The Korean War began as a police action in Korea and developed into a full-scale war in which America first fought North Korea’s communistic government in defense of South Korea, later joined by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Greece, India, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, the Hawaiian Territory, and the United Nations. The conflict is presented as helping stop the spread of Communism that would enslave the people of South Korea. It records the sacrifices of many U.S. units, including the 2nd Infantry Division, 1st Marine Division, 7th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 24th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, Far East Air Force / 5th Air Force, 5th Regimental Combat Team, 45th Infantry Division, Naval Far East 7th Fleet, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, 40th Infantry Division, and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, and adds that 1,432 Army personnel assigned to outfits independent of divisions and regimental combat teams were also killed in action. Statistics released on June 1, 2000, from battle casualties of the Army dated 9/1954, give totals of 47,274 killed in action, 4,968 died of wounds, 9,518 died while missing, 5,612 died while prisoner of war interned, 67,372 total battle dead, and 14,490 prisoners of war. An additional stone also lists Sophia High School and Junior High alumni killed in action in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan: James Leroy McClure, Ewell Edgel Acord, Richard Wayne Bryant, Jackie Everett Bolen Jr., Bernard Burdette McKinney, Jr., Bobby Wayne Armes, and Jeffery Scott Taylor.