Donald L. Chaney

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Donald L. Chaney (RA16323879), 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, 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Private Chaney distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Shindo, Korea, on 9 August 1950. While participating in an attack, Private Chaney’s platoon was given the difficult mission of wresting and securing triangulation hill from the enemy who had deeply entrenched positions on its summit. As the platoon attacked up the forward slopes of the hill, it was pinned down by intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire. Private Chaney voluntarily and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, stood erect and firing his automatic rifle from the hip charged up the hill. In this action he killed five of the enemy before he was wounded in the right shoulder by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire. Disregarding orders from his superior to go to the rear for medical treatment, and despite excruciating pain in his right shoulder, Private Chaney changed position with his automatic rifle, shifting it to his left side and continued forward. By his act of aggressiveness and courage he single-handedly wiped out two machine-gun emplacements and inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy, thereby enabling the platoon to secure the hill.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 39 (January 23, 1951)