FC James Edward Skipper was born in Pensacola on June 5, 1933, the son of Walter L. Skipper (1907-1990) and Bernice Pittman (1912-1969). His father supported his family as a civil service worker at NAS and would retire from the same. He would marry Bernice in 1930 and remarry Ethel M. Byrd in 1953. As to James, he would attend Pensacola High School while working as a delivery boy for the Pensacola News Journal. After his enlistment in the US Army in May 1951, Skipper was assigned to Company "B", 1st Battalion, 38th Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division.
After the surprise invasion of South Korean by North Korean Communist Forces, the 38th Regiment was ordered to head for Korea on July 9, 1950 as fast as they could get there. They departed Ft. Lewis for Tacoma, WA where they boarded two transports on August 4th: the USNS General Collins and the USNC General Stewart Arriving at Pusan, Korea on August 18, 1950, the 38th regiment immediately relieved the 21st Regiment of the 24th Division defending along the Naktong River. From this point on, the regiment was in constant combat with the enemy forces. However, Skipper would not join the regiment until March of 1952.
During December 1952, the 38th Regiment was moved from the reserve area at Camp Indianhead to the defensive line known as Line Jamestown to relieve the 23rd Regiment. On November 25th, after a period of training, the regiment assumed responsibility for the right regimental sector of the 2nd Division. main objective of the 38th Regiment was to defend the sector known as "Jamestown." On the night of December 23/24, 1952 an est1mated battalion of the Chinese 113th Division initiated a surprise attack in sub-freezing weather on the outpost called "Arsenal" along four separate sections of the line. They were able to penetrate the American line with little opposition. Defending the outpost was Company "B" and once the attack began, the Chinese commenced firing artillery and mortar rounds directed at outpost "Uncle" and "Yoke" to block any reinforcements coming to their aid. In all, over 2,900 artillery and mortar rounds struck the American positions. A Chinese blocking force was also inserted between outpost Yoke and Erie for the same purpose. The American's at the "Arsenal" were able to direct a devastating fire into the Chinese attack, thus forcing them to withdraw. It appeared that the purpose of the attack was to capture prisoners as well as destroy the outpost. After 5 hours of fighting, some of which was hand to hand, the attack was repelled. The enemy casualties tallied at 111 killed (counted) and 340 estimated with 189 estimated wounded and 4 taken prisoner. and 420 WIA's with American causalities at 48 with 4 KIA's, and one American taken prisoner by the Chinese during the encounter.
One of those four soldiers killed in action was PFC James Edward Skipper from Pensacola, Florida. His mother was notified by the War Department who in turn contacted the rest of the family. His body was shipped home in February of 1953 and buried with full military honors that same month in Bayview Cemetery.
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