Michael Magelinski

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Michael Magelinski, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 223d Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. Sergeant First Class Magelinski distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at the “Punch Bowl” in Korea, on 8 and 9 December 1952. On that date, Sergeant Magelinski was assistant leader of a five-man detail assigned the mission of reconnoitering and contacting the enemy on key terrain. Forging up the rugged, snow-covered slope to within fifteen yards of hostile trenches, the valiant group came under intense grenade and automatic-weapons fire, which wounded the patrol leader and struck and tore the radio from the operator’s back. Ignoring his leader’s order to withdraw and his own painful wound, Sergeant Magelinski moved through withering fire to the side of the wounded officer and attempted to evacuate him down the hill. Later, when an enemy patrol began searching the area, the officer declared that he would be a burden and urged Sergeant Magelinski to abandon him, but refusing to leave the helpless man, he organized a rear-guard action and carried his leader down into a valley through waist-deep snow and to the base of the next hill, where they were met by a rescue patrol.