Published: July 05, 2007 11:23 am            

Final tribute set for soldier

July 4, 2007 — His father went to his grave still hoping his son Elihue Bond Jr. would come home.

“Well, June might still be alive. Maybe they were wrong…maybe they just thought it was him,” were comments family members recall hearing from Elihue Bond Sr.

The only surviving sibling to date, Freda Phipps, 85, said she dreamed about her brother for years. Every time someone knocked on the door her first thought was it might be him.



Elihue Jr. was born October 26, 1924 to Elihue Bond Sr. and Josephine Sargent Bond. He had one brother and four sisters.

He fought during WWII and received a purple heart.

During the Korean War, Corporal Bond was a member of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division.



Then, Elihue Sr. received the dreaded Western Union telegram. It stated: The Secretary of the Army has asked me to inform you that the name of Corporal Elihue Bond Jr. was included in a list of servicemen who, there is reason to believe, were at one time in Communist custody but for whom no accounting has yet been made. This list has been presented to the Communists with an urgent request for such an accounting. All possible efforts are being made…

While fighting the enemy in South Korea on August 1, 1950, Elihue Jr. was taken prisoner and forced to march to North Korea on the “Tiger Death March”. He is suspected to have died in January 1951 while a prisoner at Hanjang-ni, North Korea. His remains were not recovered.



Over the years, family members have inquired about Elihue Jr. with other surviving servicemen who knew him. One reported that he volunteered to take three wounded people to the hospital and they never saw him again. Another said they thought he starved to death, while others said he was executed.

So, most of his family passed away with no closure for the death of Elihue.



In 1997 Elihue Jr’s sister gave DNA, which went to Hawaii where the unidentified remains of 800 servicemen who died in Korea were brought back to the US and are in the Punchbowl cemetery. According to relative Donna Bond, there has not been any response to date.

After 56 years, no funeral service and no closure, the surviving family of Elihue Bond Jr. has decided to honor him with a final tribute.

A service will be held on August 4, 2007 at 1 p.m. at East Carter Middle School Gym.

A procession will follow led by the Patriot Guard Riders (all motorcyclists are welcome to participate). The procession will start at Farmer’s True Value, go two miles south on Carol Malone, turn left on Rt. 773, go eight miles, turn left on Glancy Fork, go one-half mile to Hogs Head Road, go another half-mile to Bond Cemetery Road where East Carter JROTC Honor Guard will pay tribute to this fallen warrior.

“We would like all of Carter County not to mourn that such men die but to come out and celebrate, give thanks, and honor this fallen warrior who paid the ultimate price,” said Donna Bond.

“All citizens are invited to attend and the businesses along the route are encouraged to allow their employees to stand along the route from 2-2:30 p.m. to show their gratitude and respect for this Carter County native that once stood for us. Let’s rally together and stand for all those who stood for us.”





• From WWII, Elihue Bond, Jr. received the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, Honorable Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal and The European/African Middle East Service Medal

• From the Korean War, Corporal Elihue Bond, Jr was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart with Oak leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, the US Army Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. He died before these honors could be bestowed upon him.

        

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