Roger J. Rhodes

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Roger J. Rhodes (US55200797), Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Corporal Rhodes distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Sachon-ni, Korea, on 8 November 1952. On that date, the company outpost manned by Corporal Rhodes and a small force came under an intense concentration of mortar and artillery fire and, when the bombardment lifted, enemy troops surged forward in a frontal and left- flank assault maneuver in an attempt to overrun the position. Constantly exposed to withering fire, he moved among his men, shouting words of encouragement and directing the holding action. Minutes later, the enemy moved in on the outpost and showered the area with grenades. Retrieving the lethal missiles as they fell, he lobbed them back with deadly accuracy, inflicting numerous casualties. He continued his incredible display of valor for approximately thirty minutes when a grenade detonated in his hand, severely wounding him. Refusing evacuation, he called in artillery and mortar fire on the hostile forces until the attack was contained with heavy enemy losses.