Elwood F. James

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Elwood F. James (0-1313896), First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 29th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant James distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Sinsan-ni, Korea, on 2 September 1950. During a battalion attack along high ground south of the Chinju-Masan road, First Lieutenant James’ company was driving the enemy from the ground overlooking the road. He repeatedly displayed conspicuous gallantry in the face of enemy fire from the high ground as his company assaulted up the slopes of the ridge. Casualties were extremely high from plunging and grazing machine-gun and automatic-weapons fire which wounded all three of his company officers and many of the non-commissioned officers, leaving him virtually alone to organize and direct his company’s attack. During the last and successful assault on the objective, he was wounded; however, he continued to physically lead his troops until the advance had reached a point almost to the crest of the ridge. At this point he was again wounded, this time mortally. His last words on his radio to the battalion command post, although morally wounded, were cheerful and calm as he reported the capture of the objective. Only through this outstanding individual example of bravery and devotion to duty could such an objective have been taken with the force available.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 18 (January 12, 1951), as amended by Section V of General Orders No. 56 (1951), US Eighth Army Korea