John GILLESPIE Hill

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to John Gillespie Hill, Major (Armor), [then Lieutenant], U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with 7th Cavalry Regiment (Task Force 777), 1st Cavalry Division. Major Hill distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Hambung-ni, Korea, on the night of 26 – 27 September 1950. On that night the battalion of which Major Hill was a member was moving rapidly forward in pursuit of hostile troops. Suddenly the column was subjected to a large volume of artillery and automatic weapons fire which pinned it down and inflicted several casualties. Simultaneously, two enemy tanks appeared and, directing murderous cannon and machine-gun fire against the friendly unit, succeeded in dividing it into two parts. Major Hill, with keen tactical perception, hurried up the road until he reached the battalion’s advance party, which he immediately organized into rocket-launcher teams and guided them back to the scene of the battle. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he supervised the emplacement and firing of the rocket launchers while simultaneously throwing grenades and firing his own weapon with deadly accuracy at the foe. Just as one of the hostile tanks was destroyed by the rocket launcher fire, six additional tanks reinforced with hostile troops, greatly increasing the threat to the friendly unit. Major Hill immediately launched an attack on the newly arrived tanks, and directed the fire of his men with great effectiveness until two more tanks were destroyed and the remainder retreated. Inspired by Major Hills’ courageous example, the friendly troops beat off the attack and continued their advance
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 578 (September 25, 1952)