US Army PFC Willie M. Rutledge was born in Pensacola, Florida on January 4, 1934, the son of John Milton Rutledge (1892-) and Charity Beatrice "Mama Bea" Potter (1906-1983). There is little information about his father except that he was born in South Carolina and employed at NAS Pensacola in 1930 as a laborer. At the time, the family was renting a house for $5.00 per month in the Palmetto Beach area of Gulf Beach Highway. No further mention of him comes to the surface until Beatrice is listed as a widow in the 1940 Census. As for Beatrice, she was a lifelong resident of Warrington, married John in 1926, and gave birth to three daughters and four sons. She had an 8th grade education and for most of her life worked in the domestic field to support her family. Her last recorded address in 1952 was #8 Merritt Street in Warrington.
Then came the invasion of South Korea by the North Korean communists on June 25, 1950. South Korea and her allies were caught completely by surprise and were forced to fall back to the Pusan Peninsula. As more and more troops were rushed to their aid, the recruitment offices went into full gear to recruit more. On May 1, 1951, Willie enlisted in the US Army and after basic training was assigned to Company "A", 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division. Sailing for Korea, the regiment was soon in the midst of deadly fighting!
As the 1951 peace talks broke down, both sides resumed fighter whereupon the United Nations chose to begin Operation Nomad-Polar. This was a series of there offensives into North Korea beginning in August 1951. As a result troops began moving into the Kumsong area in center of the Korean Peninsula. The battle began on October 13 two days before the battle of Heartbreak Ridge ended. The Kunsong fighting was one of the bloodiest and costliest engagements the 24th Division ever fought. The objective was to overrun the communist's fortress around Hill #770 that was almost impregnable and capture the city of Kumsong, their main supply center. Air and artillery strikes did little to damage the communist soldiers deep inside their heavily fortified bunkers. Casualties were horrendous until they finally captured the Nomad Line on October 17. With no chance to rest, Willie and his regiment were thrust forward to capture the Polar Line. It was here on October 21 that Pensacolian Willie M. Rutledge was shot and killed by a shot in the chest from small arms fire. Ironically, the fighting forced the North Koreans back to the truce talks the next day on October 22. In all, the battle cost the UN troops 175 casualties per day as compared to Heartbreak Ridge at 113 and the battle of Bloody Ridge at 146.
Willie was disinterred from his resting place in Korea and brought home and buried with honor in the Barrancas National Cemetery on February 1, 1952.
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