Coleman C. Ellison

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Coleman C. Ellison (RA14326811), Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Private Ellison distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Chon-ni, Korea, on 2 August 1950. While advancing with his company across a bridge west of Chung Chon-ni, Private Ellison spotted a group of the enemy in a gully attempting to flank the column. Realizing the danger, Private Ellison, not a squad leader, on his own initiative collected and led a squad, attacked, and destroyed this group. After advancing a short distance, the column was ambushed and received devastatingly accurate machine-gun, mortar, and 20-mm. fire from the front and flanks. An estimated one hundred enemy were in position on the right flank on top of a rolling cliff and their heavy fire was inflicting many casualties. Private Ellison ran to the base of the cliff and started climbing. This daring action inspired the platoon to follow, scale the cliff, and assault the hostile position. Reaching the top of the cliff, the platoon was pinned down by heavy enemy fire. Seeing this desperate situation, Private Ellison sprang up and dashed to the enemy’s flank, where he laid down accurate enfilade fire on the position. Expending his ammunition, he continued to advance, throwing grenades that destroyed the machine-guns holding up the platoon’s advance. Out of grenades, he ran to the platoon’s position and, seizing an automatic rifle from a wounded comrade, returned to crest of the hill, firing as he ran. The tenacious fearlessness of this frontal assault in the face of overwhelming odds and the devastating accuracy of his fire completely disrupted the enemy. In this action he killed eighteen and routed the force, thereby enabling his platoon to take the hill and relieve the trapped column on the road below.