Ray B. Gonzales

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Ray B. Gonzales (RA38680214), Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division. Corporal Gonzales distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Naisonggum, Korea, on 25 January 1951. On that date, a patrol, of which Corporal Gonzales was a member, was approaching the village of Naisonggum when a large enemy force opened fire from concealed positions and attacked the patrol. During the attack, Corporal Gonzales and four comrades were cut off from the main body of the patrol. In the fierce fighting which followed, Corporal Gonzales received a head wound and his right elbow was shattered by enemy machine-gunfire. Disregarding his wounds, he immediately took command of the small group, deploying them and directing effective fire on the enemy. When the enemy launched a “banzai” attack in an effort to overrun his positions, corporal Gonzales, firing his carbine with his left hand, personally killed two of them. Repelling the assault, the group, inspired by the heroism and courageous leadership of Corporal Gonzales, continued to repulse subsequent attacks until dark, at which time he led them in a successful withdrawal from the enemy trap. Due to the rugged terrain and the large number of enemy operating in the area, he was forced to take a devious route to the company area over steep, snow-covered mountains in sub-zero temperature. Although painfully wounded himself, Corporal Gonzales helped carry another man, wounded in the leg, back to the company. By his insistent demands that the group keep moving, he led them all night through the intense cold and arrived at the company area at 0600 hours the following morning A medical examination revealed that, in addition to his wounds, his feet were also frozen.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 319 (May 17, 1951)