Korean-American Former US Marine in Ukraine Confirmed Killed in Action Late

Missing in action during combat after joining in April last year
Born in Korea and adopted... Enlisted during 9/11 terror attacks

The death of a Korean-American former U.S. Marine Corps officer who participated as an international volunteer in the war between Russia and Ukraine has been confirmed.

On the 19th (local time), an online fundraising site in the U.S., GoFundMe, posted a message by William Lee on behalf of the late Reserve Captain Grady Krupasi's wife.

Reserve Captain Krupasi, who was discharged in September 2021, went to Ukraine to support the country after Russia's invasion. Initially, his mission was to train soldiers.

However, as the war intensified, commanders with combat experience became necessary, and Reserve Captain Krupasi eventually led a squad into battle and was killed during combat. His death was confirmed in April of this year, about a year after he was reported missing.

Earlier, The Washington Post reported in July last year that Reserve Captain Krupasi was last seen on April 26 of the same year engaging Russian forces in southern Ukraine, after which he went missing, and his family and friends were searching for his whereabouts.

Grady Krupasi, Marine Corps Reserve Captain [Image source=Visegrad 24 Twitter screenshot]

At the time, Reserve Captain Krupasi moved to a temporary observation post with Andrew Hill, a British national, to identify the source of incoming bullets, and he has been missing since then.

The Washington Post reported, "Hill, who was with Reserve Captain Krupasi, was captured by Russian forces, and two others died."

It added, "The U.S. State Department confirmed the death of an American citizen in Ukraine and said it is in contact with his family, providing all possible consular support."

Reserve Captain Krupasi was born in Korea and adopted into the United States. He lived in New York and worked as a computer programmer.

After the 9/11 attacks, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, served as an infantry assaultman, and later became a reconnaissance sniper. He was deployed to Iraq three times and received the Purple Heart in 2007. He also served in Korea for three years with his wife and daughter.

William Lee wrote on GoFundMe, "Captain Krupasi was selfless and always overcame hardships and difficulties with a smiling face."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.