Operation Little Switch


Operation Little Switch took place from April 20, 1953 through April 26, 1953.

These are reported numbers of Allied Prisoners returned, some names are missing. If they can be tracked down, they will be added. These lists were compiled from newspaper reports of the operation. No South Korean names were listed. The North Koreans and Chinese returned 100 prisoners each day, with a bonus of 84 additional prisoners released over their original list of 600. 149 Americans were returned.

Day 1: April 20, 1953

First GroupSecond Group
14 Americans16 Americans
25 South Koreans 
5 British7 British
2 Turks2 Turkish
1 Greek 
1 South African 
1 Canadian 
1 Filipino 

We could not locate the names of 8 British, 2 Turk and 1 South African returnees.

Day 1 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanBrock William RPvtRome GA 
AmericanBrown Marvin LPFCOklahoma City OK 
AmericanCordero-RamosPvtBarceloneta PR 
AmericanHumphrey Louis APvtTuscaloosa AL 
AmericanJackson TheodoreCplPalestine TX 
AmericanJones Roy M1LTMinneapolis MN 
AmericanKirchenhausen Carl WPvtWashington Heights, NYC Heilbronn, Germany7th Reg’t 3d Division
AmericanLawley OdieSgtMedicine Park OK 
AmericanLee RobertSFCFolco AL 
AmericanLegay Donald KPFCLeominister MA 
AmericanLudlum David LPFCWaynesdale IN 
AmericanMattos AntonioPvtSantrace PR 
AmericanMcCallum WalterM/SgtLake Charles LA 
AmericanMedina Raymond HPFCBronx NY 
AmericanMorrison Ricahard OCplBurlington IA 
AmericanNeighbors GeraldSgtHereford TX 
AmericanNolan AlmondPFCRexville NY38th Regt 2d Div
AmericanPhilpott Robert FPvtWest Point/Hogansville GA 
AmericanPinkston James LeeCplJacksonville/Salisbury NC 
AmericanPizarro Alberto Baez Rio Piere PR 
AmericanPorter John PM/SgtBaltimore MD 
AmericanRinkle William RPFCClintonville WV 
AmericanRobertson JessePvtMontgomery AL 
AmericanRobinson John LPfcWillard KY 
AmericanSchnur Paul FPFCSan Francisco CA 
AmericanShaw Robert WM/SgtVancouver WA 
AmericanSmith HermanPfcMoulse KY 
AmericanStell RobertPFCBaltimore MD503d Field Artillery Bn
AmericanWagner Kenyon LCplDetroit MI 
AmericanWarren Veron LCplSt. Louis MO 
BritishBrown Henry J Aldershot UK 
BritishGreenway William Gilford County Down Northern Ireland 
BritishManley Leslie Chiswick London 
BritishO’Donnell EdwardTrooperSaint Helen Lancashire8th Husars, British 1st Commonwealth Division
CanadianDugal PaulLance CplQuebec City22d Regt
FilipinoJuanito MagnoSgt  
GreekConstantinos ChlentosPvtIsland of Lemnos 
TurkBilir AliPvtMaras 
TurkUlu EmerCplSiphalier Village 

Day 2: April 21, 1953

First GroupSecond GroupThird GroupFourth Group
 16 Americans 19 Americans
25 South Koreans 25 South Koreans 
 6 British 6 British
 3 Turkish  

We could not locate the names of 1 British and 2 Turk returnees.

Day 2 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanAnderson Edward GSgtAlabama City AL82d AA Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanBall James LPFCBellburn WV9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanDunn Robert LPvtMuskogee OK1st Marine Division
AmericanFleming Robert WPvtMemphis TN23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanGarcia Jose MPvtLos Angeles CA21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanGerrera Pedro ACplLamedera NM8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Calvary Division
AmericanGray, Jr. George WPFCOgden UT25th Signal Company, 25th Division
AmericanGregory Arthur GPFCMt. Vernon IL5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanHeath Joe TPFCMurfreesboro TN38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanHerndon RogerPvtJacksonville FL35th Infantry Regiment, 2xx Division (unable to read)
AmericanHoward Albert LSgtNashville TN19th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanJankovitz, Jr. John MPFCPhiladelphia PA 
AmericanJimenez-Osorio NicholasPFCPR65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division
AmericanKerdstra LouisPvtBryron Center MI19th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanLuther Alexander CPvtTom’s Creek VA9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanMartin John BPvtTulelake CA65th Engineers Combat Battalion
AmericanMitchell FonPFCRoderfield WV38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanMitchell Walter HSFCGreenville TN 
AmericanMoreland William GPvtAtlanta GA23d Infantry, 2d Division
AmericanMullins Orville RSgtCovington KY38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanO’Blanton PaulPFCBrod Head KY 
AmericanOsorio-Melendez JuanPvtCatano PR65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division
AmericanPatrick, Jr. Willie JSgtHillemann AR32d Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanPervis Harry ECplYorktown SC7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanPeterson Lionel PPFCBlack River Falls WI7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanPicerno JosephPvtJamaica NY7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanPloch John SPFCDetroit MI17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanRivera-Ortiz JuanPvtGuaayanilla PR65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division
AmericanRubin TiborPFCLong Beach CA8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Calvary Division
AmericanSacco CharlesPvtLorain OH19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanTodd Lester RPvtAlliance NE38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanWarring Wilbert MPFCPhiladelphia PA32d Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanWhite William HSgtChuckney TN9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanWiseman Earl MPFCRonceverte WV8th Regiment, 1st Calvary Division
AmericanZidal Eddie PPFCSan Antonio TX7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
BritishCalveley/Callveley ArthurTrooperBirkenhead8th Hussars
BritishChambers GeorgePteNewcastle-on-TyneGloucesters
BritishCox William JPteLondonGloucesters
BritishEnoch HartlandPteWolverhamptonGloucesters
BritishFish Raymond WPteNorfolkGloucester Regiment
BritishHawkins AlbertPvtGloucesterGloucester Regiment
BritishLarge DonaldPvtCheltenhamGloucesters
BritishLucas WilfredSgtSusexGloucester
BritishRead J TPvtHertfordshireGloucesters
BritishRoberts Reginald FRiflemanLondonRoyal Ulster Rifles
BritishSwancott W GL/CplBirminghamGloucesters
TurkishCaglat Village Halit Kucuk (?)PvtZonguldah 
TurkishDuzel Bolu Davit AcarPvt  
TurkishIbmir Iorahim YavasPvtTurkey 
TurkishIbrahim OdaciPvt  
TurkishKayseri Muzaffer Oenbure/SenbureCplTurkey 
TurkishZonguldak Ibrahim Obdagi Turkey 

Day 3: April 22, 1953

Day 3 returnees were all South Korean, we could not find any list of names.

Day 4: April 23, 1953

Returned
14 Americans
75 South Koreans
5 Australian
6 Columbian

Day 4 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanAkers Charles WPFCBluefieldWV38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanArmstrong Samuel JPFCSan AntonioTX5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanBritt, Jr. Joseph PPFCLong BeachCA5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanDandreo VincentCplSwampscottMA9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanGarcia-Boyer Angel MPvtG’AuyamaPR9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanHart George FPFCWantaghNY5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanKelley Ned MSgtAshlandOR58th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanKlozik Paul APFCMidlandMI7th Division
AmericanLacy Jimmie ECplTexarkanaTX5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanMcGhee Benjamin FPFCPhoenixAZ31st Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanOven Richard LPFCBuffaloNY1st Marine Division
AmericanPenn Billie RHNMcCombMI5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanSteinke Fred CPFCWest AllisWI9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanWaddill ThomasHNFort WorthTX5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AustralianBrown GlennPteSeacliffAdelaide 
AustralianDavis John FPteTorquay via MayboroughQueensland 
AustralianDonnelly EricPteHornBaySydney 
AustralianDonvan BriantPteKensingtonSydney 
AustralianMcKay John HPteMidland JunctionWest Australia 
ColumbianAlvaro RobertoPvt   
ColumbianNorval OscarPvtBogota  
ColumbianOrango Carlos ArturoPvtBarrio Manrique Medelin  
ColumbianOrtiz Quinonca GonzaloCplBarbacas Pajan  
ColumbianSilva Garcia BPvtVoyaca  
ColumbianVinaslo Bolando Jose ACplRiosucio Caldos  

Day 5: April 24, 1953

First GroupSecond Group
19 Americans21 Americans
25 South Koreans25 South Koreans
2 British2 British
2 Turkish2 Turkish
1 Canadian 
1 Dutch 

Day 5 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanAbraham Ulysses KPFCSisseton SD38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanBowling Vernon EPvtGrayson KY5th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanCamden, Jr. William APFCBar Mills ME8th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanClements Paul EPvtIndianapolis IA2d Engineer Combat Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanContrearas Ernest ECplDenver CO5th Regiment, 1st Calvary Division
AmericanCoogan James JPvtPhiladelphia PA7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanCortes-Chevere HermenegildoPFCCiales PR15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division
AmericanCox TallyPFCAltoona AL32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanDela Garza, Jr. Alfred2d LTSan Antonio TX57th F Battalion, 7th Division
AmericanDick Charles EPFCSpann KY38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanDunn James RPFCAnderson SC23d Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanEdwards Sam BPFCPolkton NC57th FA Battalion, 7th Infantry Division
AmericanElmer RayPFCClinton TX38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanFranklin James MPFCPetersburg VA5th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanHartman John RPvtGranite Quarry NC24th Division
AmericanHickox Robert HPFCSyracuse NY6th Engineer Battalion, 25th Division
AmericanHuebener Wayne EPFCSaponville MA35th Regiment, 25th Division
AmericanJewell Joe LCplCincinnati OH32d Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanKaver Virgil APFCMarthasville MO38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanKrobath William FPFCShamokin PA8th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanLaClaire Peter SPvtFulton NY5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanMcMahon Philip DSgtRossville IL45th Reconnaissance Company, 45th Division
AmericanMincey Harry FPvtCleveland5th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanPaul Frank FPFCCopley PA5th Regiment, no division listed
AmericanPolston John DPvtWinter Haven FL8th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanPowell Levi MICplPekin Il38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanPowers Robert JPvtHicksville NY160th Regiment, 40th Division
AmericanPreston Cecil VCplSausalito CA19th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanRitenour Everett WPFCWoodstock VA8th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanRoarbaugh Vernon LPFCBismark WV23d Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanScheddel Thomas AHNBay City MI7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanShinagawa SusumuPFCEleele, Kauai HI34th Regiment, 24th Division
AmericanSmith Charles MPFCCharlottesville VA24th Regiment, 25th Division
AmericanSmith Clifford FPFCLake Charles LA35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division
AmericanSmith William WPFCRockingham NC2d Chemical Mortar Battalion
AmericanSullivan Reggie APFCLouisville MI23d Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanTrabucki William JPFCPittsburgh PA38th Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanVampran AmbrosePFCMaurepas LA38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanWeinbrandt Robert LA/2CEl Cajon CA19th Bomb Group, 28th Bomb Squadron
AmericanWitt Harold LPFCBartlesville OK82d Antiaircraft Battalion
BritishAnderson William CRiflemanBelfast North Ireland 
BritishDooley VPvtPadiham LancastershireEngland
BritishLolley NRiflemanLancashire England 
BritishPorter RPvtLincolnshireEngland
BritishSpencer Edward FRiflemanLiverpool England 
CanadianBaker Arthur JPvtMontreal CanadaCanadian Forces
DutchBeaver Arie   
TurkishAydin SevkiPvtSofu Ayancuk Sinop 
TurkishHalil Ibrahim GinarSgtBaliksir Turkey 
TurkishKadir YilmazPvtAnkara Turkey 
TurkishOguz MermetPvtLengume Burdur 

Returned
17 Americans
4 British
4 Turkish

Day 6 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanBarnes Thomas RPFCDadeville AL7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanBroomhead Martin SEnsSalt Lake City UTAir Task Group 1
AmericanBullock James WCplFayetteville NC503d Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanChristie GilbertM/SgtMontezuma IN1st Cavalry Division
AmericanConley William LCpl(unreadable) AR82d AA (AW) Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanDaniel James FSgtCovington GA9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanFetty Thomas CPFCFairmont WV15th Regiment, 3d Division
AmericanHilycord William RA/3CColumbus IN90th Bomb Squadron, 3d Bomb Group
AmericanJuern Theodore APFCForest Park IL1st Marine Division
AmericanKing JohnCplOrlando FL24th Division
AmericanLang David PPFCBrooklyn NY7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division
AmericanRodriquez SeferinoPvtLos Angeles CA38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanRogers George WPFCTulsa OK23d Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanRose Donald ASgtRedlands CA1st Marine Division
AmericanTreffery Wendell HCplTerryville CT31st Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanWatters John LCplBeckley WV38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanWoodhouse Melvin GPvtNorfolk VA9th Regiment, 2d Division
BritishBounden MauricePvtNorwichGloucester Regiment
BritishMercer SebastianPvtLondonGloucester Regiment
BritishMitchell DRiflemanCooks Town Northern IrelandRoyal Ulster Rifles
BritishRobinson StanleySgtQueensborough KentGloucester Regiment
TurkishAkinc ArifPvtManemen Izmir 
TurkishDurjun MehmetPvtYake Yzmir 
TurkishSayiei MustafaPvtEremenk Konya 
TurkishUnlu AhmetCplDaraoinar Canakkle 

Day 7: April 26, 1953

First GroupSecond Group
 13 Americans
50 South Koreans21 South Koreans

Day 7 Returnees

Nationality NameRankHometownUnit
AmericanBeck Earl LPFCWheeling WV6th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanCottle Wayne TPvtPreston ID5th Regiment, 1st Cavalry
AmericanCutting Harry ASgtBelle Plaine IA31st Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanDaniels Willie LPFCBerkeley CA503d Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanDean Zack WCaptLawton OKFighter-bomber pilot, USAF
AmericanGreen Martin WCaptLawton OK63d Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Division
AmericanHimpel Carl EPFCBloomer WI7th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
AmericanMatta George JPFCBrockton MA38th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanMcCurley Herman DSgtPauls Valley OK32d Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanMuldrow Frederick NPFCPrescott AR9th Regiment, 2d Division
AmericanRutherford Virgil APFCOchelata OKFA Battalion, 2d Division
AmericanVillegas Elias BCplSan Antonio TX31st Regiment, 7th Division
AmericanWhite Robert EPFCMiami OK5th Regiment, 25th Division