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thedrifter
12-06-06, 01:41 PM
Chosin Reservoir Medal of Honor Recipients

From time to time I am going to write about Marines who have received the highest award for bravery given to any person in the United States, the Medal of Honor. Consider that in order to receive this award, the deed must be authenticated by incontrovertible evidence given by at least two eyewitnesses. It must be extraordinary, so much so, that it unmistakably distinguishes the recipient's gallantry beyond the call of duty from lesser forms of bravery. It must involve the risk of the recipient’s life and must be the type of deed which, if he had not done it, would not subject him to any justified criticism.1

Fifty-six years ago the Battle of Chosin Reservoir was raging in Korea and the 1st Marine Division was doing the impossible minute by minute. Nine Marines would be awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during this eighteen day campaign. Given the fact that the Marines were surrounded by the Chinese, outnumbered more than 10:1, and fighting in sub-zero temperatures, I wonder how many more Marines from this campaign were deserving of the Medal of Honor?

Here is a brief synopsis of the Marines situation at Chosin. In November 1950 some 8000 troops mostly from the 5th and 7th Marines were surrounded by over 120,000 Chinese troops during the worst winter in over 100 years. They were at the northwest corner of the Chosin Reservoir with only a tenuous 78 mile supply road, also surrounded by enemy troops, as their lifeline. Chesty and his Marines were sent in to hold the supply road while other Marines including Medal of Honor recipients Raymond G. Davis and William Barber had to fight their way into the Chinese troops so the 5th and 7th Marines could literally walk out from the Frozen Chosin. I have covered some of this battle in previous posts and will leave the details to a later date. The following Marines, and surely many more unrecognized, were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during this campaign. Some of these Marines gave their all, and you will notice that extraordinary bravery is found in all ranks of the Marines.

Captain William Earl Barber
Private First Class William Bernard Baugh
Private Hector Albert Cafferata, Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Gilbert Davis
Sergeant James Edmund Johnson
Staff Sergeant Robert Sidney Kennemore
Major Reginald Rodney Myers
Captain Carl Leonard Sitter
Staff Sergeant William Gordon Windrich


1 United States Marine Corps History Division, Marine Corps Medal of Honor.

http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Historical/Frequently_Requested/Medal_of_Honor.htm

Ellie