieutenant James Perry in 1945 following the war, while stationed at Frankfurt, Germany.
Where:
Frankfurt, Germany
When:
1945
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Lieutenants Humphrey, Perry and Rogalski in late 1945, taken at Horst, Germany, where an Opal plant operated. The three are standing in front of a mess tent.
Where:
Horst, Germany
When:
late 1945
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Lieutenants Clark, Perry and Thompson, members of the 386th Infantry Regiment, 97th Infantry Division, taken in April of 1945 in Bavaria, Germany.
Where:
Bavaria, Germany
When:
April of 1945
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Lieutenant Perry on the left encounters three German children near Frankfurt, Germany.
Where:
near Frankfurt, Germany
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Marie Wagner at the time of her marriage to Lieutenant Perry in 1945. She worked for the American Consulate General in Frankfurt immediately after the war.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1945
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
A group photo of ‘A’ Company, 386th Infantry Regiment taken in Bavaria near the end of the war in Europe in 1945. Lieutenant Perry is kneeling at the center in the picture.
Where:
Bavaria, Germany
When:
1945
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Captain Perry walks past a formation of 2nd Infantry Division troops getting ready to ‘Pass in Review’ at Love Field, Fort Lewis, Washington. The caption reads “Jim Perry” & our Chevy.”
Where:
Love Field, Fort Lewis, Washington
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Fox Company of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment in formation somewhere in Korea, circa October/November of 1950. The company commander is David H. Hill, with Lieutenants Chapman, Crosley, Micelli and Lamp standing behind him.
Where:
Korea
When:
circa October/November of 1950
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Assault Battalion for the 2nd battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment 2nd Infantry Division. This group were survivors of the Chinese invasion and the unit’s run through the ‘Gauntlet’, after which the unit was declared ‘non-combat effective.’
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Major Perry at the ‘Old Armory’ on Charter Street in Madison, Wisconsin, then working as an advisor to both U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers.
Where:
the 'Old Armory' on Charter Street in Madison, Wisconsin
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Capt Perry’s official promotion photo taken in 1953 while stationed in Madison, Wisconsin. Note the Presidential Unit award ribbon on his uniform, earned while in Korea. Perry worked as an army advisor to the United States Army Reserve at the time.”
Where:
Madison, Wisconsin
When:
1953
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Major Perry while stationed in Madison, Wisconsin where he worked as an advisor to the 5th Army, USAR in 1955.
Where:
Madison, Wisconsin
When:
1955
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Lieutenant Colonel Perry poses for an official Army photo in 1959 while he was assigned to the Army’s Air Defense School at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He worked as an infantry tactics instructor.”
Where:
the Army’s Air Defense School at Ft. Bliss, Texas
When:
1959
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
James Perry, Jr. and James Perry Senior, taken in the summer of 2004 in Port Byron, Illinois. The two were celebrating Jim senior’s 83rd birthday. Olive, the family’s English cocker, joins them.
Where:
Port Byron, Illinois
When:
2004
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo