Lieutenant Harry Conway “Buddy” Bradley Jr. ‘51
Harry Conway “Buddy” Bradley was born in Las Cruces NM on January 24, 1930 to Mr. and Mrs. Harry C Bradley. A lifelong Las Crucen, he attended Holy Cross School before attending Union High School which he graduated from in May 1947. While in high school he was elected the most popular boy his senior year and lettered in football.
He then enrolled at NMAMC, receiving his degree in Business Administration in May 1951. On October 5, 1950 he married Joyce Ann Wilson, also of Las Cruces. Upon graduation from NMAMC, he was commissioned into the US Army and assigned to Fort Benning Georgia. After Fort Benning he was stationed with the 1st Cavalry Division in Hokaido, Japan awaiting orders to Korea.
In August 1952 he was assigned as Platoon Commander, Company B, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th ID in the Yonchon-Ch’orwon area, in sectors fronting Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill, Heartbreak Ridge, and Luke’s Castle.
“The rising tide of enemy attacks that began in May culminated in a series of assaults in October that produced some of the heaviest fighting in more than a year. Battles raged on many sections of the front as Chinese and North Korean units, sometimes employing their familiar human-sea tactics, tried to penetrate the Eighth Army’s main line of resistance or to seize dominating terrain. The heaviest fighting centered around two key heights, Hills 281 and 395, northwest of Ch’orwon. Capture of these strategic positions, astride the U.S. I Corps- U.S. IX Corps boundary would give the Chinese control of the lateral roads behind the corps’ lines and threaten the main supply route to Ch’orwon. To herald the opening of their attacks the Chinese unleashed the largest volume of mortar and artillery fire received by the Eighth Army since the fighting began. On one day, 7 October, more than 93,000 rounds fell on U.N. positions along the front. “
- Movin’ On, the 279th Infantry Regiment 1950-1954
On the morning of October 8, 1952 Lt Bradley was serving as a platoon leader on a reconnaissance of the route to a forward outpost position, when a mine was accidentally detonated killing him instantly. Lt Harry C. “Buddy” Bradley was survived by his wife, Joyce Ann Bradley and two sons, Jamie and Kevin, the latter whom he had never seen. His younger brother, Jim Bradley, was attending NMAMC at the time of his older brother’s death. Today, Harry “Buddy” Bradley lies buried in the Las Cruces Masonic Cemetery.
He was 22 years of age at the time he gave his life in service to his country.