Alford Cleve Palmer

Korean War
Service #AO-2223160
Unit7 FTR BOMB SQ 49 FTR BOMB GP
RankFirst Lieutenant U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathSeptember 5 1952
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
First Lieutenant Palmer was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Excerpt from his favorite poem by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.:\r\nOh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,\r\n And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;\r\nSunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth\r\n Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
Notes
First Lieutenant Palmer was the pilot of a F-84E Thunderjet fighter with the 7th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter-Bomber Group. On September 5, 1952, while on a combat mission over Kunu-ri, North Korea, his aircraft was damaged. possibly by friendly fire, and fell apart in mid-air. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.