Harry L. Stewart

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Harry L. Stewart, Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as the leader of a mortar squad. Corporal Stewart distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Wonju, Korea, on 14 February 1951. Corporal Steward was participating in a counterattack on a critically important hill defended by a numerically superior enemy force. In the initial phase of the attack, Corporal Stewart placed effective fire on the enemy position while manning a light machine-gun. Upon hearing the platoon leader order a rifleman to take the point in the attack, Corporal Stewart exchanged the weapon for a rifle and assumed the lead. As the company reached the summit of the hill, it was subjected to devastating machine-gun and grenade fire which inflicted heavy casualties. Realizing that the situation had reached a critical stage, Corporal Stewart again took the light machine-gun and advanced boldly up the hill directly into the enemy fire, firing the weapon from the hip. By skilful maneuvering, Corporal Stewart neutralized the machine-gun position, which provided the enemy’s best defense, and so demoralized the hostile troops that they fled down the reverse slope of the hill in disorder. Inspired by Corporal Stewart’s courageous charge, the other members of the company vigorously attacked the remaining enemy positions and recaptured the strategic hill.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 575 (June 16, 1953)