Posted by XXXXX on April 22, 2008:

Walker Syer Bradshaw NO. 16498 CLASS OF 1948 DIED NOVEMBER 11, 1950, IN TOKYO, JAPAN AGED 24 YEARS CAPTAIN WALKER SYER BRADSHAW was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 5, 1926, the son of James Syer and Anita Mann Bradshaw. He received his early education at the State Normal School and Milwaukee Country Day School and from 1942 to 1944 attended Phillips Exeter Academy, from which he was graduated with highest honors. He won Senator LaFollette's appointment to West Point and entered the Academy on July 1, 1944. Walker's father, who died when Walker was twelve, was a graduate of the Military Academy, Class of '06, and everything at West Point reminded Walker of the many tales he had never tired of hearing from his father when he was a small boy. One of his proudest moments at the Academy was when the Class of '06 had its fortieth reunion in June Week 1946 and Walker, then a yearling corporal, stood in the midst of his father's classmates, next to General Wainwright, for the class picture. Walker was graduated 27th in his class and chose the Corps of Engineers as his branch. After graduation furlough he drove off in high spirits to Fort Riley for his Officers' Basic Course with a parting: "Fort Riley, here I come!" Four months later he was back for his last Christmas at home — a gay, happy time — after which he left for Fort Belvoir and his Basic Engineer Officers' Course. He received his diploma in May 1949 and was assigned to Okinawa, arriving there immediately after the typhoon "Gloria" had blown away half the island. He was assigned to the 822nd Engineers Aviation Battalion and did a great deal of work on the airstrips, so that when the Korean War came, his battalion was sent immediately to Korea to build airfields for the Air Force — first at Taegu and then east of Pusan. It was at Pusan that he contracted poliomyelitis and was sent to the Army hospital at Fukuoka, Japan. In spite of the severity of the attack, he improved fairly rapidly during the first weeks at this hospital and dictated long, cheerful letters to his family and friends. He had been recommended for a captaincy just before his illness, and the fact that the promotion came through while he was in the hospital, was a source of great encouragement and pleasure to him. After about five weeks he was moved to the Tokyo Army hospital as the first step of the long journey home, but there it was found that the polio virus had evidently affected his heart muscles and he died quite suddenly on November 11th. He was burled on December 6th beside his father at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee. He is survived by his mother and a sister, Anita. Walker was awarded the Legion of Merit posthumously "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service" while in Korea. Wonderful letters have come from his superior officers and his classmates — letters of commendation and praise from his superiors, letters expressing the love and respect of his friends and classmates. Many spoke of his enthusiasm and sincerity, of a promising career cut so short; and his "outfit" in Korea, the 822nd E. A. B., contributed over $2,400. to the "March of Dimes" to be sent to his mother, so that she could give it to the Milwaukee chapter in his memory — a touching tribute to Walker and a source of great pride and comfort to his family. The tragedy of death is for the living — Walker can happily take his place beside his father in that "Long Gray Line". — His Mother

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