Loran E. Chambers

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Loran E. Chambers (0-2212061), First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Chambers distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Pallin, Korea, on 8 February 1951. On that date, Lieutenant Chambers received orders to counterattack and recapture Hill 296. Undercover of darkness, he alerted his platoon and advanced to the base of the hill and then launched an attack on the enemy positions. Meeting a murderous hail of small-arms and automatic-weapons fire, the attack stalled and the platoon was pinned down. He ordered his platoon to fall back while he furnished covering fire. Realizing that artillery support would be needed against the numerically superior enemy force, he directed his platoon to fall back while he remained in position to furnish covering fire. Although wounded while covering the withdrawal of his platoon, he remained in the area, heedless of enemy fire, searching for wounded and missing men. After regrouping his platoon and directing an artillery barrage on the objective, he led his men in a successful assault on the hill, routing the enemy and securing the objective. Not until he was finally ordered did he reluctantly leave his platoon and return to the medical aid station for treatment of his wounds.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 284 (May 7, 1951)