Hometown Heroes of Korean War
Pvt. First Class Donald 'Jiggs' Flagg, USMC
By Michael Rocchetti
Early November 1952 was a shaping up as a typical Korean winter. The weather shifted from mild autumn days to an early, brutally cold winter. Soldiers on the frontline experienced sharp temperature drops that went from above freezing down to sub-zero levels. The bitter Siberian winds were blowing from the north bringing ice and snow in the Taebaek Mountains, and freezing rain in the valleys below.
Against this backdrop, the North Koreans and the Communist Chinese Forces (CCF) launched an offensive along the western and central sectors of the front, along the 38th parallel dividing the Korea peninsula. The CCF offensive stalled on the 18th and 19th of November due to the stubborn resistance of UN Forces at the Second Battle of the Hook. Nov. 20 saw the U.S. Marines in this sector on high alert, actively patrolling and reinforcing the adjacent trenches to prevent enemy infiltration. Both sides exchanged fire as the hostilities continued.
The 5th Marine Regiment was in defensive positions here on the Main Line of Resistance (MLR) along the Jamestown Line in west-central Korea, overlooking the Imjin River, and they were actively holding and rotating through nearby combat outposts such as Carson, Reno, and Vegas. Sadly, it was during this action on Nov. 20. 1952, that Pfc Donald Edward Flagg was killed in action. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal. The citation follows:
“The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Donald Edward Flagg (MCSN: 1301181), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company D, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 20 November 1952. When his squad established contact with the enemy, Private First Class Flagg courageously exposed himself to intense enemy mortar, machine gun, grenade and small arms fire. As he advanced on an enemy trench, he threw grenades, fired his rifle and skillfully directed the fire of the automatic rifleman. After fire superiority had been obtained, he again exposed himself to intense hostile fire to remove and bring back to the perimeter a wounded member of the squad. Mortally wounded himself while assisting in the evacuation of casualties to the main lines, Private First Class Flagg, by his indomitable fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty, served to inspire all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”
Donald E. “Jiggs” Flagg was born Sept. 30, 1930, in Putnam, the son of Louis and Eva (Viens) Flagg. He had two brothers and six sisters. After attending Putnam High School and Putnam Technical School he was employed by Shepard & Whittemore and the Putnam Woolen Company. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in February 1952, and completed boot training at Parris Island, S.C. He was assigned to Camp Pendleton in California before being sent overseas in September 1952. He is buried at the Saint Mary Cemetery in Putnam.
Hometown Heroes books can be purchased online at: https://hometown-heroes-of-the-quiet-corner.myshopify.com/ - all proceeds benefit the local American Legion Post. Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.