Lawrence Goldstein

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Lawrence Goldstein (US51104128), Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Private Goldstein distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Sat’ae-ri, Korea, on the night of 9 – 10 October 1951. As point man in his unit’s night assault against heavily fortified enemy positions on “Heartbreak Ridge,” Private Goldstein encountered and killed two hostile soldiers manning a listening post before they could spread the alarm. Upon nearing the objective, he accidentally stepped on an enemy mine and suffered serious injuries. The explosion of the mine alerted the enemy, who brought intense small-arms and grenade fire upon the unit and forced its withdrawal. Severely wounded in his legs and head and unable to move, Private Goldstein endured the cold of the long night and, when his unit resumed the attack the next morning, he roused himself to warn his comrades of the mine field and to point out the location of two concealed enemy positions, Although he died while being moved to an aid station, his heroic conduct and indomitable spirit will always be an inspiration to those who knew him best.