Medal of Honor awarded to
Richard Thomas Shea, Jr.
First Lieutenant, Infantry
for action near
Sokkogae, Korea, 6 to 8 July 1953
" . . . He was supervising the reinforcement of defensive positions when the enemy attacked with great numerical superiority . . . He organized and led a counterattack . . . and killed two hostile soldiers with his trench knife. Calmly moving among the men . . . he fought side by side with them throughout the night. . . . The Hostile force pressed the assault. . . . Lieutenant Shea and his gallant men drove back the hostile troops. . . . (He) rallied a group of 20 men and again charged the enemy. Although wounded in this action, he refused evacuation and continued to lead the counterattack. When the assaulting element was pinned down by heavy machinegun fire, he personally rushed the emplacement and . . . killed three of the enemy. . . . On 8 July, the enemy attacked again. Despite additional wounds, he launched a determined counterattack and was last seen in close hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. . . . "
Class of 1952
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