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Conway...MSG Ernest William Grainger, age 25, died July 11, 1950 in battle near the town of Chochiwon, South Korea. At the time of his death, Ernest was a son of Ora Stevens Grainger and the late William Kelly Grainger. He was also survived at his death by two sisters, Letha Grainger Johnson (McKeiver) of Conway and Geraldine Grainger Craft (William) of Columbia and one brother, Claude G. Grainger (Lucille) of Columbia. MSG Grainger was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II where he was a member of the 11th Airborne Division, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment. After the war, he served with the occupation troops in Japan on Japans southernmost island of Kyushu. In early July 1950, he was a member of the 24th Infantry Division, 21st Infantry Regiment, K Company, the first unit to be sent to Korea. When North Korean forces struck and overran U.S. positions, MSG Grainger was one of the many men reported missing in action. Three years later, he was declared killed in action. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Clasp and two Loops, American Campaign Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Arrowhead Devise and three Bronze Service Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with Japan Clasp, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Star, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korea-Korean War Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Infantry Badge (Second Award), Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge-Basic and Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II. Surviving are three nieces, Kathleen Johnson Hubbard of Conway, Genene Grainger Ettinger (Jerry) of Georgetown, KY and Sharon Craft Stanley (Danny) of Loris, two nephews, William Kenneth Grainger of Georgetown, KY and William Ernest Craft of Conway, many great nieces, great nephews, cousins and extended family. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday at Bethlehem Baptist Church with Rev. Jerry Howell, Chaplain Bob Fogner and Rev. Mike Kinlaw officiating. Burial with Full Military Honors will be in the church cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675 or to the Korean War Project, P.O. Box 180190 Dallas, TX 75218-0190. Sign a guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

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Ernest Grainger

January 1, 1925 - July 11, 1950