KOREAN WAR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

The Medals of Honor

The Foundation of Freedom is the Courage of Ordinary People

History    On Line

LEE, HUBERT L.

Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 23d InfantryRegiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Ip-ori, Korea, 1 February1951. Entered service at: Leland, Miss. Born: 2 February 1915, Arburg, Mo. G.O.No.: 21, 5 February 1952. Citation: M/Sgt. Lee, a member of Company I,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyondthe call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon was forced fromits position by a numerically superior enemy force, and his platoon leaderwounded, M/Sgt. Lee assumed command, regrouped the remnants of his unit, and ledthem in repeated assaults to regain the position. Within 25 yards of hisobjective he received a leg wound from grenade fragments, but refused assistanceand continued the attack. Although forced to withdraw 5 times, each time heregrouped his remaining men and renewed the assault. Moving forward at the headof his small group in the fifth attempt, he was struck by an exploding grenade,knocked to the ground, and seriously wounded in both legs. Still refusingassistance, he advanced by crawling, rising to his knees to fire, and urging hismen to follow. While thus directing the final assault he was wounded a thirdtime, by small-arms fire. Persistently continuing to crawl forward, he directedhis men in a final and successful attack which regained the vital objective. Hisintrepid leadership and determination led to the destruction of 83 of the enemyand withdrawal of the remainder, and was a vital factor in stopping the enemyattack. M/Sgt. Lee's indomitable courage, consummate valor, and outstandingleadership reflect the highest credit upon himself and are in keeping with thefinest traditions of the infantry and the U.S. Army.

*LIBBY, GEORGE D.

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 3d Engineer CombatBattalion, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Taejon, Korea, 20 July1950. Entered service at: Waterbury, Conn. Birth: Bridgton, Maine. G.O. No.: 62,2 August 1951. Citation: Sgt. Libby distinguished himself by conspicuousgallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. Whilebreaking through an enemy encirclement, the vehicle in which he was ridingapproached an enemy roadblock and encountered devastating fire which disabledthe truck, killing or wounding all the passengers except Sgt. Libby. Takingcover in a ditch Sgt. Libby engaged the enemy and despite the heavy fire crossedthe road twice to administer aid to his wounded comrades. He then hailed apassing M-5 artillery tractor and helped the wounded aboard. The enemy directedintense small-arms fire at the driver, and Sgt. Libby, realizing that no oneelse could operate the vehicle, placed himself between the driver and the enemythereby shielding him while he returned the fire. During this action he receivedseveral wounds in the arms and body. Continuing through the town the tractormade frequent stops and Sgt. Libby helped more wounded aboard. Refusing firstaid, he continued to shield the driver and return the fire of the enemy whenanother roadblock was encountered. Sgt. Libby received additional wounds butheld his position until he lost consciousness. Sgt. Libby's sustained, heroicactions enabled his comrades to reach friendly lines. His dauntless courage andgallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold theesteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.

*LITTLETON, HERBERT A.

Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve,Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place anddate: Chungchon, Korea, 22 April 1951. Entered service at: Blackhawk, S. Dak.Born: 1 July 1930, Mena, Ark. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty whileserving as a radio operator with an artillery forward observation team ofCompany C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Standing watch when awell-concealed and numerically superior enemy force launched a violent nightattack from nearby positions against his company, Pfc. Littleton quickly alertedthe forward observation team and immediately moved into an advantageous positionto assist in calling down artillery fire on the hostile force. When an enemyhandgrenade was thrown into his vantage point shortly after the arrival of theremainder of the team, he unhesitatingly hurled himself on the deadly missile,absorbing its full, shattering impact in his body. By his prompt action andheroic spirit of self-sacrifice, he saved the other members of his team fromserious injury or death and enabled them to carry on the vital mission whichculminated in the repulse of the hostile attack. His indomitable valor in theface of almost certain death reflects the highest credit upon Pfc. Littleton andthe U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*LONG, CHARLES R.

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 38th InfantryRegiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Hoengsong, Korea, 12February 1951. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Born: 10 December 1923,Kansas City, Mo. G.O. No.: 18, 1 February 1952. Citation: Sgt. Long, a member ofCompany M, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity aboveand beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the UnitedNations. When Company M, in a defensive perimeter on Hill 300, was viciouslyattacked by a numerically superior hostile force at approximately 0300 hours andordered to withdraw, Sgt. Long, a forward observer for the mortar platoon,voluntarily remained at his post to provide cover by directing mortar fire onthe enemy. Maintaining radio contact with his platoon, Sgt. Long coolly directedaccurate mortar fire on the advancing foe. He continued firing his carbine andthrowing handgrenades until his position was surrounded and he was mortallywounded. Sgt. Long's inspirational, valorous action halted the onslaught,exacted a heavy toll of enemy casualties, and enabled his company to withdraw,reorganize, counterattack, and regain the hill strongpoint. His unflinchingcourage and noble self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit on himself and arein keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.

*LOPEZ, BALDOMERO

First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1stBattalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: DuringInchon invasion in Korea, 15 September 1950. Entered service at: Tampa, Fla.Born: 23 August 1925, Tampa, Fla. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as amarine platoon commander of Company A, in action against enemy aggressor forces.With his platoon 1st Lt. Lopez was engaged in the reduction of immediate enemybeach defenses after landing with the assault waves. Exposing himself to hostilefire, he moved forward alongside a bunker and prepared to throw a handgrenadeinto the next pillbox whose fire was pinning down that sector of the beach.Taken under fire by an enemy automatic weapon and hit in the right shoulder andchest as he lifted his arm to throw, he fell backward and dropped the deadlymissile. After a moment, he turned and dragged his body forward in an effort toretrieve the grenade and throw it. In critical condition from pain and loss ofblood, and unable to grasp the handgrenade firmly enough to hurl it, he chose tosacrifice himself rather than endanger the lives of his men and, with a sweepingmotion of his wounded right arm, cradled the grenade under him and absorbed thefull impact of the explosion. His exceptional courage, fortitude, and devotionto duty reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Lopez and the U.S. NavalService. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*LORING, CHARLES J., JR.

Major, U.S. Air Force, 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron,8th Fighter-Bomber Wing. Place and date: Near Sniper Ridge, North Korea, 22November 1952. Entered service at: Portland, Maine. Born: 2 October 1918,Portland, Maine. Citation: Maj. Loring distinguished himself by conspicuousgallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call ofduty. While leading a flight of 4 F-80 type aircraft on a close support mission,Maj. Loring was briefed by a controller to dive-bomb enemy gun positions whichwere harassing friendly ground troops. After verifying the location of thetarget, Maj. Loring rolled into his dive bomb run. Throughout the run, extremelyaccurate ground fire was directed on his aircraft. Disregarding the accuracy andintensity of the ground fire, Maj. Loring aggressively continued to press theattack until his aircraft was hit. At approximately 4,000 feet, he deliberatelyaltered his course and aimed his diving aircraft at active gun emplacementsconcentrated on a ridge northwest of the briefed target, turned his aircraft 45degrees to the left, pulled up in a deliberate, controlled maneuver, and electedto sacrifice his life by diving his aircraft directly into the midst of theenemy emplacements. His selfless and heroic action completely destroyed theenemy gun emplacement and eliminated a dangerous threat to United Nations groundforces. Maj. Loring's noble spirit, superlative courage, and conspicuousself-sacrifice in inflicting maximum damage on the enemy exemplified valor ofthe highest degree and his actions were in keeping with the finest traditions ofthe U.S. Air Force.

*LYELL, WILLIAM F.

Corporal, U.S. Army, Company F, 17th InfantryRegiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Chup'a-ri, Korea, 31August 1951. Entered service at: Old Hickory, Tenn. Birth: Hickman County, Tenn.G.O. No.: 4, 9 January 1953. Citation: Cpl. Lyell, a member of Company F,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above andbeyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon leader waskilled, Cpl. Lyell assumed command and led his unit in an assault on stronglyfortified enemy positions located on commanding terrain. When his platoon cameunder vicious, raking fire which halted the forward movement, Cpl. Lyell seizeda 57mm. recoilless rifle and unhesitatingly moved ahead to a suitable firingposition from which he delivered deadly accurate fire completely destroying anenemy bunker, killing its occupants. He then returned to his platoon and wasresuming the assault when the unit was again subjected to intense hostile firefrom 2 other bunkers. Disregarding his personal safety, armed with grenades hecharged forward hurling grenades into 1 of the enemy emplacements, and althoughpainfully wounded in this action he pressed on destroying the bunker and killing6 of the foe. He then continued his attack against a third enemy position,throwing grenades as he ran forward, annihilating 4 enemy soldiers. He then ledhis platoon to the north slope of the hill where positions were occupied fromwhich effective fire was delivered against the enemy in support of friendlytroops moving up. Fearlessly exposing himself to enemy fire, he continuouslymoved about directing and encouraging his men until he was mortally wounded byenemy mortar fire. Cpl. Lyell's extraordinary heroism, indomitable courage, andaggressive leadership reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping withthe highest traditions of the military service.

*MARTINEZ, BENITO

Corporal, U.S. Army, Company A, 27th InfantryRegiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Satae-ri Korea, 6September 1952. Entered service at: Fort Hancock, Tex. Born: 21 March 1931, FortHancock, Tex. G.O. No.: 96, 29 December 1953. Citation. Cpl. Martinez, a machinegunner with Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry andoutstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against theenemy. While manning a listening post forward of the main line of resistance,his position was attacked by a hostile force of reinforced company strength. Inthe bitter fighting which ensued, the enemy infiltrated the defense perimeterand, realizing that encirclement was imminent, Cpl. Martinez elected to remainat his post in an attempt to stem the onslaught. In a daring defense, he rakedthe attacking troops with crippling fire, inflicting numerous casualties.Although contacted by sound power phone several times, he insisted that noattempt be made to rescue him because of the danger involved. Soon thereafter,the hostile forces rushed the emplacement, forcing him to make a limitedwithdrawal with only an automatic rifle and pistol to defend himself. After acourageous 6-hour stand and shortly before dawn, he called in for the last time,stating that the enemy was converging on his position. His magnificent standenabled friendly elements to reorganize, attack, and regain the key terrain.Cpl. Martinez' incredible valor and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory uponhimself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.

*MATTHEWS, DANIEL P.

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2d Battalion,7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Vegas Hill, Korea, 28March 1953. Entered service at. Van Nuys, Calif. Born: 31 December 1931, VanNuys, Calif. Award presented: 29 March 19S4. Citation: For conspicuous gallantryand intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty whileserving as a squad leader of Company F, in action against enemy aggressorforces. Participating in a counterattack against a firmly entrenched andwell-concealed hostile force which had repelled 6 previous assaults on a vitalenemy-held outpost far forward of the main line of resistance Sgt. Matthewsfearlessly advanced in the attack until his squad was pinned down by a murderoussweep of fire from an enemy machinegun located on the peak of the outpost.Observing that the deadly fire prevented a corpsman from removing a wounded manIying in an open area fully exposed to the brunt of the devastating gunfire, heworked his way to the base of the hostile machinegun emplacement, leaped ontothe rock fortification surrounding the gun and, taking the enemy by completesurprise, single-handedly charged the hostile emplacement with his rifle.Although severely wounded when the enemy brought a withering hail of fire tobear upon him, he gallantly continued his valiant l-man assault and, firing hisrifle with deadly effectiveness, succeeded in killing 2 of the enemy, routing athird, and completely silencing the enemy weapon, thereby enabling his comradesto evacuate the stricken marine to a safe position. Succumbing to his woundsbefore aid could reach him, Sgt. Matthews, by his indomitable fighting spirit,courageous initiative, and resolute determination in the face of almost certaindeath, served to inspire all who observed him and was directly instrumental insaving the life of his wounded comrade. His great personal valor reflects thehighest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. NavalService. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*MAUSERT, FREDERICK W., III

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company B, 1stBattalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.) Place and date:Songnap-yong, Korea, 12 September 1951. Entered service at: Dresher, Pa. Born: 2May 1930, Cambridge, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity atthe risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squadleader in Company B, in action against enemy aggressor forces. With his companypinned down and suffering heavy casualties under murderous machinegun, rifle,artillery, and mortar fire laid down from heavily fortificd, deeply entrenchedhostile strongholds on Hill 673, Sgt. Mausert unhesitatingly left his coveredposition and ran through a heavily mined and fire-swept area to bring back 2critically wounded men to the comparative safety of the lines. Staunchlyrefusing evacuation despite a painful head wound sustained during his voluntaryact, he insisted on remaining with his squad and, with his platoon ordered intothe assault moments later, took the point position and led his men in a furiousbayonet charge against the first of a literally impregnable series of bunkers.Stunned and knocked to the ground when another bullet struck his helmet, heregained his feet and resumed his drive, personally silencing the machinegun andleading his men in eliminating several other emplacements in the area. Promptlyreorganizing his unit for a renewed fight to the final objective on top of theridge, Sgt. Mausert boldly left his position when the enemy's fire gainedmomentum and, making a target of himself, boldly advanced alone into the face ofthe machinegun, drawing the fire away from his men and enabling them to moveinto position to assault. Again severely wounded when the enemy's fire found itsmark, he still refused aid and continued spearheading the assault to the topmostmachinegun nest and bunkers, the last bulwark of the fanatic aggressors. Leapinginto the wall of fire, he destroyed another machinegun with grenades before hewas mortally wounded by bursting grenades and machinegun fire. Stouthearted andindomitable, Sgt. Mausert, by his fortitude, great personal valor, andextraordinary heroism in the face of almost certain death, had inspired his mento sweep on, overrun and finally secure the objective. His unyielding couragethroughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.He gallantly gave his life for his country.

*McGOVERN, ROBERT M.

First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company A, 5th CavalryRegiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Near Kamyangjan-ni, Korea, 30January 1951. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Birth: Washington, D.C. G.O.No.: 2, 8 January 1952. Citation: 1st Lt. McGovern, a member of Company A,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk oflife above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of theUnited Nations. As 1st Lt. McGovern led his platoon up a slope to engage hostiletroops emplaced in bunker-type pillboxes with connecting trenches, the unit cameunder heavy machinegun and rifle fire from the crest of the hill, approximately75 yards distant. Despite a wound sustained in this initial burst of witheringfire, 1st Lt. McGovern, assured the men of his ability to continue on and urgedthem forward. Forging up the rocky incline, he fearlessly led the platoon towithin several yards of its objective when the ruthless foe threw and rolled avicious barrage of handgrenades on the group and halted the advance. Enemy fireincreased in volume and intensity and 1st Lt. McGovern realizing that casualtieswere rapidly increasing and the morale of his men badly shaken, hurled backseveral grenades before they exploded. Then, disregarding his painful wound andweakened condition he charged a machinegun emplacement which was raking hisposition with flanking fire. When he was within 10 yards of the position a burstof fire ripped the carbine from his hands, but, undaunted, he continued hislone-man assault and, firing his pistol and throwing grenades, killed 7 hostilesoldiers before falling mortally wounded in front of the gun he had silenced.1st Lt. McGovern's incredible display of valor imbued his men with indomitableresolution to avenge his death. Fixing bayonets and throwing grenades, theycharged with such ferocity that hostile positions were overrun and the enemyrouted from the hill. The inspirational leadership, unflinching courage, andintrepid actions of 1st Lt. McGovern reflected utmost glory on himself and thehonored tradition of the military services.

McLAUGHLlN, ALFORD L.

Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Company L, 3dBattalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.) Place and date: Korea, 4 and5 September 1952. Entered service at: Leeds, Ala. Born: 18 March 1928, Leeds,Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his lifeabove and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner of CompanyL, in action against enemy aggressor forces on the night of 4-5 September 1952.Volunteering for his second continuous tour of duty on a strategic combatoutpost far in advance of the main line of resistance, Pfc. McLaughlin, althoughoperating under a barrage of enemy artillery and mortar fire, set up plans forthe defense of his position which proved decisive in the successful defense ofthe outpost. When hostile forces attacked in battalion strength during thenight, he maintained a constant flow of devastating fire upon the enemy,alternately employing 2 machineguns, a carbine, and handgrenades. Althoughpainfully wounded, he bravely fired the machineguns from the hip until his handsbecame blistered by the extreme heat from the weapons and, placing the guns onthe ground to allow them to cool, continued to defend the position with hiscarbine and grenades. Standing up in full view, he shouted words ofencouragement to his comrades above the din of battle and, throughout a seriesof fanatical enemy attacks, sprayed the surrounding area with deadly fire,accounting for an estimated 150 enemy dead and 50 wounded. By his indomitablecourage, superb leadership, and valiant fighting spirit in the face ofoverwhelming odds, Pfc. McLaughlin served to inspire his fellow marines in theirgallant stand against the enemy and was directly instrumental in preventing thevital outpost from falling into the hands of a determined and numericallysuperior hostile force. His outstanding heroism and unwavering devotion to dutyreflect the highest credit upon himself and enhance the finest traditions of theU.S. Naval Service.

*MENDONCA, LEROY A.

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 7th InfantryRegiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Chich-on, Korea, 4 July1951. Entered service at: Honolulu, T.H. Birth: Honolulu, T.H. G.O. No.: 83, 3September 1952. Citation: Sgt. LeRoy A. Mendonca, distinguished himself byconspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in action against theenemy. After his platoon, in an exhaustive fight, had captured Hill 586, thenewly won positions were assaulted during the night by a numerically superiorenemy force. When the 1st Platoon positions were outflanked and under greatpressure and the platoon was ordered to withdraw to a secondary line of defense,Sgt. Mendonca voluntarily remained in an exposed position and covered theplatoon's withdrawal. Although under murderous enemy fire, he fired his weaponand hurled grenades at the onrushing enemy until his supply of ammunition wasexhausted. He fought on, clubbing with his rifle and using his bayonet until hewas mortally wounded. After the action it was estimated that Sgt. Mendonca hadaccounted for 37 enemy casualties. His daring actions stalled the crushingassault, protecting the platoon's withdrawal to secondary positions, andenabling the entire unit to repel the enemy attack and retain possession of thevital hilltop position. Sgt. Mendonca's extraordinary gallantry and exemplaryvalor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

MILLETT, LEWIS L.

Captain, U.S. Army, Company E, 27th InfantryRegiment. Place and date: Vicinity of Soam-Ni, Korea, 7 February 1951. Enteredservice at: Mechanic Falls, Maine. Born: 15 December 1920, Mechanic Falls,Maine. G.O. No.: 69, 2 August 1951. Citation: Capt. Millett, Company E,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyondthe call of duty in action. While personally leading his company in an attackagainst a strongly held position he noted that the 1st Platoon was pinned downby small-arms, automatic, and antitank fire. Capt. Millett ordered the 3dPlatoon forward, placed himself at the head of the 2 platoons, and, with fixedbayonet, led the assault up the fire-swept hill. In the fierce charge Capt.Millett bayoneted 2 enemy soldiers and boldly continued on, throwing grenades,clubbing and bayoneting the enemy, while urging his men forward by shoutingencouragement. Despite vicious opposing fire, the whirlwind hand-to-hand assaultcarried to the crest of the hill. His dauntless leadership and personal courageso inspired his men that they stormed into the hostile position and used theirbayonets with such lethal effect that the enemy fled in wild disorder. Duringthis fierce onslaught Capt. Millett was wounded by grenade fragments but refusedevacuation until the objective was taken and firmly secured. The superbleadership, conspicuous courage, and consummate devotion to duty demonstrated byCapt. Millett were directly responsible for the successful accomplishment of ahazardous mission and reflect the highest credit on himself and the heroictraditions of the military service.

*MITCHELL, FRANK N.

First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1stBattalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: NearHansan-ni, Korea, 26 November 1950. Entered service at: Roaring Springs, Tex.Born: 18 August 1921, Indian Gap, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leaderof a rifle platoon of Company A, in action against enemy aggressor forces.Leading his platoon in point position during a patrol by his company through athickly wooded and snow-covered area in the vicinity of Hansan-ni, 1st Lt.Mitchell acted immediately when the enemy suddenly opened fire at pointblankrange, pinning down his forward elements and inflicting numerous casualties inhis ranks. Boldly dashing to the front under blistering fire from automaticweapons and small arms, he seized an automatic rifle from one of the wounded menand effectively trained it against the attackers and, when his ammunition wasexpended, picked up and hurled grenades with deadly accuracy, at the same timedirecting and encouraging his men in driving the outnumbering enemy from hisposition. Maneuvering to set up a defense when the enemy furiouslycounterattacked to the front and left flank, 1st Lt. Mitchell, despite woundssustained early in the action, reorganized his platoon under the devastatingfire, and spearheaded a fierce hand-to-hand struggle to repulse the onslaught.Asking for volunteers to assist in searching for and evacuating the wounded, hepersonally led a party of litter bearers through the hostile lines in growingdarkness and, although suffering intense pain from multiple wounds, stormedahead and waged a single-handed battle against the enemy, successfully coveringthe withdrawal of his men before he was fatally struck down by a burst ofsmall-arms fire. Stouthearted and indomitable in the face of tremendous odds,1st Lt. Mitchell, by his fortitude, great personal valor and extraordinaryheroism, saved the lives of several marines and inflicted heavy casualties amongthe aggressors. His unyielding courage throughout reflects the highest creditupon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for hiscountry.

MIYAMURA, HIROSHI H.

Corporal, U.S. Army, Company H, 7th InfantryRegiment, 3rd Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Taejon-ni, Korea, 24 and25 April 1951. Entered service at: Gallup, N. Mex. Birth: Gallup, N. Mex. G.O.No.: 85, 4 November 1953. Citation: Cpl. Miyamura, a member of Company H,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyondthe call of duty in action against the enemy. On the night of 24 April, CompanyH was occupying a defensive position when the enemy fanatically attackedthreatening to overrun the position. Cpl. Miyamura, a machinegun squad leader,aware of the imminent danger to his men unhesitatingly jumped from his shelterwielding his bayonet in close hand-to-hand combat killing approximately 10 ofthe enemy. Returning to his position, he administered first aid to the woundedand directed their evacuation. As another savage assault hit the line, he mannedhis machinegun and delivered withering fire until his ammunition was expended.He ordered the squad to withdraw while he stayed behind to render the guninoperative. He then bayoneted his way through infiltrated enemy soldiers to asecond gun emplacement and assisted in its operation. When the intensity of theattack necessitated the withdrawal of the company Cpl. Miyamura ordered his mento fall back while he remained to cover their movement. He killed more than 50of the enemy before his ammunition was depleted and he was severely wounded. Hemaintained his magnificent stand despite his painful wounds, continuing to repelthe attack until his position was overrun. When last seen he was fightingferociously against an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers. Cpl. Miyamura'sindomitable heroism and consummate devotion to duty reflect the utmost glory onhimself and uphold the illustrious traditions on the military service.

MIZE, OLA L.

Master Sergeant (then Sgt.), U.S. Army, Company K,15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Surang-ni,Korea, 10 to 11 June 1953. Entered service at: Gadsden, Ala. Born: 28 August1931, Marshall County, Ala. G.O. No.: 70, 24 September 1954. Citation: M/Sgt.Mize, a member of Company K, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry andoutstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against theenemy. Company K was committed to the defense of "Outpost Harry", astrategically valuable position, when the enemy launched a heavy attack.Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he movedthrough the intense barrage, accompanied by a medical aid man, and rescued thewounded soldier. On returning to the main position he established an effectivedefense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determinedenemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area.During his fearless actions he was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts 3times but each time he dauntlessly returned to his position, tenaciouslyfighting and successfully repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughtsceased he took his few men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing throughapertures and throwing grenades at the foe, neutralizing their positions. Whenan enemy soldier stepped out behind a comrade, prepared to fire, M/Sgt. Mizekilled him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. After rejoining the platoon,moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words ofencouragement he observed a friendly machinegun position overrun. He immediatelyfought his way to the position, killing 10 of the enemy and dispersing theremainder. Fighting back to the command post, and finding several friendlywounded there, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, hedirected friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy's routes of approach.At dawn he helped regroup for a counterattack which successfully drove the enemyfrom the outpost. M/Sgt. Mize's valorous conduct and unflinching courage reflectlasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the militaryservice.

*MONEGAN, WALTER C., JR.

Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2dBattalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: NearSosa-ri, Korea, 17 and 20 September 1950. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash.Born: 25 December 1930, Melrose, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty whileserving as a rocket gunner attached to Company F, and in action against enemyaggressor forces. Dug in on a hill overlooking the main Seoul highway when 6enemy tanks threatened to break through the battalion position during a predawnattack on 17 September, Pfc. Monegan promptly moved forward with his bazooka,under heavy hostile automatic weapons fre and engaged the lead tank at a rangeof less than 50 yards. After scoring a direct hit and killing the sole survivingtankman with his carbine as he came through the escape hatch, he boldly fired 2more rounds of ammunition at the oncoming tanks, disorganizing the attack andenabling our tank crews to continue blasting with their 90-mm guns. With his ownand an adjacent company's position threatened by annihilation when anoverwhelming enemy tank-infantry force bypassed the area and proceeded towardthe battalion command post during the early morning of September 20, he seizedhis rocket launcher and, in total darkness, charged down the slope of the hillwhere the tanks had broken through. Quick to act when an illuminating shell litthe area, he scored a direct hit on one of the tanks as hostile rifle andautomatic-weapons fire raked the area at close range. Again exposing himself, hefired another round to destroy a second tank and, as the rear tank turned toretreat, stood upright to fire and was fatally struck down by hostile machinegunfire when another illuminating shell silhouetted him against the sky. Pfc.Monegan's daring initiative, gallant fighting spirit and courageous devotion toduty were contributing factors in the success of his company in repelling theenemy, and his self-sacrificing efforts throughout sustain and enhance thehighest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for hiscountry .

*MORELAND, WHITT L.

Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve,Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place anddate: Kwagch'i-Dong, Korea, 29 May 1951. Entered service at: Austin, Tex. Born:7 March 1930, Waco, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity atthe risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as anintelligence scout attached to Company C, in action against enemy aggressorforces. Voluntarily accompanying a rifle platoon in a daring assault against astrongly defended enemy hill position, Pfc. Moreland delivered accurate riflefire on the hostile emplacement and thereby aided materially in seizing theobjective. After the position had been secured, he unhesitatingly led a partyforward to neutralize an enemy bunker which he had observed some 400 metersbeyond, and moving boldly through a fire-swept area, Almost reached the hostileemplacement when the enemy launched a volley of handgrenades on his group. Quickto act despite the personal danger involved, he kicked several of the grenadesoff the ridge line where they exploded harmlessly and, while attempting to kickaway another, slipped and fell near the deadly missile. Aware that thesputtering grenade would explode before he could regain his feet and dispose ofit, he shouted a warning to his comrades, covered the missile with his body andabsorbed the full blast ??of the explosion, but in saving his companions frompossible injury or death, was mortally wounded. His heroic initiative andvaliant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect thehighest credit upon Pfc. Moreland and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gavehis life for his country.

*MOYER, DONALD R.

Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 35thInfantry Regiment. Place and date: Near Seoul, Korea, 20 May 1951. Enteredservice at: Keego Harbor, Oakland, Mich. Born: 15 April 1930, Pontiac, Mich.G.O. No.: 19, 1 February 1952. Citation: Sfc. Moyer assistant platoon leader,Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at therisk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armedenemy of the United Nations. Sfc. Moyer's platoon was committed to attack andsecure commanding terrain stubbornly defended by a numerically superior hostileforce emplaced in well-fortified positions. Advancing up the rocky hill, theleading elements came under intense automatic weapons, small-arms, and grenadefire, wounding the platoon leader and platoon sergeant. Sfc. Moyer, realizingthe success of the mission was imperiled, rushed to the head of the falteringcolumn, assumed command and urged the men forward. Inspired by Sfc. Moyer'sunflinching courage, the troops responded magnificently, but as they reached thefinal approaches to the rugged crest of the hill, enemy fire increased in volumeand intensity and the fanatical foe showered the platoon with grenades.Undaunted, the valiant group forged ahead, and as they neared the top of thehill, the enemy hurled a grenade into their midst. Sfc. Moyer, fully aware ofthe odds against him, unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, absorbing thefull blast of the explosion with his body. Although mortally wounded in thisfearless display of valor, Sfc. Moyer's intrepid act saved several of hiscomrades from death or serious injury, and his inspirational leadership andconsummate devotion to duty contributed significantly to the subsequent seizureof the enemy stronghold and reflect lasting glory on himself and the nobletraditions of the military service.

MURPHY, RAYMOND G.

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, CompanyA, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date:Korea, 3 February 1953. Entered service at: Pueblo, Colo. Born: 14 January 1930,Pueblo, Colo. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk ofhis life above and beyond the call of duty as a platoon commander of Company A,in action against enemy aggressor forces. Although painfully wounded byfragments from an enemy mortar shell while leading his evacuation platoon insupport of assault units attacking a cleverly concealed and well-entrenchedhostile force occupying commanding ground, 2d Lt. Murphy steadfastly refusedmedical aid and continued to lead his men up a hill through a withering barrageof hostile mortar and small-arms fire, skillfully maneuvering his force from oneposition to the next and shouting words of encouragement. Undeterred by theincreasing intense enemy fire, he immediately located casualties as they felland made several trips up and down the fire-swept hill to direct evacuationteams to the wounded, personally carrying many of the stricken marines tosafety. When reinforcements were needed by the assaulting elements, 2d Lt.Murphy employed part of his unit as support and, during the ensuing battle,personally killed 2 of the enemy with his pistol. With all the wounded evacuatedand the assaulting units beginning to disengage, he remained behind with acarbine to cover the movement of friendly forces off the hill and, thoughsuffering intense pain from his previous wounds, seized an automatic rifle toprovide more firepower when the enemy reappeared in the trenches. After reachingthe base of the hill, he organized a search party and again ascended the slopefor a final check on missing marines, locating and carrying the bodies of amachinegun crew back down the hill. Wounded a second time while conducting theentire force to the line of departure through a continuing barrage of enemysmall-arms, artillery, and mortar fire, he again refused medical assistanceuntil assured that every one of his men, including all casualties, had precededhim to the main lines. His resolute and inspiring leadership, exceptionalfortitude, and great personal valor reflect the highest credit upon 2d Lt.Murphy and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

MYERS, REGINALD R.

Major, U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines,1st Marine Division, (Rein.). Place and date: Near Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 November1950. Entered service at: Boise, Idaho. Born: 26 November 1919, Boise, Idaho.Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his lifeabove and beyond the call of duty as executive officer of the 3d Battalion, inaction against enemy aggressor forces. Assuming command of a composite unit ofArmy and Marine service and headquarters elements totaling approximately 250men, during a critical stage in the vital defense of the strategically importantmilitary base at Hagaru-ri, Maj. Myers immediately initiated a determined andaggressive counterattack against a well-entrenched and cleverly concealed enemyforce numbering an estimated 4,000. Severely handicapped by a lack of trainedpersonnel and experienced leaders in his valiant efforts to regain maximumground prior to daylight, he persisted in constantly exposing himself tointense, accurate, and sustained hostile fire in order to direct and supervisethe employment of his men and to encourage and spur them on in pressing theattack. Inexorably moving forward up the steep, snow-covered slope with hisdepleted group in the face of apparently insurmountable odds, he concurrentlydirected artillery and mortar fire with superb skill and although losing 170 ofhis men during 14 hours of raging combat in subzero temperatures, continued toreorganize his unit and spearhead the attack which resulted in 600 enemy killedand 500 wounded. By his exceptional and valorous leadership throughout, Maj.Myers contributed directly to the success of his unit in restoring theperimeter. His resolute spirit of self-sacrifice and unfaltering devotion toduty enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service .

*OBREGON, EUGENE ARNOLD

Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3dBattalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Seoul,Korea, 26 September 1950. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: 12November 1930, Los Angeles, Calif. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty whileserving with Company G, in action against enemy aggressor forces. While servingas an ammunition carrier of a machinegun squad in a marine rifle company whichwas temporarily pinned down by hostile fire, Pfc. Obregon observed a fellowmarine fall wounded in the line of fire. Armed only with a pistol, heunhesitating dashed from his covered position to the side of the casualty.Firing his pistol with 1 hand as he ran, he grasped his comrade by the arm withhis other hand and, despite the great peril to himself dragged him to the sideof the road. Still under enemy fire, he was bandaging the man's wounds whenhostile troops of approximately platoon strength began advancing toward hisposition. Quickly seizing the wounded marine's carbine, he placed his own bodyas a shield in front of him and lay there firing accurately and effectively intothe hostile group until he himself was fatally wounded by enemy machinegun fire.By his courageous fighting spirit, fortitude, and loyal devotion to duty, Pfc.Obregon enabled his fellow marines to rescue the wounded man and aidedessentially in repelling the attack, thereby sustaining and enhancing thehighest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for hiscountry.

O'BRIEN, GEORGE H., JR.

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, CompanyH, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date:Korea, 27 October, 1952. Entered service at: Big Spring, Tex. Born: 10 September1926, Fort Worth, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity atthe risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a rifle platooncommander of Company H, in action against enemy aggressor forces. With hisplatoon subjected to an intense mortar and artillery bombardment while preparingto assault a vitally important hill position on the main line of resistancewhich had been overrun by a numerically superior enemy force on the precedingnight, 2d Lt. O'Brien leaped from his trench when the attack signal was givenand, shouting for his men to follow, raced across an exposed saddle and up theenemy-held hill through a virtual hail of deadly small-arms, artillery, andmortar fire. Although shot through the arm and thrown to the ground by hostileautomatic-weapons fire as he neared the well-entrenched enemy position, hebravely regained his feet, waved his men onward, and continued to spearhead theassault, pausing only long enough to go to the aid of a wounded marine.Encountering the enemy at close range, he proceeded to hurl handgrenades intothe bunkers and, utilizing his carbine to best advantage in savage hand-to-handcombat, succeeded in killing at least 3 of the enemy. Struck down by theconcussion of grenades on 3 occasions during the subsequent action, hesteadfastly refused to be evacuated for medical treatment and continued to leadhis platoon in the assault for a period of nearly 4 hours, repeatedlyencouraging his men and maintaining superb direction of the unit. With theattack halted he set up a defense with his remaining forces to prepare for acounterattack, personally checking each position, attending to the wounded andexpediting their evacuation. When a relief of the position was effected byanother unit, he remained to cover the withdrawal and to assure that no woundedwere left behind. By his exceptionally daring and forceful leadership in theface of overwhelming odds, 2d Lt. O'Brien served as a constant source ofinspiration to all who observed him and was greatly instrumental in therecapture of a strategic position on the main line of resistance. Hisindomitable determination and valiant fighting spirit reflect the highest creditupon himself and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

*OUELLETTE, JOSEPH R.

Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company H, 9thInfantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Nea; Yongsan, Korea,from 31 August to 3 September 1950. Entered service at: Lowell, Mass. Birth:Lowell, Mass. G.O. No.: 25, 25 April 1951. Citation: Pfc. Ouellettedistinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action againstthe enemy in the Makioug-Chang River salient. When an enemy assault cut off andsurrounded his unit he voluntarily made a reconnaissance of a nearby hill underintense enemy fire to locate friendly troop positions and obtain information ofthe enemy's strength and location. Finding that friendly troops were not on thehill, he worked his way back to his unit under heavy fire. Later, when anairdrop of water was made outside the perimeter, he again braved enemy fire inan attempt to retrieve water for his unit. Finding the dropped cans broken anddevoid of water, he returned to his unit. His heroic attempt greatly increasedhis comrades' morale. When ammunition and grenades ran low, Pfc. Ouellette againslipped out of the perimeter to collect these from the enemy dead. Aftercollecting grenades he was attacked by an enemy soldier. He killed this enemy inhand-to-hand combat, gathered up the ammunition, and returned to his unit. Whenthe enemy attacked on 3 September, they assaulted his position with grenades. On6 occasions Pfc. Ouellette leaped from his foxhole to escape exploding grenades.In doing so, he had to face enemy small-arms fire. He continued his resistance,despite a severe wound, until he lost his life. The extraordinary heroism andintrepidity displayed by Pfc. Ouellette reflect the highest credit on himselfand are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service .

*PAGE, JOHN U. D.

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, X Corps Artillery,while attached to the 52d Transportation Truck Battalion. Place and date: NearChosin Reservoir, Korea, 29 November to 10 December 1950. Entered service at:St. Paul, Minn. Born: 8 February 1904, Malahi Island, Luzon, Philippine Islands.G.O. No.: 21, 25 April 1957. Citation: Lt. Col. Page, a member of X CorpsArtillery, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity inaction above and beyond the call of duty in a series of exploits. On 29November, Lt. Col. Page left X Corps Headquarters at Hamhung with the mission ofestablishing traffic control on the main supply route to 1st Marine Divisionpositions and those of some Army elements on the Chosin Reservoir plateau.Having completed his mission Lt. Col. Page was free to return to the safety ofHamhung but chose to remain on the plateau to aid an isolated signal station,thus being cut off with elements of the marine division. After rescuing his jeepdriver by breaking up an ambush near a destroyed bridge Lt. Col. Page reachedthe lines of a surrounded marine garrison at Koto-ri. He then voluntarilydeveloped and trained a reserve force of assorted army troops trapped with themarines. By exemplary leadership and tireless devotion he made an effectivetactical unit available. In order that casualties might be evacuated, anairstrip was improvised on frozen ground partly outside of the Koto-ri defenseperimeter which was continually under enemy attack. During 2 such attacks, Lt.Col. Page exposed himself on the airstrip to direct fire on the enemy, and twicemounted the rear deck of a tank, manning the machinegun on the turret to drivethe enemy back into a no man's land. On 3 December while being flown low overenemy lines in a light observation plane, Lt. Col. Page dropped handgrenades onChinese positions and sprayed foxholes with automatic fire from his carbine.After 10 days of constant fighting the marine and army units in the vicinity ofthe Chosin Reservoir had succeeded in gathering at the edge of the plateau andLt. Col. Page was flown to Hamhung to arrange for artillery support of thebeleaguered troops attempting to break out. Again Lt. Col. Page refused anopportunity to remain in safety and returned to give every assistance to hiscomrades. As the column slowly moved south Lt. Col. Page joined the rear guard.When it neared the entrance to a narrow pass it came under frequent attacks onboth flanks. Mounting an abandoned tank Lt. Col. Page manned the machinegun,braved heavy return fire, and covered the passing vehicles until the dangerdiminished. Later when another attack threatened his section of the convoy, thenin the middle of the pass, Lt. Col. Page took a machinegun to the hillside anddelivered effective counterfire, remaining exposed while men and vehicles passedthrough the ambuscade. On the night of 10 December the convoy reached the bottomof the pass but was halted by a strong enemy force at the front and on bothflanks. Deadly small-arms fire poured into the column. Realizing the danger tothe column as it lay motionless, Lt. Col. Page fought his way to the head of thecolumn and plunged forward into the heart of the hostile position. His intrepidaction so surprised the enemy that their ranks became disordered and sufferedheavy casualties. Heedless of his safety, as he had been throughout thepreceding 10 days, Lt. Col. Page remained forward, fiercely engaging the enemysingle-handed until mortally wounded. By his valiant and aggressive spirit Lt.Col. Page enabled friendly forces to stand off the enemy. His outstandingcourage, unswerving devotion to duty, and supreme self-sacrifice reflect greatcredit upon Lt. Col. Page and are in the highest tradition of the militaryservice.

*PENDLETON, CHARLES F.

Corporal. U.S. Army, Company D, 15th InfantryRegiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Choo Gung-Dong, Korea, 16and 17 July 1953. Entered service at: Fort Worth, Tex. Born: 26 September 1931,Camden, Tenn. Citation: Cpl. Pendleton, a machine gunner with Company D,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above andbeyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. After consolidating andestablishing a defensive perimeter on a key terrain feature, friendly elementswere attacked by a large hostile force. Cpl. Pendleton delivered deadly accuratefire into the approaching troops, killing approximately 15 and disorganizing theremainder with grenades. Unable to protect the flanks because of the narrowconfines of the trench, he removed the machinegun from the tripod and, exposedto enemy observation, positioned it on his knee to improve his firing vantage.Observing a hostile infantryman jumping into the position, intent on throwing agrenade at his comrades, he whirled about and killed the attacker, theninflicted such heavy casualties on the enemy force that they retreated toregroup. After reorganizing, a second wave of hostile soldiers moved forward inan attempt to overrun the position and, later, when a hostile grenade landednearby, Cpl. Pendleton quickly retrieved and hurled it back at the foe. Althoughhe was burned by the hot shells ejecting from his weapon, and he was wounded bya grenade, he refused evacuation and continued to fire on the assaulting force.As enemy action increased in tempo, his machinegun was destroyed by a grenadebut, undaunted, he grabbed a carbine and continued his heroic defense untilmortally wounded by a mortar burst. Cpl. Pendleton's unflinching courage,gallant self-sacrifice, and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting gloryupon himself and uphold the finest traditions of the military service.

*PHILLIPS, LEE H.

Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion,7 Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, 4 November 1950.Entered service at: Ben Hill, Ga. Born: 3 February 1930, Stockbridge, Ga. Cpl.Phillips was killed in action 27 November 1950. Citation: For conspicuousgallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call ofduty while serving as a squad leader of Company E, in action against enemyaggressor forces. Assuming the point position in the attack against a stronglydefended and well-entrenched numerically superior enemy force occupying a vitalhill position which had been unsuccessfully assaulted on 5 separate occasions byunits of the Marine Corps and other friendly forces, Cpl. Phillips fearlesslyled his men in a bayonet charge up the precipitous slope under a deadly hail ofhostile mortar, small-arms, and machinegun fire. Quickly rallying his squad whenit was pinned down by a heavy and accurate mortar barrage, he continued to leadhis men through the bombarded area and, although only 5 members were left in thecasualty ridden unit, gained the military crest of the hill where he wasimmediately subjected to an enemy counterattack. Although greatly outnumbered byan estimated enemy squad, Cpl. Phillips boldly engaged the hostile force withhandgrenades and rifle fire and, exhorting his gallant group of marines tofollow him, stormed forward to completely overwhelm the enemy. With only 3 mennow left in his squad, he proceeded to spearhead an assault on the lastremaining strongpoint which was defended by 4 of the enemy on a rocky and almostinaccessible portion of the hill position. Using 1 hand to climb up theextremely hazardous precipice, he hurled grenades with the other and, with 2remaining comrades, succeeded in annihilating the pocket of resistance and inconsolidating the position. Immediately subjected to a sharp counterattack by anestimated enemy squad, he skillfully directed the fire of his men and employedhis own weapon with deadly effectiveness to repulse the numerically superiorhostile force. By his valiant leadership, indomitable fighting spirit andresolute determination in the face of heavy odds, Cpl. Phillips served toinspire all who observed him and was directly responsible for the destruction ofthe enemy stronghold. His great personal valor reflects the highest credit uponhimself and enhances and sustains the finest traditions of the U.S. NavalService.

*PILILAAU, HERBERT K.

Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 23dInfantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Pia-ri, Korea, 17September 1951. Entered service at: Oahu, T.H. Born: 10 October 1928, Waianae,Oahu, T.H. G.O. No.: 58, 18 June 1952. Citation: Pfc. Pililaau, a member ofCompany C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstandingcourage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. The enemysent wave after wave of fanatical troops against his platoon which held a keyterrain feature on "Heartbreak Ridge." Valiantly defending itsposition, the unit repulsed each attack until ammunition became practicallyexhausted and it was ordered to withdraw to a new position. Voluntarilyremaining behind to cover the withdrawal, Pfc. Pililaau fired his automaticweapon into the ranks of the assailants, threw all his grenades and, withammunition exhausted, closed with the foe in hand-to-hand combat, courageouslyfighting with his trench knife and bare fists until finally overcome andmortally wounded. When the position was subsequently retaken, more than 40 enemydead were counted in the area he had so valiantly defended. His heroic devotionto duty, indomitable fighting spirit, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect thehighest credit upon himself, the infantry, and the U.S. Army.

PITTMAN, JOHN A.

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 23d InfantryRegiment, 2d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kujangdong, Korea, 26November 1950. Entered service at: Carrolton, Miss. Born: 15 October 1928,Carrolton, Miss. G.O. No.: 39, 4 June 1951. Citation: Sgt. Pittman,distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyondthe call of duty in action against the enemy. He volunteered to lead his squadin a counterattack to regain commanding terrain lost in an earlier engagement.Moving aggressively forward in the face of intense artillery, mortar, andsmall-arms fire he was wounded by mortar fragments. Disregarding his wounds hecontinued to lead and direct his men in a bold advance against the hostilestandpoint. During this daring action, an enemy grenade was thrown in the midstof his squad endangering the lives of his comrades. Without hesitation, Sgt.Pittman threw himself on the grenade and absorbed its burst with his body. Whena medical aid man reached him, his first request was to be informed as to howmany of his men were hurt. This intrepid and selfless act saved several of hismen from death or serious injury and was an inspiration to the entire command.Sgt. Pittman's extraordinary heroism reflects the highest credit upon himselfand is in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service.

*POMEROY, RALPH E.

Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company E, 31stInfantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kumhwa, Korea, 15October 1952. Entered service at: Quinwood, W. Va. Born: 26 March 1930,Quinwood, W. Va. G.O. No.: 97, 30 December 1953. Citation: Pfc. Pomeroy, amachine gunner with Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantryand indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against theenemy. While his comrades were consolidating on a key terrain feature, he manneda machinegun at the end of a communication trench on the forward slope toprotect the platoon flank and prevent a surprise attack. When the enemy attackedthrough a ravine leading directly to his firing position, he immediately openedfire on the advancing troops inflicting a heavy toll in casualties and bluntingthe assault. At this juncture the enemy directed intense concentrations ofartillery and mortar fire on his position in an attempt to neutralize his gun.Despite withering fire and bursting shells, he maintained his heroic stand andpoured crippling fire into the ranks of the hostile force until a mortar burstseverely wounded him and rendered the gun mount inoperable. Quickly removing thehot, heavy weapon, he cradled it in his arms and, moving forward with grimdetermination, raked the attacking forces with a hail of fire. Although woundeda second time he pursued his relentless course until his ammunition was expendedwithin 10 feet of the foe and then, using the machinegun as a club, hecourageously closed with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat until mortallywounded. Pfc. Pomeroy's consummate valor, inspirational actions and supremesacrifice enabled the platoon to contain the attack and maintain the integrityof the perimeter, reflecting lasting glory upon himself and upholding the nobletraditions of the military service .

*PORTER, DONN F.

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 14th InfantryRegiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Mundung-ni Korea, 7September 1952. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Born: 1 March 1931,Sewickley, Pa. G.O. No.: 64, 18 August 1953. Citation: Sgt. Porter, a member ofCompany G, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstandingcourage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Advancingunder cover of intense mortar and artillery fire, 2 hostile platoons attacked acombat outpost commanded by Sgt. Porter, destroyed communications, and killed 2of his 3-man crew. Gallantly maintaining his position, he poured deadly accuratefire into the ranks of the enemy, killing 15 and dispersing the remainder. Afterfalling back under a hail of fire, the determined foe reorganized and stormedforward in an attempt to overrun the outpost. Without hesitation, Sgt. Porterjumped from his position with bayonet fixed and, meeting the onslaught and inclose combat, killed 6 hostile soldiers and routed the attack. While returningto the outpost, he was killed by an artillery burst, but his courageous actionsforced the enemy to break off the engagement and thwarted a surprise attack onthe main line of resistance. Sgt. Porter's incredible display of valor, gallantself-sacrifice, and consummate devotion to duty reflect the highest credit uponhimself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.

*POYNTER, JAMES I.

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company A, 1stBattalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: NearSudong, Korea, 4 November 1950. Entered service at: Downey, Calif. Born: 1December 1916, Bloomington, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty whileserving as a squad leader in a rifle platoon of Company A, in action againstenemy aggressor forces during the defense of Hill 532, south of Sudong, Korea.When a vastly outnumbering, well-concealed hostile force launched a sudden,vicious counterattack against his platoon's hasty defensive position, Sgt.Poynter displayed superb skill and courage in leading his squad and directingits fire against the onrushing enemy. With his ranks critically depleted bycasualties and he himself critically wounded as the onslaught gained momentumand the hostile force surrounded his position, he seized his bayonet and engagedin bitter hand-to-hand combat as the breakthrough continued. Observing 3machineguns closing in at a distance of 25 yards, he dashed from his positionand, grasping handgrenades from fallen marines as he ran, charged theemplacements in rapid succession, killing the crews of 2 and putting the otherout of action before he fell, mortally wounded. By his self-sacrificing andvaliant conduct, Sgt. Poynter inspired the remaining members of his squad toheroic endeavor in bearing down upon and repelling the disorganized enemy,thereby enabling the platoon to move out of the trap to a more favorabletactical position. His indomitable fighting spirit, fortitude, and greatpersonal valor maintained in the face of overwhelming odds sustain and enhancethe finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life forhis country.

Causes of the Korean Tragedy ... Failure of Leadership, Intelligence and Preparation

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