Cpl Earl William Duncan

Cpl. Earl William Duncan was to be part of the “Home by Christmas Offensive 1950”, expecting to return home sometime between October 1950 ~ January 1951. But the operation didn’t develop as planned and Cpl. Duncan who joined the United States Army on August 6, 1948 and going to Basic Training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, bravely gave his life on Saturday ~ December 2, 1950. He was defending others’ freedom in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in present-day known as North Korea. Earl was a member of Dog Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, and 31st Regimental Combat Team. Earl had been listed by the Department of Defense as MIA soldier (missing in action) but after his remains were released to be scientifically and positively identified, his family was notified that his status was changed to KIA soldier (killed in action). Earl’s name on the Memorial Wall at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located at Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii will now have a rosette placed beside it to distinguish that his remains were identified and he is no longer a MIA soldier. Earl’s return home to his family is a very happy and bitter sweet homecoming.

Earl was a Gaston County Native. As a young boy prior to joining the United States Army in 1948, Earl loved to hunt and fish. His family remembers him as an all American boy who looked after his brothers and sister. He loved to play outdoors and spend time in the woods with his brothers. Playing baseball, softball and doing his chores. All the kids would hang out at the Duncan's house and shooting marbles was a neighborhood event with the boys and girls. One day he and his younger brother Sam were drawing straws with the gang to see who would go first in shooting marbles. They had some of the shortest straws which made them last that particular day. Earl and Sam decided to go to the store and get a drink and eat some red Pistachio nuts (Earl's favorite) from the machine. He got Sam hooked on them too. As the family grew up, his brothers and sister miss everything they did together. When Earl left home as an American Soldier, Earl would write back home to his family and ask his dad how the fish were biting and how the hunting was going. Earl truly missed being back home in Gaston County fishing and hunting.

Earl is survived by one sister and brother in law: Elsie and Leonard Loftin of Lowell, North Carolina; two brothers: Samuel Duncan of Gastonia, North Carolina and Howard Duncan of Charlotte, North Carolina; sister in law: Joyce Duncan (widow of Daniel Duncan); nieces and nephews: Steve Duncan, Carolyn Moss, Kathy Schronce, June Howell, Eric Duncan, Johnny Howard, Karen Hudgins, Linda Smith, Lisa Whitt, Mark Duncan, Blaine Duncan, Gwen Ward, DeeAnn Burritt, Kevin Loftin, Kerry Loftin and Donna Canipe.

Earl was the son of the late Prosey Duncan and Fronia Mincey Duncan. He was also preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters in law: Daniel Duncan, Otha Duncan, Otis and Lillian Duncan, Aline Duncan (wife of Samuel Duncan), Bonnie Duncan (wife of Howard Duncan); two nieces and two nephews: Larry Duncan, Freida Carpenter, Ronnie Duncan and Lynn Duncan.

A Welcome Home Ceremony celebrating the life Earl lived and the sacrifice Earl gave so others might have the freedom we enjoy, will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday ~ November 30, 2019 at the McAdenville Wesleyan Church, 300 Wesleyan Drive, McAdenville, North Carolina with Pastors Damien Gula and Michael Loftin sharing words of hope, comfort and closure to Earl’s family and friends.

Earl’s family will receive guests from 11:00 AM ~ 1:00 PM prior to the service.

The United States Army will deliver Full Military Honors, laying Earl to rest back home in Gastonia in War Memorial Garden at Gaston Memorial Park, 1200 South New Hope Road, Gastonia, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to Camp Centurion, a transitional and supportive housing for homeless veterans, www.campcenturion.org or P.O. Box 6187 Gastonia, North Carolina and/or McAdenville Wesleyan Church, P.O. Box 365, McAdenville, North Carolina 28101.

Expressions of love and fond memories along with tributes honoring Cpl Earl Duncan may be made on his guestbook at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com

Carothers Funeral Home and Gaston Memorial Park is honored to be serving the family of Cpl Earl William Duncan.