This Deceased Army Profile is not currently maintained by any Member.
If you would like to take responsibility for researching and maintaining this Deceased profile please click
HERE
Contact Info
Home Town Bleiberville, TX
Last Address Conroe, TX
Date of Passing May 31, 2005
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Wanda Fick of Conroe; sons, Mark Fick and wife Brooke, Terry Fick and wife, Janet, all of Montgomery; sisters, Elsie Zalesky of Houston and Otillia Franke of West Virginia; grandchildren, Benjamin Fick and wife Keri of Austin, Amy Swanson and husband Tim of Montgomery, Collins Dyer-Pitts and fiancé Matthew Haynie of Montgomery, Walker and Virginia Fick of Montgomery; great grandchildren Hayley, Hannah, and Leroy Fick of Austin, Emily, Ally, and Ella Swanson of Montgomery. Numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends survive.
During World War II, Leroy Fick worked at Brown Shipyard in Houston as a welder, working at night and attending school during the day. After that, Leroy served in the Merchant Marines during World War II, where he had a chance to see numerous distant and exotic places. One of his assigned ships was the USS Eagle, a square rigged sailing vessel, which is still sailing today. He also served on various Liberty ships. After the war, Leroy was given the opportunity to ride in a German army staff car and toured parts of war torn Russia.
After coming home, Leroy made his living as a carpenter, a skill he learned from his father and grandfather, until he volunteered for the U. S. Army during the Korean War and served from 1950 to 1952.
Following basic training, Leroy volunteered to be a member of the U.S. Army Rangers (10th Ranger Infantry Company) and then the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. He received training for both of these at Fort Benning, Georgia, becoming a member of the first Airborne Ranger outfit in its history. Afterward, Leroy went to Korea where his Ranger Company was involved in numerous dangerous, high-risk operations, many of which were behind enemy lines.
While in combat, Leroy earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He was most proud of his Combat Infantryman Badge earned by those infantrymen who satisfactorily perform their duties and are personally present and under fire, engaged in sustained active ground combat.
Leroy earned the Silver Star when he was behind enemy lines during an action near Kaesong, Korea, then as a member of the1st Ranger Company. Leroy took command of his unit when the commanding lieutenant was severely wounded. Leroy, with the help of another soldier, carried him for 17 miles back to the U. S. lines (the Kansas line), not knowing if he was alive or dead. Leroy left the Army at the rank of Sergeant 1st Class.
After leaving the Army, Leroy worked in construction first as a carpenter and then a builder in Houston and Conroe where he raised his family. He built many homes and commercial buildings and established a solid reputation for his extensive knowledge of construction. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed the outdoors, especially the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Leroy’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren were a special joy to him. Leroy believed in and lived commitment, both to his family and to his country that he so loved. He believed in eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Description A reconnaissance in force by elements of the 1st Cavalry Division on 22 January revealed that the enemy had withdrawn from frontline positions. The task force returned after having met little resistance. Ridgway then scheduled a larger reconnaissance in force, Operation THUNDERBOLT, with each Corps using one U.S. division and one ROK regiment. The operation began on 25 January and advanced slowly and cautiously against light resistance during the rest of the month. U.N. air support destroyed points of resistance and the enemy's lines of communication were subjected to damaging attacks, which kept a large part of his supplies from reaching the front. By 30 January his resistance stiffened and it continued to be vigorous until 9 February. Then it abruptly gave way. By 10 February U.N. forces secured Inch'on and Kimpo airfield, and the U.S. I Corps closed up to the south bank of the Han River.
On the central front, U.N. armored patrols reached the deserted city of Wonju and elements of the X Corps captured Hoengsong on 2 February against light resistance. On 5 February the X Corps began Operation ROUNDUP, a plan calling for ROK units of the Corps to disrupt the regrouping of North Korean forces south of the town of Hongch'on. On the second day of the attack the ROK units met stiffening resistance, and pressure on the X Corps increased steadily as signs pointed to a large enemy buildup on its front. On the night of 11-12 February, Chinese Communist forces struck the ROK divisions north of Hoengsong and made immediate penetrations which forced the ROK troops to fall back rapidly. U.N. troops withdrew south toward Wonju and abandoned Hoengsong on 13 February. On this same day enemy forces struck at Chip'yong-ni, a road junction and key point of the central zone. The U.S. 23d Infantry Regiment and the French Battalion, forming a defensive perimeter around the town, held off a force of three Chinese Communist divisions for three days before enemy pressure melted away. Meanwhile elements of the U.S. 7th Division and ROK units formed a defensive line north of Chech'on, to check a strong enemy force attacking northeast of Wonju.
In the west the U.S. I and IX Corps were gradually taking all ground in the zones up to the Han River, except for a sizeable enemy foothold south of the Han in an area between Seoul and Yangp'yong. On the night of 13-14 February the enemy launched a powerful counterattack from this area toward Suwon, but his effort was quickly contained with heavy losses to his troops. Meanwhile areas far to the south were being harassed by guerrilla and remnants of North Korean troops. U.N. counteractions succeeded in reducing these forces to about 18,000 by the end of February.
On 18 February combat patrols confirmed a report of the IX Corps that enemy forces along the entire central front were withdrawing. Thereupon Ridgway ordered the IX Corps to move forward, which it did against light scattered resistance. By 19 February the initiative all along the front had passed into U.N. hands.
Ridgway was determined to give the North Koreans and Chinese Communists neither rest nor opportunity to reorganize. On 21 February he launched a general advance (Operation KIILER) by the U.S. IX and X Corps to deny important positions to the enemy and to destroy as many enemy troops as could be found. The objective was a line running eastward from Yangp'yong to the Han River east of Seoul, thence to points north of Chip'yong-ni and Hwangsong-ni, and thence eastward so as to secure the east-west portion of the Wonju-Kangnung road between Wonju and Pangnimni.
Advances in both Corps zones were slow and unspectacular. The spring thaw and heavy rains caused swollen streams and deep mud which greatly hampered military operations. By 28 February the U.N. forces advanced to their assigned objectives, and the Communist foothold south of the Han collapsed. By 1 March the entire Eighth Army line was relatively stable.
Although the Eighth Army had attained its geographical objectives by 1 March, a large part of the enemy had succeeded in withdrawing during the bad weather which had disrupted Allied road and rail movement. With approval by MacArthur, Ridgway planned to continue the attack northward in the central and eastern sectors with Operation RIPPER, to seize Hongch'on and Ch'unch'on and a line designated IDAHO just south of the 38th parallel.
RIPPER began on 7 March 1951. After overcoming initial resistance, the IX Corps reached the first phase line on 11 March and began the attack to the second phase line on the 14th. U.N. patrols moved into the deserted city of Seoul on the night of 14-15 March, marking the fourth time that the capital had changed hands. In the X Corps zone, terrain rather than hostile forces proved to be the greatest obstacle; but despite the enemy and natural obstacles Operation RIPPER ground forward. In the east, ROK units were ordered to destroy the remnants of a North Korean division which had infiltrated southward in January. By 17 March, with this threat eliminated, the ROK forces had moved to Line IDAHO. UN forces entered Ch'unch'on, an enemy supply and communications center, on 19 March.
On 23 March the 187th Airborne RCT dropped at Munsan-ni, about 20 miles northwest of Seoul, to trap enemy troops fleeing northward; but because of the rapid enemy withdrawal it failed to achieve its purpose.
By the last of March Ridgway's forces had fought their way generally to the 38th parallel in position along line IDAHO. Again the U.N. Command was faced with the problem of crossing the parallel into North Korea.
Ridgway, with the approval of President Truman and MacArthur, elected to continue the advance, with the hope of achieving maximum destruction of enemy forces. U.N. commanders made their plans to advance with the knowledge that the enemy was engaged in a full-scale buildup of troops and materiel for his expected spring offensive.
On 5 April Ridgway opened Operation RUGGED, a general advance toward a new objective line called KANSAS. This line, running along the commanding ground north of the 38th parallel, was 115 miles long, including 14 miles of tidal water on the left flank and the 10-mile water barrier of the Hwach'on Dam in the center. By 9 April, the U.S. I and IX Corps and the ROK I Corps on the east coast had reached Line KANSAS, and the U.S. X and ROK III Corps in the central and central-east sectors were drawing up to it. The I and IX Corps continued to advance, attacking Ch'orwon, with the intention of seizing a line designated UTAH, an outward bulge of KANSAS, so as to be in a position to strike at the ''Iron Triangle."
On 11 April President Truman relieved General MacArthur of all his commands because of differences over national policy and military strategy, and replaced him with General Ridgway. Lt. Gen. James A. Van Fleet assumed command of the Eighth Army on 14 April, replacing Ridgway.
Meanwhile U.N. forces continued to edge forward. The Hwach'on Dam was taken on 16 April. On the east coast South Korean forces captured Taep'o-ri. Other ROK troops north of Seoul sent patrols across the Imjin River and far to the northeast. By 17 April U.N. units could not make contact with the enemy, and thereafter the general advance toward Line UTAH was virtually unopposed. Even as it continued, however, evidences of enemy preparations for a counterattack were apparent to the Eighth Army Command. By 19 April all U.S. I and IX Corps units were in positions Along Line UTAH, preparing for an advance to a new Line WYOMING.
