Last Primary MOS
1965-Wheel Vehicle Repair Foreman
Last MOS Group
Ordnance
Service Years
1949 - 1955
Official/Unofficial US Army Certificates
Cold War Certificate
Golden Dragon Certificate
Last Photo
Personal Details
Home State
West Virginia
Year of Birth 1930
This Military Service Page was created/owned by
LTC Richard Barzelogna
to remember
Fillinger, Homer (Uncle Snuff), SSG.
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Crawley Creek, West Virginia
Last Address Bunnell, Florida
Date of Passing Feb 05, 2008
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Retired as a heavy industrial welder in Kissimmee, Florida circa 1992. Maintained the Ponderosa Trailer Park for the Fillinger Family in Korona, FL. Passed away at home in Bunnell, Florida from cancer on February 5, 2008.
Other Comments:
He was a Korean War veteran who fought with the 187th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne). Uncle Snuff was a very private man who never discussed his service except with the Family's veterans, and even then, he was guarded concerning his service in Korea. No one knew he had won two Bronze Stars during the Korean War, and when that came to light during his funeral, a quiet "I'll be damned" rose from the Family's veterans, almost in unison (they still chuckle about that at family functions today).
Korean War/First UN Counteroffensive (1951)/Operation Killer
From Month/Year
February / 1951
To Month/Year
March / 1951
Description
The 2nd Division jumped-off on "Operation Killer" on 22 February. The initial advance was slow, not so much due to resistance as to terrain. The sector assigned to the 2nd Division presented enormous problems. However, by 1700 hours both the 9th and 38th Infantry Regiments had reached the Chuchon River where swift waters and a lack of bridges delayed crossing. The engineers constructed a foot bridge for immediate use of the 9th Infantry and, in the 23rd Infantry Regiment's zone of advance, tanks of the regimental tank company were used to ferry people to the north bank. The 9th Infantry ran into moderate resistance on 23 February but with all three battalions teaming up, an enemy force of 2,000 was routed, dispersed to the north, leaving their dead and wounded behind. The Second Battalion of the 23rd Infantry, with the 37th Infantry FA Bn attached, moved east into the 7th Division zone on 26 February in preparation for an attack on the following day on Ungyo-ri, an important town on the Hoengsong-Pangnimni road. The 9th Infantry, after securing Haanhung-ni, west of Ungyo-ri, sent a battalion eastward along the road in anticipation of an enemy withdrawal from Ungyo-ri when the Second Battalion of the 23rd Infantry launched its assault. The evening of this last day of February found the 2nd Division in positions astride the Hoengsong-Pangnimni road in its sector and preparing to continue its advance to Phase Line Arizona which paralleled the road roughly 7,000 meters to the north. Ahead of the Division were strong elements of the 17th and 18th CCF Divisions and lesser elements of the III and V North Korean Corps which were retreating slowly to the north in the face of the grinding X Corps offensive. Intelligence reports indicated the foe intended to delay the advance as much as possible while he prepared fixed defenses north of the 38th parallel. "Operation Ripper," was designed to carry UN forces to the 38th Parallel. Similar to "Operation Killer" it aimed at maximum destruction of enemy personnel and equipment with minimal friendly casualties. It wasn't the character of the opposition so much, although at times throughout the month it was fanatic and as strong as any ever faced. It was the terrain, coupled with alternate spring thaws, rains and days of sub-zero freezes which hampered every activity and wrought unprecedented burdens on every unit and operation. The operation concluded by the end of March.
