Ronald E. Kokal
Era: Korea
Military Branch: Marines
S-Sgt. Ronald E. Kokal of Eveleth enlisted in the Marines on August 2, 1948.
He attended Boot Camp in San Diego, California before he joined the B Company 5th Marines in Guam in November of 1948.
He returned to the U.S. in February of 1950 to be stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. He went to Korea in July of 1950 with the H & S Co. 3rd Battalion 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He fought on the Pusan perimeter in August of 1950. He landed on Inchon in September of 1950.
Their company captured Inchon, Kimpo Airfield. They engaged in an assault over the Han River and captured Seoul later that September. They then went to Wonsan, North Korea in October of 1950. They advanced to Chosin Reservoir and engaged in several other Korean missions. Ronald participated in the first spring offensive in 1951 called “Operation Killer.”
He returned to the U.S. in March of 1952. He then served at Great Lakes USNTS from May to September of 1951. He then transferred to Camp Leveune in North Carolina that September. He participated in training operations on Vieques Island in the Caribbean from September of 1951 to November of that year. He later returned there that March and stayed until August of 1952.
Ronald was discharged that month as a Staff Sergeant.
