Hero of the Frozen Chosin

By Jack Emery

Gerald A. “Jerry” Kraus

June 30, 1930 – December 28, 2009

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During wartime, young people are often asked and expected to perform acts of unimaginable heroism. Gerald Kraus was one such young man who went above and beyond what was asked of him when enlisted in the Marines at just twenty years old, after the North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950. Soon Gerald and the rest of the First Marine Division were facing off against both North Korean and Chinese forces at the infamous Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, where Gerald proved just how far he was willing to go to help his fellow Marines.

Gerald A. “Jerry” Kraus was born on June 30, 1930 in Lake Itasca, Minnesota to James and Lucille Kraus.[1] Jerry had three sisters: Helen, Rosemary, and Katy.[2] Jerry grew up in the shadows of two of the most influential events in American history, with his early childhood being marked by the Great Depression, while his later childhood and early teenage years were influenced by the Second World War and the subsequent Cold War.

Marines of the First Marine Division photographed during the battle at the Chosin Reservoir (CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/on-desperate-ground-hampton-sides-the-story-of-chosin-reservoir-the-korean-wars-greatest-battle/)

Jerry’s childhood came to an abrupt end in July of 1950, just one month after his twentieth birthday, when he enlisted in the Marines.[3] Jerry was assigned to A Company, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, of the First Marine Division.[4] With 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, Jerry took part in the amphibious landing at Inchon before pushing the North Korean invaders all the way back to the northern border with China.[5] When Chinese forces entered the war in late November of 1950, and attacked the 1/7 Marines at the Chosin Reservoir, Jerry and his fellow Marines did not waver. Throughout the brutal fighting and even more brutal weather conditions, Jerry “skillfully and courageously [performed] his duties throughout this period.”[6]

During a vicious enemy counterattack on November 26, 1950, Jerry, according to the after-action report, “voluntarily charged forward straight into the enemy lines in order to rescue a wounded Marine.” During this mad dash, Jerry himself was wounded in the face and temporarily blinded; however, Jerry got both himself and his fellow Marine back to friendly lines. For this selfless and heroic act, Jerry was awarded a Silver Star.[7] The Department of Defense describes the Silver Star as “the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces. It is awarded for gallantry in action.”[8]

Gerald Kraus’s headstone in Ft. Logan National Cemetery (Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47749917/gerald-a-kraus)

Due to his combat wounds, Jerry was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1952, at which point he returned to the U.S. and moved to the Denver area.[9] It was here he met his wife, Mary Ellen; and the two started their family, having two sons, Matthew and Joseph, and one daughter, Ann.[10] Jerry became a successful business man in the Denver area, developing a multitude of small businesses throughout his life. Jerry also remained very active in his community, acting as Past President and District Governor of the Rotary Club and he was a member of the Aurora Club.[11] He was also a member of Our Lady of Loreto Catholic Church, and “was dedicated to raising funds and contributing to many charitable organizations.”[12] Gerald Kraus passed away on December 28, 2009 at the age of 79 years old.

Footnotes ↓

[1] “Gerald A. “Jerry” Kraus,” Legacy.com, January 3, 2010, accessed July 15, 2021, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/gerald-kraus-obituary?pid=137985621.

[2] Ibid.

[3] “Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” entry for Gerald A Kraus, database, accessed July 14, 2021, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/2361486:2441?tid=&pid=&queryId=89a12501e3aed2c273ada81e919cd961&_phsrc=prF154&_phstart=successSource.

[4] “Gerald A Kraus,” Find A Grave, n.d., accessed July 14, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47749917/gerald-a-kraus.

[5] “History” 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, n.d., accessed July 16, 2021, https://www.1stmardiv.marines.mil/Units/7TH-MARINE-REGT/1st-Battalion/History/.

[6] “Gerald A Kraus,” Find A Grave, n.d., accessed July 14, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47749917/gerald-a-kraus.

[7] Ibid.

[8] “Description of Medals,” Military Awards for Valor – Top 3, accessed August 25, 2021, https://valor.defense.gov/description-of-awards/.

[9] “Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010,” entry for Gerald A Kraus, database, accessed July 14, 2021, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/2361486:2441?tid=&pid=&queryId=89a12501e3aed2c273ada81e919cd961&_phsrc=prF154&_phstart=successSource.

[10] “Gerald A. “Jerry” Kraus,” Legacy.com, January 3, 2010, accessed July 15, 2021, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/gerald-kraus-obituary?pid=137985621.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

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