Mark B. Koehnen

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Mark B. Koehnen (RA17313487), Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a member of a combat patrol from and Infantry Company of the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Corporal Koehnen distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Satae-ri, Korea, on 13 February 1953. Early on the morning of 13 February 1953, Corporal Koehnen was moving up a steep slope when a sudden and intense burst of hostile fire was directed against him and his comrades. The advance faltered and the patrol leader, knowing that his men were at the mercy of the enemy guns should they stop where they were, ordered an assault. Without hesitation, Corporal Koehnen ran forward and spearheaded the attack. Leaping into an enemy trench, he engaged the foe in hand-to-hand combat. Corporal Koehnen, together with the other members of the patrol, then drove the hostile troops back until they withdrew to a cave located behind their outpost position. Repeated attempts by the friendly force failed to dislodge the foe from their protected position. Instead, each time Corporal Koehnen and his comrades attacked, they were met by a barrage of grenades and a heavy volume of automatic-weapons fire which forced them to seek cover. Reorganizing, the friendly troops launched another assault with Corporal Koehnen leading the way. It was at this point that an armed enemy grenade fell in the midst of the charging men. Corporal Koehnen, without thought of his personal safety, immediately changed his direction and kicked at the rolling grenade in an effort to protect the rest of the patrol. The grenade exploded and seriously wounded Corporal Koehnen.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 641 (July 9, 1953)