Paul B. Taft

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Paul B. Taft (RA19360008), Private 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 B, 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Private First Class Taft distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Soju-ri, Korea, on 17 November 1950. On that date, the advance of his platoon, with an accompanying tank, was stopped by intense cross-fire from two enemy machine-guns flanked by riflemen. Private First Class Taft ran through the fire-swept area and, although seriously wounded twice, succeeded in reaching the tank and directing its effective fire on the enemy machine-gun before dying from his wounds.