William F. Dean
United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
Died when: 82 years 23 days (984 months)Star Sign: Leo
William Frishe Dean Sr. (August 1, 1899 – August 24, 1981) was a United States Army major general during World War II and the Korean War.
He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 20 and 21, 1950, during the Battle of Taejon in South Korea.
Dean also became the highest ranking American officer captured by an enemy force since the 17 American generals captured by Imperial Japan after the fall of the Philippines when he was captured by North Korea during the Korean War.
Dean attended the University of California at Berkeley before graduating with a commission in the US Army through the Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) in 1921.
Slowly rising up the ranks in the inter-war years, Dean worked a desk job in Washington D.C. for much of World War II before being transferred to the 44th Infantry Division which he later commanded during the final days of the war, and was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross.
Dean is known for commanding the 24th Infantry Division at the outbreak of the Korean War.Dean led the division for several weeks in successive delaying battles against the North Koreans, before he led his division in making a last stand at Taejon.
During the confused retreat from that city, Dean was separated from his soldiers and badly injured, and was eventually captured by the North Koreans.
He remained in North Korean custody near P'yongyang for the remainder of the war.After the end of the conflict, Dean returned to the United States to a hero's welcome.
He retired from the Army soon after and lived a quiet life until his death.
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