breastworks. He also managed to keep his unit supplied with water over several successive nights, while exposed to fire at close range from Indians in ambush. He was later commissioned as a second lieutenant.

William McBryar, Sergeant, Company K, 10th Cavalry

Sergeant McBryar, a member of the all-black 10th Cavalry, was one of the last of the celebrated "Buffalo Soldiers" to win a Medal of Honor in the frontier campaigns against the Indians. Sergeant McBryar was cited for bravery and good marksmanship in action against Apache Indians at Salt River, Arizona, in March 1890. Sergeant McBryar's service extended to the Spanish-American War, during which he distinguished himself in Cuba with Company H, 25th Infantry. At the siege of Santiago, he guided the construction of earthworks around the port city, working under fire from the Spanish artillery. He was later commissioned and served as a first lieutenant with the 49th Volunteer Infantry until June 1901. When it became clear that the United States would enter the World War, this devoted old soldier once again volunteered, but was turned down because of his age.

The Spanish-American War

and the Philippine Insurrection

Warren J. Shepherd, Corporal, Company D, 17th Infantry

In heavy action against the enemy at El Caney, Cuba, in July 1898, Corporal Shepherd gallantly assisted in the rescue of his wounded colleagues from the front lines. He received the Medal of Honor.

Anthony J. Carson, Corporal, Company H, 43d Infantry

Anthony Carson was born in Boston and entered the Army from Malden, Massachusetts. In April 1900 Carson's company was ordered to Catubig, Samar, in the Philippine Islands. Coming under attack by a superior enemy force of insurgents, Corporal Carson's detachment became separated from the rest of the company. Now vastly outnumbered, the Americans prepared a defensive position under Carson's leadership and waited for relief to arrive. For more than two days, Corporal Carson demonstrated sound judgment and confidence as he directed his detachment's patterns of fire during repeated attacks by the well-armed enemy force. For his exceptional leadership and professionalism under fire, Carson was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The Boxer Rebellion

Calvin Pearl Titus, Corporal (Musician), Company E, 14th Infantry

In the summer of 1900 American troops joined soldiers from seven other nations to rescue citizens besieged in their embassies in the walled city of Peking during an outbreak of violence directed at foreigners in China. On 14 August, when his commander asked for a volunteer to scale the east wall of the city without the aid of ropes or ladders, Titus replied, "I'll try, sir." Under enemy fire Titus successfully climbed the thirtyfoot wall by way of jagged holes in its surface. His company followed his lead up the wall, hauling up their rifles and ammunition belts by a rope made with rifle slings. For his daring example, Corporal Titus received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he received the Medal of Honor during a review of the Corps of Cadets.

World War I

Michael B. Ellis, Sergeant, Company C, 28th Infantry, 1st Division; War Department General Orders (WD GO) 74, 1919

Sergeant Ellis won a Medal of Honor for his actions during an engagement near Exermont, France, on 5 October 1918. Ellis volunteered to operate far in advance of his company's attacking wave, single-handedly reducing enemy machine gun nests. Flanking one position, Sergeant Ellis killed two of the enemy and captured seventeen others. Once his prisoners could be handed off to his company, he again advanced alone under heavy fire, capturing a total of ten other machine guns, along with their crews.

Alvin C. York, Sergeant, Company G, 328th Infantry, 82d Division; WD GO 59, 1919

Despite his efforts to avoid service as a conscientious objector, Alvin York was drafted during World War I. He left his home in Tennessee reluctantly, only to return a sergeant and one of the most well known and decorated heroes of the war. After his platoon suffered heavy casualties, including three other noncommissioned officers, near Chatel-Chehery, France, on 8 October 1918, Sergeant (then Corporal) York assumed command. Fearlessly leading the seven survivors, he charged a machine gun position that was pouring deadly, constant fire on his men. With his rifle, he demonstrated his celebrated markmanship by killing between fifteen and twenty-five of the enemy (reports differ). The remainder of the now

dispirited German position, consisting of 4 enemy officers and 128 enlisted men armed with several machine guns, surrendered. Sergeant York won the Medal of Honor for his dramatic action under fire. In 1935, in recognition of his service during the war, York was placed on the retired list as a major.

Patrick Walsh, Sergeant, Company I, 18th Infantry, 1st Division; WD GO 126, 1918

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Sergeant Walsh already had thirty-one years of service and was eligible to retire. Instead, he elected to remain with his division when it left for France. On 1 March 1918, near Seicheprey, Walsh followed his company commander through a severe barrage to the first line of trenches to attack. When the company captain was killed, Sergeant Walsh assumed command and initiated an assault that resulted in heavy enemy losses. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his demonstration of leadership.

James B. Lepley, Sergeant, Company M, 168th Infantry, 42d Division; WD GO 99, 1918

Sergeant Lepley won the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in July 1918 in Sergy, France. Leading his platoon against a strong enemy position, he personally captured several machine guns and prisoners from a Prussian Guards regiment. Later, near the village of Souain, Sergeant Lepley dashed from his trench under the cover of darkness to a nearby woods and, in spite of heavy rifle fire, shrapnel bursts, and lingering poison gas, guided two of his missing men back to safety. His actions demonstrated the best in the tradition of the NCO looking out for his men.

Samuel Woodfill, First Sergeant, 60th Infantry, 5th Division; WD GO 16, 1919

Sergeant Woodfill was a model Regular Army NCO. In General John J. Pershing's words, he was "the greatest American soldier of the World War." His more than thirty-three years of Regular Army service included tours in the Philippines, Alaska, along the Mexican border, and in the Meuse-Argonne sector of France. In France, Woodfill won both the Medal of Honor and the French Legion of Honor for service under enemy fire and received a battlefield promotion to lieutenant. Discharged from the Army in late October 1919, he reenlisted the following month as a sergeant again. Along with Sergeant York Sergeant Woodfill was one of the pallbearers selected by General Pershing for the burial of the Unknown Soldier in 1921.

World War II

Hulon B. Whittington, Sergeant, Company I, 41st Armored Infantry, 2d Armored Division; WD GO 32, 1945

On the night of 29 July 1944, near Grimesnil, France, squad leader Whittington assumed command of his platoon when the platoon leader and platoon sergeant became missing during an enemy armored attack. Whittington reorganized the defense and crawled, under fire, between gun positions to organize and rally the men. When an advancing Panzer unit attempted to break through a roadblock, he climbed aboard a tank and directed it into position to fire point-blank at the leading German tank. Its wreckage blocked the entire enemy column of over one hundred vehicles and enabled the American troops to counterattack with hand grenades, bazookas, and tanks. Sergeant Whittington then led a bayonet charge that killed large numbers of the disorganized enemy. When his platoon's medic was hit, Whittington administered first aid to the wounded men. He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery and initiative.

Joseph E. Schaefer, Staff Sergeant, Company I, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division; WD GO 71, 1945

On 24 September 1944, Sergeant Schaefer was a squad leader in the second platoon of Company I, holding an important crossroads near Stolberg, Germany. In the early morning hours two enemy companies, supported by machine guns, attacked the strategic position. After one American squad withdrew and another was captured by the Germans, Sergeant Schaefer's squad was left to defend the crossroads alone. Under fire, Schaefer crawled from man to man and ordered them to withdraw to a nearby house for better cover. Sergeant Schaefer's squad successfully repulsed at least three separate assaults, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Once the rest of Company I began a counterattack, Sergeant Schaefer and his men took the lead in regaining the position. Alternately crawling and running in the face of enemy fire, Schaefer overtook the retreating Germans and liberated the squad captured earlier. Single-handed and armed only with his rifle, Sergeant Schaefer killed between fifteen and twenty of the attackers, wounded at least as many more, and took ten prisoners. His courage and determination to hold his position at all costs stopped an enemy breakthrough and won him the Medal of Honor.

Harrison Summers, Staff Sergeant, Company B, 502d Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division; 1st

Army GO 31, 1944

Sergeant Summers won the Distinguished Service Cross for his courage during the parachute drops on D-Day, 1944. Because of the widely scattered pattern of the airborne landings, Summers found himself leading only twelve men, none of them from his own unit, in an attack on a concentration of German bunkers—an objective originally assigned to an entire battalion. As the Americans began to advance, heavy fire drove all but Sergeant Summers to cover. He successfully circled behind the first bunker, kicked open the door and killed the enemy soldiers at their firing positions. When a captain from the 82d Airborne Division tried to join Summers, enemy fire brought him down. A lieutenant then attempted to assist Summers, only to meet the same fate. Undaunted, and still alone, Sergeant Summers worked his way to the back of each bunker in turn and successfully neutralized the entire German position with his submachine gun.

Nicholas Oresko, Master Sergeant, Company C, 302d Infantry, 94th Infantry Division; WD GO 95, 1945

a

While still a technical sergeant, Oresko was platoon leader in an attack against strong enemy positions near Tettingen, Germany, on 23 January 1945. Deadly accurate automatic weapons fire pinned down his unit shortly after it began its advance. Realizing that a nearby machine gun had to be eliminated, Oresko worked his way forward alone amid heavy fire until he was close enough to throw a grenade into the German position. He then rushed the bunker and killed the surviving Germans, only to be seriously wounded in the hip at the same time. Refusing aid, Oresko continued to lead his men in their advance. Although weak from loss of blood, he refused evacuation until assured that his men had taken their objective. While wounded, and in the face of bitter resistance, Sergeant Oresko had killed twelve of the enemy, prevented a delay in the American assault, and enabled Company C to complete its mission with a minimum of casualties. He received the Medal of Honor for his example of heroic personal sacrifice.

Korean War

Cornelius H. Charlton, Sergeant, Company C, 24th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; Department of the Army General Orders (DA GO) 30, 1952

Sergeant Charlton's gallantry and determination as a small unit leader earned him the Medal of Honor in Korea. On 2 June 1951, his platoon attacked heavily defended enemy positions on a ridge near Chipo-ri.

When the platoon leader was wounded and evacuated, Sergeant Charlton assumed command and resumed the assault. Despite receiving serious wounds himself, Charlton rallied his soldiers and pressed toward the enemy emplacements on the commanding ground. After three separate attacks, during which he was mortally wounded, Sergeant Charlton and his unit reached the crest of the ridge, killing numerous enemy soldiers and scattering the survivors.

Charles L. Gilliland, Corporal, Company I, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division; DA GO 2, 1955

On 25 April 1951, near Tongmang-ni, Korea, a numerically superior enemy force launched a determined attack against the defensive perimeter of Gilliland's company. The enemy forces pushed up a defile, killing many of the American soldiers around him. Gilliland poured a steady stream of fire into the attackers and held his position, despite a serious head wound. When his company's position became indefensible, the unit was ordered to fall back to new defensive positions. Corporal Gilliland volunteered to remain behind to cover the withdrawal. He lost his life making certain that his comrades made good their escape. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously for demonstrating that leadership not only means "follow me," but sometimes demands the ultimate sacrifice.

John Essebagger, Jr., Corporal, Company A, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division; DA GO 61, 1952

Corporal Essebagger was part of a two-squad force protecting the right flank of a general American withdrawal near Popsu-dong, Korea, on 25 April 1951. Essebagger's unit repulsed several attacks by an enemy far superior in numbers. When his covering force itself had to retreat, Corporal Essebagger chose to remain in position to cover the withdrawal. He killed or wounded several of the foe, but in enabling the American squads to reach safety was himself mortally wounded. He earned a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Jerry K. Crump, Corporal, Company L, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division; DA GO 68, 1952

During the night of 6-7 September 1951, a numerically superior enemy force launched an assault against Corporal Crump's platoon on Hill 284, near Chorwon, Korea. Crump repeatedly exposed himself to danger in order to deliver effective fire into the enemy ranks. He inflicted numerous casualties among the Communist attackers. Seeing two enemy soldiers about to capture an American machine gun, Corporal Crump charged, killing both with his bayonet and recovering the gun. As he

returned to his foxhole, now occupied by four wounded members of his squad, a grenade landed among them. Crump instantly threw himself upon it, absorbing the blast with his body. His selfless disregard for his own safety earned a Medal of Honor.

Gilbert G. Collier, Corporal, Company F, 223d Infantry, 40th Infantry Division; DA GO 3, 1955

Corporal Collier was point man of a combat patrol seeking to make contact with the enemy near Tutayon, Korea, on the night of 19-20 July 1953. In the darkness, Collier and his patrol leader slipped and fell from a steep sixty-foot cliff. Incapacitated by a badly sprained ankle, the officer ordered the patrol to return to the American lines. Corporal Collier, suffering from a painful back injury, elected to remain with his leader. As they eased their way toward the American lines under the cover of dark, they were ambushed. In the ensuing firefight, Collier killed two enemy soldiers, but was seriously wounded and became separated from his officer. His ammunition gone, Collier met four more attackers with his bayonet, killing or wounding them. With his last bit of strength, Collier made an effort to reach and help his leader, but fell victim to his many wounds. His courageous example earned him the nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor.

Vietnam

Clarence Eugene Sasser, Specialist Fifth Class, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division; DA GO 26, 1969

Sasser, then a private first class, won the Medal of Honor for his actions in Dinh Tuong Province, Vietnam, on 10 January 1968. An aidman serving with Company A, Sasser participated in an airmobile assault that came under heavy fire from fortified enemy positions on three sides of the landing zone. Over thirty men became casualties within a few minutes of landing. Sasser repeatedly ran across an open paddy through a hail of fire to locate and assist the wounded. Despite wounds to one shoulder and both legs, he refused medical attention for himself and continued to search for additional casualties. In all, Sasser spent five hours wounded in the mud, actively caring for his fellow soldiers before they were finally evacuated.

Paul Ronald Lambers, Sergeant, Company A, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; DA GO 79, 1969

Sergeant Lambers' unit, 3d Platoon, Company A, had

just established a night defensive position astride a suspected enemy infiltration route on 20 August 1968, when it came under attack by a battalion of Viet Cong. When his platoon leader fell seriously wounded, Lambers assumed command and, disregarding intense enemy fire, abandoned the safety of his position to secure a radio and direct the defense. Running through a hail of bullets, he reached the 90-mm. recoilless rifle crew whose weapon was malfunctioning. He assisted in its repair and then directed canister fire at point-blank range against enemy forces who had breached the defensive wire. When the enemy charged the position, knocking out the recoilless rifle, Lambers single-handedly drove them off with Claymore mines and grenades. He then moved from position to position, providing assistance where the pressure was heaviest and inspiring the men to do their utmost. During the operation he continued to direct artillery and helicopter gunship fire, sometimes to within five meters of his own position. For this singular act of brave leadership, Sergeant Lambers was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Webster Anderson, Sergeant First Class, Battery A, 2d Battalion, 320th Artillery, 101st Airborne Division; DA GO 80, 1969

Webster Anderson, then a staff sergeant, was serving as Chief of Section in Battery A near Tam Ky on 15 October 1967. During the early morning hours a determined North Vietnamese infantry unit, supported by heavy mortar, recoilless rifle, rocket-propelled grenade, and automatic weapons fire, attacked his battery. When the initial enemy assault breached the defensive perimeter, Anderson climbed the exposed parapet to lead the defense. He directed effective howitzer fire against the attackers and personally killed a number of those attempting to overrun his position. During the action. Sergeant Anderson was severely wounded by grenades. Unable to stand, he propped himself against the parapet and continued to direct fire and to encourage his men. When an enemy grenade landed within the gun pit near a wounded member of his crew, Anderson, heedless of his own safety, crawled to the grenade and tried to throw it. It exploded in midair, grievously wounding him. Although now only partially conscious, he refused medical attention and continued to rally his men in the defense of their position. Sergeant Anderson looked after his soldiers. His actions earned him the Medal of Honor.

The examples above extol two kinds of heroism. The solitary NCO, acting in the frenzy of the moment, reveals a rash courage that sometimes defies logic, inspires awe, and often serves as the catalyst that carries

a stalled attack to success at the cost of his own life. Equally celebrated, however, is the brave small unit leader who, with cool determination, directs his men through deadly fire in the heat of battle to gain the objective against all odds and with a minimum of

casualties. The first is the act of a brave individual soldier; the second, no less brave, demonstrates the NCO's sense of unit cohesion and teamwork, the aim of professional training. The Army and the nation have been well served by both kinds of heroes.