Posted on 05/03/2017 2:05:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Sgt. Charles Layton was 6,000 miles from home and 21-years-old when he became a prisoner of war.
In the early 1950s, he spent four months in captivity in the bitter cold, suffering daily beatings.
“The pain was so intense,” said Layton. “I couldn’t speak for several days. I wish I could rip it from my memory, out of my head. Even with shoes on, I can still feel the pain."
The memories, now 65 years old, haunt him still.
“I knew I had to do it for us to escape. I had no alternative but to kill the guards," he said. “Taking somebody’s life is not a happy memory, and I felt tremendously guilty and carried that guilt a long, long, long time.”
He thought he was going to die.
“They were butchers,” Layton told CBS4. “They would slap you. They would hit you. They would punch you. They would kick you.”
He survived, and so did dozens of others because of his heroism. He led a group of POWs into the fight for their lives.
“When the guards came on duty and got warm and they were intoxicated, we made a noise at the back guard. And he came in and we took him down,” said Layton.
It took more than 60 years for the hero to share the story. No one knew, including his wife and children, until he wrote it in his book.
Today, the Purple Heart recipient lives in Noblesville, Indiana. Unfortunately, he can't find the heroes he helped escape captivity.
“My goal has been to try to find somebody that was with me, and I have been unsuccessful,” he said.
He knows there were 36 others. Two of them were French, but he didn't know anyone's names.
“The guys that I was with, I never saw a face because we were bearded, dirty, filthy,” he said.
He’s worried this mission to find his friends could fail.
“I want to hug ‘em. I would be pleased as punch to find one. I’m 88. What are my chances?” he asked.
Layton’s wife and friends are concerned they’re running out of time.
CBS4 hasn't found a lot of help for situations like this. The station called the V.A. and a Korean War veterans non-profit to put out word for his compatriots with no luck.
Here are some essential components of his story:
Layton was captured early November 1951 and held until late February 1952
He was approximately 12 miles north of the 38th Parallel
Layton served with the 22nd Ranger Battalion and was with both the 2nd Infantry Division and 7th Division
Friendly forces picked up Layton and the others after an L-19 airplane spotted them; he doesn't know how far they walked but said the walk lasted about five hours
If you'd like to help, share this story on social media.
Good luck, Charles- hope you find all that are still with us. May not be very many, out of 36.
Seems like more detail about a unit # might be helpful. A relative’s brother was MIA/probably POW in Korea. His info shows “Was with L Company, 3/38 Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division” along with date missing/presumably captured.
I hope he finds them. It seems strange that he wouldn’t know the names of any of the Americans he was with when captured or held prisoner.
He might be having some memory problems. I'd cut the guy some slack. The dude's a hero.
I think they meant 65 years ago not 65 years old
The memories are 65 years old.
He was approximately 22/23 years old when he formed the memories.
He is now 88.
U right, my bad
Why would he feel bad about killing Communists?
“Why would he feel bad about killing Communists?”
Easy for you to say.
22nd Ranger Battalion? There was a 2nd Ranger Company in Korea. It was an all black unit.
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