Earl ROBERT Baxter

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Earl Robert Baxter (RA20134815), 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 Company L, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Sergeant First Class Baxter distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Taegu, Korea, on 15 September 1950. On that date, the 2d platoon of Company L had seized Hill 401 and was preparing to reorganize and establish a defensive perimeter when the enemy suddenly launched a fanatical counterattack. The platoon withstood the assault until an acute shortage of ammunition made a withdrawal inevitable. Sergeant First Class Baxter, who had temporarily assumed command while the platoon sergeant attended a wounded man, ordered the platoon to withdraw while he remained behind to furnish covering fire. Standing fully exposed to the enemy, Sergeant Baxter placed a withering stream of fire on the on-rushing enemy horde until he was killed by an enemy grenade. When Company L later regained the hill, Sergeant Baxter’s body was found with ten enemy soldiers lying nearby, attesting to the accuracy of his fire and grim determination to prevent the enemy routing the platoon’s withdrawal. Undoubtedly the enemy suffered numerous other casualties as a result of his heroic action which enabled his comrades to withdraw with minimum losses.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 328 (May 20, 1951)