John T. Rooney

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to John T. Rooney, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the First Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces near the Hwachon Reservoir, Korea, on 29 May 1951. Lieutenant Colonel Rooney led his battalion in a daring assault against strategic enemy positions on commanding ground, bitterly defended by a numerically superior and strongly entrenched hostile force. Despite increased enemy activity and mounting resistance, he constantly braved intense hostile fire as he moved among his forward elements to direct and coordinate the attack. In the ensuring action Colonel Rooney was struck in the shoulder by a hostile mortar fragment but, ignoring the painful wound, continued to press the attack with such determination that the enemy was routed and the strongpoint secured.
General Headquarters Far East Command: General Orders No. 207 (August 13, 1951)