Jack R. Hiday

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Jack R. Hiday (RA19342704), Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company D, 15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. Sergeant Hiday distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of the Changjin (Chosin) Reservoir in North Korea, on 30 November 1950. When the enemy launched a vicious attack, supported by mortar, automatic-weapons, and small-arms fire, against the M-16 half-track vehicle which he commanded, Sergeant Hiday stood on top of the vehicle and directed a barrage of fire into the charging hostile force. At the peak of the assault, it became necessary to replenish the weapon with full chests of ammunition. Observing that the cannoneers were unprotected during the change, the alert enemy rushed the vehicle. Sergeant Hiday, to protect his gun crew, grabbed a bazooka and leaped from the vehicle to draw hostile fire. As a result of his daring action, he was mortally wounded by a hail of fire, but his crew, meanwhile, reloaded and threw a heavy blanket of fire into the rushing enemy, killing a large number, dispersing the remaining element, and maintaining the defense of the perimeter.