Herbert Wilkes
Home Town: Florence, South Carolina
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 50 (September 3, 1950) | General Orders No. 50 (September 3, 1950)
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Herbert Wilkes (RA34517144), 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 Battery B, 63d Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division. Sergeant First Class Wilkes distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Chonan, Korea, on 8 July 1950. On that date, the battery position of Battery B received extremely heavy fire from enemy tanks and artillery. The rate of fire was so intense that personnel of the battery became disorganized. Seeing this, Sergeant First Class Wilkes, without regard for his personal safety, exposed himself to the intense fire and personally organized each howitzer section so that counter battery fire could be delivered. Due to his heroic action and aggressive leadership, the battery was able to return the enemy fire and in addition deliver concentrated fire on the town of Chonan to protect the withdrawal of an American infantry battalion.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 50 (September 3, 1950)
