Clyde L. Bennett

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Clyde L. Bennett (RA16210456), Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Tank Commander with Company B, 89th Medium Tank Battalion, 25th Infantry Division. Sergeant Bennett distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Sandokchong-ni, Korea, on 21 May 1951. Committed to enter a narrow valley to contact and engage the enemy, Sergeant Bennett’s platoon was ruthlessly attacked and surrounded by a numerically superior force. During the bitter fighting which ensued, he detected one of the half-tracks moving slowly because of mechanical failure and placed his tank directly in the path of hostile fire to shield the disabled vehicle and its exposed crew. When the enemy on the hills to his left and right attempted to flank his position, rendering fire from his tank ineffective, he left the protective cover of the armored turret and, braving withering hostile fire, fearlessly manned the .50 caliber machine-gun mounted on the rear of the deck. Maintaining his stand, he delivered accurate fire into the ranks of the enemy until he was mortally wounded. His courageous action retarded the hostile advance, exacted a heavy toll in casualties, and insured the save withdrawal of friendly forces.