35th Infantry (Cacti) Regiment Association


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  CPL Elvin Wallace Haase    In memory of our fallen brother

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother"



Love Company
35th Infantry Regiment
Korean War


"Not For Fame or Reward
Not For Place or For Rank
But In Simple Obedience To
Duty as They Understood It"

National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal United Nations Korean Service Medal Republic of Korea War Service Medal



The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, CPL Elvin Wallace Haase, RA27352523, who died in the service of his country on November 26th, 1950 in North Korea. The cause of death was listed as Captured-Died POW. At the time of his death Elvin was 21 years of age. He was from Bertha, Minnesota. Elvin's Military Occupation Specialty was 4745-Light Weapons Infantryman.

The decorations earned by CPL Elvin Wallace Haase include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Korea Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.


Sergeant Haase was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in North Korea on November 26, 1950 and died while a prisoner on April 9, 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. For his leadership and valor, Sergeant Haase was awarded the Silver Star, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

The first Chinese action against the 35th Infantry occurred at 3:45 a.m. 26 November when a Chinese patrol of about 15 soldiers crept upon a mortar outpost of Love Company, surprised it and took four prisoners. They also killed one American and wounded two others. Apparently this patrol had the specific mission of capturing prisoners for intelligence purposes. There was no enemy attack, however, following this enemy patrol action.
(Appleman, "Disaster In Korea", pp 132)