MADISON – The life and military service of Major Samuel Porter Logan, Jr. will never be forgotten because of his family’s efforts and a local veterans’ organization.

The Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation has been committed in keeping Maj. Logan’s legacy of service in people’s thoughts in several states. He served in the U.S. Air Force in 1950 during the Korean War.

Maj. Logan is listed as POW, MIA and KIA — Prisoner of War, Missing in Action, Killed in Action. KIA is a casualty classification that indicates the death of U.S. personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces. (military-history.fandom.com)

Maj. Logan was the pilot of a B-29 Superfortress, B-29A-60-BN, 44-62084, 325th BS (Bombardment Squadron)/92nd BG, nicknamed ‘Little Mike.’ Anti-aircraft fire severely damaged the plane while it was making a bombing run over North Korea on their last target on Sept. 9, 1950.

“As crew members were blown from the aircraft like confetti in a windstorm, five parachutes were observed to open,” according to military records. In November 1950, Graves Registration Service located the wreckage.

An investigation resulted in the recovery of remains of three crew members. In November 1950, a news release by the North Koreans carried a picture of this B-29 they claimed to have shot down. In addition, they issued a picture of the Maj. Logan, whom they claimed was taken prisoner Nov. 1, 1950.

On Jan. 31, 1951, the State Department also received information stating that Logan’s name was scratched on a cell’s wall in the courthouse jail in Pyongyang, North Korea. Other carvings stated, “shot down 9 September 1950” and the notation “27 September 1950.”

Logan’s awards include Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Korea War Service Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

On a 30-day pass, Maj. Logan married his ‘high school sweetheart,’ Helen Virginia Hull of Nashville, Tenn. on May 29, 1944. The couple had two sons, Charles David Logan of Franklin, Tenn. and Thomas Michael ‘Mike’ Logan of Germantown, Tenn.

In honor of Maj. Logan’s 100th birthday in August 2020, a team with Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation collected approximately 100 birthday cards from all over the country. Foundation associates delivered cards to Maj. Logan’s sons with a motorcade escort to Tennessee.

That event “was very memorable to everyone. Every card had some money for his birthday tribute,” K.C. Bertling of Madison said. K.C. is founder and has served as president of Legacy 4 Korean War Veterans Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation. Her husband Sam Bertling has volunteered as the foundation’s financial advisor.

“We’re planning an honor trip to Washington D.C. from July 25-28 for Korean War veterans,” Sam said.