Don Faith Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment
7th Infantry Division
Killed in Action — December 1, 1950
Chosin Reservoir, North Korea
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Age: 32
THE BATTLE OF CHOSIN – TASK FORCE FAITH
In late November 1950, elements of the 7th Infantry Division were positioned east of the Chosin Reservoir when massive Chinese forces launched a surprise offensive.
Lieutenant Colonel Don Faith Jr. commanded 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry — later known as “Task Force Faith.”
Surrounded. Outnumbered. Cut off.
Temperatures dropped below −30°F.
THE FINAL STAND
Faith’s battalion endured repeated attacks and brutal conditions. Despite mounting casualties and dwindling supplies, he personally moved from position to position under heavy fire, directing defense and rallying his men.
When the battalion attempted to break out, it was met with overwhelming enemy resistance.
Faith was killed while leading the withdrawal and organizing defensive positions to allow others to escape.
His leadership saved lives even as the battalion suffered devastating losses.
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
WHY THIS STORY CLOSES FEBRUARY
February has told the full story of Korea:
- Faith in captivity
- Survival in POW camps
- Nurses under surgical tents
- Marines in frozen foxholes
- And now, the tragic cost of encirclement
Task Force Faith suffered catastrophic casualties. Many soldiers were killed or listed missing. It remains one of the most sobering chapters of the Chosin campaign.
LEGACY
Some leaders command from behind lines.
Some lead from the front.
Lieutenant Colonel Don Faith Jr.
Led men through encirclement and into history.
He did not survive the Frozen Chosin.
But his courage endures in the legacy of those who broke through.
Honor The Fallen. Support The Living. Teach The Next Generation.
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