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John Kelvin Koelsch was born in London, England on 22 December 1923. He graduated from Princeton University in 1942 and enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the
U.S. Naval Reserve on 14 September of that year. Following flight training, he was commissioned an ensign in the Naval Reserve on 23 October 1944. He served at Naval Air Stations at Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia, and subsequently flew with Composite Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadrons 97 and 18, serving as the latter's assistant administrative officer.
He was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) 01 August 1946 and transferred to the U.S. Navy two months later on 11 October. He returned to Princeton for instruction under the College
Training Program in May 1948 followed by an assignment in February 1949 with the Naval Aircraft Torpedo Unit, Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
After the outbreak of Communist aggression in Korea, he joined Helicopter Squadron (HU) 1 at Miramar, California, in August 1950. As Officer in Charge of HU-1, Detachment 8, he joined
carrier Princeton (CV 37) in October for duty off the east coast of Korea. He served on board Princeton until June 1951 when he was transferred to pilot rescue duty out of
Wonsan, Korea, then under naval blockade. On 22 June, Koelsch and ADAN George M. Neal, his crewman, rescued Ens. Marvin D. Nelson, Jr., of Composite Squadron 3 from the waters of Wonsan
Harbor, southeast of Yo-Do Island, after Nelson had bailed out of his crippled Vought F4U Corsair. Late on the afternoon of 3 July 1951, Koelsch and then-AD3 Neal volunteered to fly deep
into North Korea to rescue Capt. James V. Wilkins, USMC, who had bailed out of his burning Corsair after it had been hit by enemy fire during an armed reconnaissance mission about thirty-five
miles southwest of Wonsan. Despite approaching darkness, worsening weather, and enemy ground fire, Lt.(jg) Koelsch located the downed pilot in the Anbyon Valley and began maneuvering to
pick him up. Thick fog prevented the covering aircraft from protecting the unarmed helicopter, and intense enemy fire downed it as AD3 Neal was in the process of hoisting the injured man up.
Koelsch, Wilkins and Neal evaded the enemy for nine days, only to be taken captive by North Korean forces before they could reach safety. During his imprisonment, Koelsch steadfastly refused
to submit to his captors in any manner although brutally beaten and abused; his fortitude and personal bravery inspired his fellow prisoners. He died of malnutrition and dysentery in a
Communist prison camp on 16 October 1951. For his conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, Lt. (jg) Koelsch was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously,
on 03 August 1955. AD3 Neal later received the Navy Cross.
USS Koelsch (DE 1049) (1967-1989) was the first ship named in his honor. (Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 48364) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal.
Assoc. Researcher
Navsource |
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07 February 1968: Boston, Mass. - USS Koelsch (DE 1049) underway in Boston Harbor. Koelsch was in the Boston Naval Shipyard at the time and had
gotten underway that morning to test some repaired items, particularly the hull fin stabilizers. After the testing she returned to the Navy Yard that evening at 19:00.
(U.S. National Archives photo #USN 1131273 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
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Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE / FF / LCS
Archive Manager
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07 July 1969: the Atlantic Ocean - Two views of USS Koelsch (DE 1049) aproaching, and fueling from, USS Wasp (CVS 18). Both ships were
returning to the States after a three month North Atlantic Cruise. Koelsch had departed Newport on 01 May and joined the cruise already in theater. All ships of the force anchored off
Spithead, between Portsmouth, England, and the Isle of Wright, on 14 May, to be reviewed on 16 May by Queen Elizabeth II from the royal yacht Britannia.
(Photos by Tom Jacques). |
Tom Jacques
East Brunswick, N.J.
USS Wasp (CVS 18)
EN3 (1969-1970)
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02 August 1970: Rockland Maine - USS Koelsch (DE 1049) at anchor.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
Richard Leonhardt
Bethlehem, Pa. |
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02 August 1970: Rockland Maine - Bow view of Koelsch at anchor.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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02 August 1970: Rockland Maine - Stern view of Koelsch at anchor.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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02 August 1970: Rockland Maine - Koelsch at anchor.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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09 August 1970: New York Harbor - Moored at Pier 92
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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22 September 1970: Boston NSY, Mass. - Moored at Boston Naval Shipyard.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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02 October 1970: Boston NSY, Mass. - In drydock at Boston Naval Shipyard.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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25 January 1971: Roosevelt Roads, P.R. - Koelsch in port.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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30 January 1971: Frederiksted, Saint Croix, AVI - Koelsch moored while on a port visit. USS Marias (AO 57) is n the background.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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29 January 1971: off St. Croix - Koelsch at sea.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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26 February 1971: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - Koelsch approaching the fueling pier. USNS Bondia on left.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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26 February 1971: Guantanamo Bay Cuba - shot from the liberty boat.
(© Richard Leonhardt) |
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26 April 1971: Newport, R.I. - USS Koelsch (DE 1049) underway in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 107492 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
|
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE / FF / LCS
Archive Manager
|
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March - April 1972: the Atlantic - Koelsch making an underway replenishment approach to USS Intrepid (CVS 11) during a March
to April, 1972 six-week mini-cruise to Rota, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal. |
Jim Converse
Lt.(jg), USNR
USS Intrepid (CVS 11)
These three photos
© Jim Converse |
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March - April 1972: the Atlantic - Koelsch sliding in alongside Intrepid during an underway replenishment during a six-week
mini-cruise. |
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March - April 1972: the Atlantic - Koelsch breaking away from Intrepid after an underway replenisment during a six-week mini-cruise. |
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Summer 1975: Taken in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, at Kassos Strait. USS Koelsch lies at anchor near the Soviet Kashin class DDG
Krasny Krim. |
Eugene Ivkin
St. Petersburg, Russia |
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29 November 1977: Toulon, France - Koelsch shown departing Toulon after a port visit. |
Carlo Martinelli
Genoa, Italy |
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21 May 1979: Chesapeake Bay - A starboard bow view of Koelsch underway on sea trials in Chesapeake Bay following an extended overhaul at
Bethlehem Steel, Key Highway Shipyard in Baltimore, Md.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-00294 from the Defense Visual
Information Center) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive
Navsource |
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March 1980: Persian Gulf - Port beam view of Koelsch underway. |
© Walter Bengtson |
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July 1982: Mayport, Fla. - USS Koelsch (FF 1049) moored at Naval Station Mayport.
(Heilenday photo #II 0436A from the Heilenday Collection) |
Mark Heilenday
Virginia Beach, Va,
Captain, USN (ret.)
June 1974 - July 2004 |
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07 May 1985: Norfolk, Va. - A port beam view of the frigate USS Koelsch (FF 1049) underway off the Virginia Capes.
(U.S. Navy Photo NAID #6416559 Local ID: 330-CFD-DN-SC-87-01948 from the United States National Archives)
|
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE / FF / LCS
Archive Manager
|
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22 August 1985: at sea - A port quarter view of the frigate USS Koelsch (FF 1049) underway.
(U.S. Navy Photo NAID #6417696 Local ID: 330-CFD-DN-SC-87-05828 from the United States National Archives)
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01 March 1986: at sea - A port bow view of Koelsch underway in rough seas.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-87-02606 DN-ST-87-02607 from the DVIC) |
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20 November 1986: At sea - A starboard bow view of Koelsch underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-01425 from the
DVIC) |
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20 November 1986: At sea - An elevated starboard quarter view of Koelsch underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-01432
from the DVIC) |
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31 May 1989: Naval Station Charleston, S.C. - Crew members of the frigate USS Koelsch (FF 1049) man the rail before ceremonies
marking the ship's decommissioning and transfer to the Pakistani Navy, where it will be commissioned PNS Siqqat.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-89-09578 by PH3 Peter Dunn from the DVIC) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal.
Assoc. Researcher
Navsource |
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31 May 1989: Naval Station Charleston, S.C. - Officers and crew of Koelsch stand at ease before ceremonies transferring the ship to
the Pakistani Navy, where it will be commissioned PNS Siqqat. In the background is a pier with the destroyer tender USS
Sierra (AD18).
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-89-09580 by PH3 Peter Dunn from the DVIC) |
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31 May 1989: Charleston, S.C. - A starboard quarter view of the frigate USS Koelsch (FF 1049), before it transferred to the Pakistani
Navy, where it will become PNS Siqqat.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-89-09583 by PH3 Peter Dunn from the DVIC) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive
Navsource |
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31 May 1989: Charleston, S.C. - Rear Admiral Roland G. Guilbault, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12, speaks at the decomissioning ceremony for the frigate Koelsch.
The Koelsch and the guided missile frigate ex-USS Talbot (FFG 4) are being transferred to the Pakistani Navy, where they will be commissioned PNS Siqqat
and PNS Hunain, respectively.
(U.S. Navy Photo NAID #6445452 Local ID: 330-CFD-DN-ST-89-09587 from the United States National Archives)
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31 May 1989: Charleston, S.C. - Commander David A. Edwards, Commanding Officer of the frigate USS Koelsch (FF 1049) exchanges salutes with his crew as they disembark
after the ship's decommissioning. Koelsch is being transferred to the Pakistani Navy, where it will be commissioned as PNS Siqqat.
(U.S. Navy Photo NAID #6445455 Local ID: 330-CFD-DN-ST-89-09590 from the United States National Archives)
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