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A TRUE
AMERICAN HERO
By Doug Dillard
On January 2, 2009 the Secretary of the Army approved
the posthumous award of the Distinguished Service
Cross for Army Ranger SFC William T. Miles, Jr. The
award for valor was due to Miles’ extraordinary heroism during
the Korean War.
Colonel Douglas C. Dillard (Ret), a Korean War veteran in the
same unit as Miles, while researching his book, Special Airborne
Operations, Korea, 1950 to 1953, discovered the details on which
to base his recommendation for the DSC. He located a U.S. and
several Korean survivors of “Operation Spitfire.” With this substantiated
data, the DSC was submitted in July 2003.
Ranger SFC Miles was in the 4th Ranger Infantry Company
(Airborne) when he volunteered for a classified mission with the
Eighth US Army 8086th Army Unit. Along with three other
Rangers, Miles jumped into North Korea in March 1951. Their
mission was to sabotage railroad tunnels to impede logistical
support for Chinese Communist Forces on the frontline.
Unfortunately, the winter weather became very severe. The
Rangers landed safely, but in waist-deep snow. The security
around the railroad tunnels was tight. Since the tunnels were
heavily guarded, the mission was aborted.
The sub-zero temperatures affected the radio batteries, so contact
to coordinate a rescue could not be made. The four Rangers
planned a route of exfiltration across mountainous terrain to
reach the east coast of North Korea.
Sgt. Miles continued trying to reactivate the radio. Finally, on
a very sunny day, he succeeded. Miles was able to contact friendly
lines and request a helicopter rescue. Once the mission was
coordinated, the Navy flew in three helicopters. One crashed; the
pilot, along with one of the Rangers, was captured by the North
Koreans.
16
The Captain of USS St. Paul receives Sgt Miles and Cpl Pucel after their rescue from a North Korean ambush. Miles and Pucel were lifted
out by Navy helicopters. Miles was shot in the face as he was being lifted to the helicopter. Nevertheless, he volunteered to jump on
Operation Spitfire—and was lost.
May – June 2009
The Graybeards