"Son of Local Woman Listed as Casualty" noted the Santa Cruz Sentinel article.

Jules Augustus Riche was born to Mrs. Rose C. Riche in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 14, 1923. No additional information regarding his father, siblings or early life is available. His formative years and education, including two years of college, are believed to have taken place in Louisiana. Prior to World War II, Riche worked in the entertainment field.

Jules Riche enlisted in the US Army on June 14, 1942. Following his basic training, he was assigned to an unspecified Philippine scout unit. During or after the war, he was commissioned a second lieutenant, either on the battlefield or through the Officer Candidate School program.

When the Korean War began in June 1950, Riche was serving as a First Lieutenant with the 24th Infantry division, 34th Infantry Regiment stationed in Japan. His mother, Rose, moved to Santa Cruz, was employed by the telephone company as an operator and established residence in the community. Jules apparently listed his mother's address as his residence, although he was reported to have only visited Santa Cruz once before joining his unit in Japan.

”When General MacArthur ordered United States ground troops to Korea after the invasion of South Korea by the Communists in June 1950, the 34th was one of the first units to strike back against the aggressors. The regiment arrived at Pusan on July 2d, and three days later was engaged in combat against the North Korean 4th Division. The 34th Regiment assisted Task Force Smith (Lt. Col. Charles B. Smith), consisting of elements of the 24th Division, in their withdrawal from Osan, where the first ground action between United States and Communist troops took place. On the 7th of July the 34th and other elements of the 24th Division were forced to withdraw from the Pyongtaek and Ansong area. By the 11th, the 34th had fought its way back to the Kum River, three miles north of Kongju, where the 3d Battalion, which had suffered a large number of casualties, was reorganized as a single company. The 34th Infantry participated in the bitter fighting around Taejon for five days and was finally forced to withdraw to the vicinity of Kunwi, on July 23, 1950.”

On July 21, 1950, in fighting near Taejon, First Lieutenant Jules Augustus Riche was killed in action. His remains were recovered and returned to California where he was interred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno. His awards include the Purple Heart.

(NARA2; USDVA; ABMC, SCSn August 24, 1950 1:8; NARAK; Corregidor Historic Society, Thirty Fourth Regiment in Korea, 2008 http://www.corregidor.org/rock_force/taromen/history.html, [16 September 2008].)