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Contact Info
Home Town Newburgh, NY
Last Address Newburgh, NY
Date of Passing Aug 18, 1976
Location of Interment West Point Cemetery - West Point, New York
Arthur G. Bonifas graduated from the USMA class of 1966. He also served in Vietnam. Camp Bonifas in the Joint Security Area is named in his memory. The camp was formerly known as Camp Kitty Hawk and Camp Liberty Bell, but was re-named on August 18, 1986. MAJ Bonifas, along with 1LT Mark T. Barrett, were both killed by North Korean soldiers in what has become known as the Axe Murder Incident.
Other Comments:
On Wednesday 18 August 1976 at 1040 hours in the morning, a United Nations Command (UNC) work force of five Korean Service Corps (KSC) personnel accompanied by and UNC security force, including the Joint Security Force (JSF) Commander, Captain (P) Arthur G. Bonifas of Newburgh, New York, First Lieutenant Mark T. Barrett of Columbia, South Carolina, and one Republic of (South) Korean Army (ROKA) officer started to prune a large tree in the vicinity of UNC Check Point #3.
This tree partially obscured the view between UNC Check Point #3 and UNC Check Point #5. In addition the unpruned tree was also blocking the view of the "Bridge of No Return" from "Freedom House." Shortly after the KSC work force arrived at the tree and began to cut it back, (North) Korean People's Army (KPA) personnel appeared at the work site. For a short time, the KPA security force observed the pruning without apparent concern.
Suddenly, the KPA security force commander demanded that the JSF commander cease pruning or there would be trouble. Captain Bonifas did not order the operation stopped. Senior Lieutenant Pak Chul of the KPA, seeing that he was losing control, took off his wristwatch, wrapped it in his handkerchief and put it in his pocket. Another North Korean rolled up his sleeves.
Lieutenant Pak then shouted "MI KUN UL CHU KI GI CHA." Translated, it means, "Kill the U.S. Aggressors."; the UNC security force was attacked by a superior force of 30 KPA guards wielding pick handles, knives, clubs, and axes. Senior Lieutenant Pak jumped on Captain Bonifas from the back forcing him to the ground where Bonifas was beaten to death. 1LT Barrett was also attacked.
The KPA soldiers used the mattox and axes the tree trimming detail was using prune the tree as weapons. The North Korean attack was broken up when a UNC soldier drove his 2 1/2 ton truck into the fight and over Captain Bonifas to protect him. The UNC Security Force then withdrew but not before two American Army Officers were murdered and, a ROKA officer, three Korean Augmentees to the US Army (KATUSA) and four US enlisted men were wounded.
The following day a Military Armistice Commission (MAC) meeting was held, at which time the senior MAC member, Rear Admiral Mark P. Frudden, delivered a strong protest and demanded assurance from the KPA that this would never happen again. It was also the first time at a MAC meeting that a UNC representative defamed the Communists as "savage".
According to Major Wayne Kirkbride, who wrote a book about the ax murders and the operation to cut down the tree, "for three days that tree stood as a challenge to free men everywhere." A UNC crisis team was formed at Yongsan and Operation Paul Bunyan was developed. Kirkbride pointed out that it was developed to "establish the right of movement in the JSA and to generate sufficient combat power to accomplish the mission."
On the 20th, the bodies of Capt. Bonifas and Lt. Barrett were taken to Kimpo Airport for return to the States. At the airport, a ceremony was held during which Bonifas was promoted posthumously to major, and he and Barrett likewise were awarded Purple Heart and Joint Service Commendation medals.
I would like to add some information about Captain Bonifas. My name is Douglas C. Nicolson, NG28294786. I went to Vietnam in January, 1969, and was placed at the base camp Fire Direction Center (FDC) in Camp Enari outside Pleiku in the central highlands of Vietnam. I arrived as a Corporal and was made one of two Chief Computers, in charge of the day shift of "computers" at the FDC. These were people that computed the angle, elevation and charge for the various pieces of firepower. Captain Bonifas was my boss. Major Stone was his boss. We worked in a "bunker" above ground and surrounded by sandbags. My "office" was a metal cargo box. To defend the camp, Headquarters of the 4th (Ivy) Infantry Division, we had 155 mm Howitzers, 105 mm Howitzers, 4.2 in mortars and 81 mm mortars. All the "computers" were in the bunker. One for each of the "guns". There was also an actual hardware computer, FADAC as I recall, that also computed the data. The human computers were used as a check on the FADAC whose data was actually used since it also had wind direction and temperature inputs. Under Captain Bonifas were two Lieutenants, one for the night shift (Lieutenant Gordon spelling?) and one for the day shift, shown in the attached photos. The lieutenants carried out Captain Bonifas's orders for the day. Most firing was at night, H&Is (harassment and interdiction), we rarely fired during the day, and then only for registration of the howitzers. I went up once with Captain Bonifas during one of the registrations. Up and down in a LOH (Light observation Helicopter). Up when they fired a round, down to see exactly where it landed. Then Captain Bonifas would give the left, right, up or down to correct the next round. I remember it did not phase Captain Bonifas but I got sick.
I remember Captain Bonifas would always encourage us to do our best. He rarely got angry, just expressed concern when something went wrong. I remember asking about his Westpoint ring that I noticed and which he showed me. I remember being very impressed by that but now realize that many of the officers probably went there.
I was originally trained as an 81 mm mortarman for the California Army National Guard, at the Orange, California armory. When I returned from basic training, I went back to school and transferred to an artillery outfit in Burbank. We were activated after the Pueblo crises and sent to Ft. Lewis to train. I was individually levied to Vietnam as a replacement as were the rest of our unit. Divide and conquer. I was placed in the base camp FDC primarily on the strength of my records, which I personally filled out by the book, since the NG unit entered nothing. Since I had not had any field artillery training, I was sent to an on base Artillery school up at headquarters. Captain Bonifas said if I maxed the final test, Major Stone would buy me a beer. (Other wise I would be sent to the field.) You never had a more dedicated student. That beer sure tasted good with Major Stone in the officers club.
The then President Nixon cut short my stay there by announcing that all National Guardsmen in Vietnam would be home no later than Christmas 1969. After all, we worked hard to stay out of the draft, (NG stood for Not Going) we deserved to be rewarded. Just kidding. This announcement was soon followed by finding out that any soldier in a foreign war due to be released within 90 days of the start of a school year, could be released early to return to school under the GI bill. It was heartwarming to see the enthusiasm of all those National Guardsmen as they thought about improving their job skills with more education. I got out in late August, much to the chagrin of my First Sergeant Claxton Bone who said I got there after him and get to leave before him. I returned to graduate school at Cal State Long Beach and eventually received my MS in metals physics.
I do not know how much longer Captain Bonifas remained at the FDC in Camp Enari. I know he provided good direction and stability during stressful times.
Feel free to contact me for any more details I can remember so long ago.
