The Medal of Honor, the nations highest award for valor was awarded to 7 U.S. servicemen on 6 January 2025. 5 recipients received the award for action in the Korean War. The other 2 were awarded for action in the Vietnam War. This thread is a tribute to all of these American servicemen. It is not intended as a political discussion. Please be mindful of that in your comments. In order to keep this thread to a manageable size, I will only post specific details.
Bruno R. Orig, Private, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Chipyong-ni on Feb. 15, 1951.
Pvt. Orig was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in South Korea. After only three months in country, Orig distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces in the vicinity of Chipyong-ni on Feb. 15, 1951. During fierce fighting, the 20-year-old Orig removed his fellow wounded Soldiers to a place of safety and noticed that all except one man of a machine-gun crew had been wounded. Without hesitation, he volunteered to man the weapon. Remaining in this position, Orig placed such effective fire on the enemy that a withdrawing friendly platoon was able to move back without a single casualty. He continued to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy until the company positions were overrun. Later that day, when the lost ground was recaptured, Orig was found dead beside his weapon and the area in front of his gun was littered with enemy dead.
Wataru Nakamura, Private First Class, Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Pfc. Wataru Nakamura distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in the vicinity of P’ungch’on-ni, Korea on May 18, 1951. Around daybreak, Nakamura volunteered to check and repair a communications line between his platoon and the command post. As he made his way along the line, he was brought under fire from an enemy force that had surrounded friendly positions and were threatening to break the company defense lines. Immediately, without regard for his own safety and without waiting for help, Nakamura rushed the enemy with a fixed bayonet and single-handedly destroyed a hostile machine gun nest and drove the enemy from several bunkers they had captured. When his ammunition was depleted, he withdrew under intense enemy fire. He then met an ammunition party ascending the hill. After quickly briefing the officer in charge, Nakamura rearmed himself and returned to the fight. In a fierce charge, he killed three of the enemy in one bunker, then killed and seriously wounded another in the last enemy-held bunker. Continuing to press the attack, he was mortally wounded by an enemy grenade.
Nakamura’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Fred B. McGee, Corporal, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, June 16, 1952 | Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea
Cpl. Fred B. McGee distinguished himself by gallantry in action near Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, on June 16, 1952, during an assault on enemy fortified positions. As gunner on a light machine gun in a weapons squad, McGee delivered a heavy volume of supporting fire from an exposed position despite intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire directly on his location.Though forced to move his gun several times, he continued to support the assault and provide covering fire to the assault elements of his platoon. When his leader and several other members of his squad were wounded, he assumed command and moved the squad forward to a more exposed position to deliver neutralizing fire on an enemy machine gun. When his machine gunner was mortally wounded, he again took over the gun. He then ordered his squad to withdraw and voluntarily remained behind to help evacuate the wounded and dead. Though wounded in the face, he heroically exposed himself by standing straight up under intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire and attempted to evacuate the body of the company runner. Forced to abandon the body, he aided a wounded man and moved him to safety through a huge volume of enemy mortar and artillery fire. McGee displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His unyielding courage and bravery, and his profound concern for his fellow Soldiers are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Bruno R. Orig, Private, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Chipyong-ni on Feb. 15, 1951.
Pvt. Orig was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in South Korea. After only three months in country, Orig distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces in the vicinity of Chipyong-ni on Feb. 15, 1951. During fierce fighting, the 20-year-old Orig removed his fellow wounded Soldiers to a place of safety and noticed that all except one man of a machine-gun crew had been wounded. Without hesitation, he volunteered to man the weapon. Remaining in this position, Orig placed such effective fire on the enemy that a withdrawing friendly platoon was able to move back without a single casualty. He continued to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy until the company positions were overrun. Later that day, when the lost ground was recaptured, Orig was found dead beside his weapon and the area in front of his gun was littered with enemy dead.
Wataru Nakamura, Private First Class, Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Pfc. Wataru Nakamura distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company I, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in the vicinity of P’ungch’on-ni, Korea on May 18, 1951. Around daybreak, Nakamura volunteered to check and repair a communications line between his platoon and the command post. As he made his way along the line, he was brought under fire from an enemy force that had surrounded friendly positions and were threatening to break the company defense lines. Immediately, without regard for his own safety and without waiting for help, Nakamura rushed the enemy with a fixed bayonet and single-handedly destroyed a hostile machine gun nest and drove the enemy from several bunkers they had captured. When his ammunition was depleted, he withdrew under intense enemy fire. He then met an ammunition party ascending the hill. After quickly briefing the officer in charge, Nakamura rearmed himself and returned to the fight. In a fierce charge, he killed three of the enemy in one bunker, then killed and seriously wounded another in the last enemy-held bunker. Continuing to press the attack, he was mortally wounded by an enemy grenade.
Nakamura’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Fred B. McGee, Corporal, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, June 16, 1952 | Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea
Cpl. Fred B. McGee distinguished himself by gallantry in action near Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, on June 16, 1952, during an assault on enemy fortified positions. As gunner on a light machine gun in a weapons squad, McGee delivered a heavy volume of supporting fire from an exposed position despite intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire directly on his location.Though forced to move his gun several times, he continued to support the assault and provide covering fire to the assault elements of his platoon. When his leader and several other members of his squad were wounded, he assumed command and moved the squad forward to a more exposed position to deliver neutralizing fire on an enemy machine gun. When his machine gunner was mortally wounded, he again took over the gun. He then ordered his squad to withdraw and voluntarily remained behind to help evacuate the wounded and dead. Though wounded in the face, he heroically exposed himself by standing straight up under intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire and attempted to evacuate the body of the company runner. Forced to abandon the body, he aided a wounded man and moved him to safety through a huge volume of enemy mortar and artillery fire. McGee displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His unyielding courage and bravery, and his profound concern for his fellow Soldiers are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
