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Guenther Burrer Missing
in Action on Korean Front Master Sergeant Guenther Burrer, 33. son of August Burrer and the late Mrs. Burrer, has been listed as missing in action in Korea since February 12, 1951.
His sister, Mrs. Dick Ebert and father late last Wednesday afternoon received the telegraphic message listing him as missing, from the U. S. War Department in Washington.
Burrer is an Army veteran and had served with distinction as a paratrooper in
Europe during War II. He has been in the Army 10 years and left here in August 1950.
He trained at Camp Hood and in Arkansas before being shipped Korea. He was serving with Headquarters, First Battalion, 38th Infantry in Korea.
In a letter to his father, dated January 29th, Sgt. Burrer stated that he had seen 161 days of fighting out of the 164 days had been in that country.
Sgt. Burrer is the third Gillespie County casualty of the Korean
war that started at the end of June 1950. Kermit Koch, son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Koch was listed as "missing in action" in the early stages of the war, and his parents have received no information concerning him since their first report.
Master Sergeant Edwin Grienke, son oi Mr. and Mrs. Eddy Grienke, was killed in action last fall. His wife and son returned from Japan in December.
[Fredericksburg Standard, Fredericksburg, TX,
14 March 1941, Wed, Page
1] |
Sgt. Guenther Burrer
Prisoner of Chinese
Sgt. Guenther Burrer, son of August Burrer,
is a prisoner of the Chinese, Sgt. Jack M. Anderson, buddy of Guenther, wrote his folks this week.
Anderson, now a patient at Letterman Hospital in San Francisco, where he is recovering from wounds that meant the difference between his being held a captive and being released to his own men, has been with Burrer since last July when both joined the 1st Battalion of the 38th Infantry at Ft. Lewis.
“By now,’’ Sgt. Anderson wrote, “I’m sure you have received word from the Department of Defense that G. A., has been missing in
action since around February 12.
This is to try and give you hope that your son is well and getting treatment that we wouldn’t classify as good, but is good as
far as oriental standards are concerned.
"Gabie and I were taken prisoner by the Chinese after I had been quite badly wounded. We were together for about eleven days, then the sound-bodied men were moved on north from Honchow, Korea and the wounded returned to friendly lines in the . vicinity of Hongsong.
“These men that were moved north were to go to a PA camp in either North Korea or on into China/ The Chinese official was not certain as to the ultimate objective, but only knew that for the time they must make a march of four or five days duration.
“I know that you are going to worry about your son, but I can offer this much: during the time we were prisoners together we received good treatment; the Chinese were very friendly.
“G. A. was in good health and spent most of his time on camp organization and generally helping those he could. During the
next few days and when on the march, most all his extra strength was spent helping me make it. I owe your son a lot, for
without him my way would have been far more difficult. He is a great guy and I’m sure one day will be back in Fredericksburg.”
[Fredericksburg Standard, Fredericksburg, TX, 28 March 1952, Wed, Page 1] |
Army Confirms
Hill Country
POW's Death
FREDERICKSBURG. Feb. 12 (ANS) The death of Master Sergeant Guenther A. Burrer, 33, in a Korean prisoner of war camp May 15, 1951, has been confirmed by the Department of Defense.
Official notification of the death was received by relatives here.
Several repatriated soldiers, the letter from the department stated, reported being with Sgt. Burrer when he was captured near Hoeng-song, South Korea, on Feb. 12, 1951. He was suffering battle wounds at the time. One of the soldiers said he witnessed Burrer's death of beri-beri May 15, 1951, while in the hands of the Communists in North Korea. Another soldier reported he had been in his burial detail.
MSgt. Burrer was born in Fredericksburg Oct 20, 1917, a son of Mr. and Mrs. August Burrer. He attended local schools and enlisted in the Army in 1940. He served with distinction as a
paratrooper in Europe during World War IL His last visit home was in the summer of 1950.
Survivors include his father, August Burrer, two sisters. Mrs. J.
M. Ebert and Mrs. Edmund Alberthal, all of Fredericksburg.
Memorial services for Sgt. Burrer will be held Sunday, Feb. 28, at 10:30 a. m. in Zion Lutheran Church with the Rev. Gus Sager officiating.
[Fredericksburg Standard, Fredericksburg, TX, 13 February 1954,
Sat, Page
30] |
