Marvin R. Wood

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Marvin R. Wood (RA19322364), Corporal, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Medical Aidman with the 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Corporal Wood distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Soju-ri, Korea, on 17 November 1950. On that date, Corporal Wood’s platoon was moving out into a narrow valley affording little cover when the enemy opened a violent cross-fire which resulted in many casualties to his unit. With utter disregard for his personal safety, he moved about in the heavy hostile fire, attending the wounded, and assisting in their evacuation. As he dashed through vicious cross-fire toward a wounded man approximately one hundred yards away, he was wounded by concentrated fire and knocked to the ground. Crawling the remaining twenty-five yards to the wounded man, he unhesitatingly sat astride the back of his patient and administered first aid. He was again wounded and knocked from the wounded man’s back, but returned to his position and again attempted to administer first aid. He was struck for the third time and fell mortally wounded alongside his comrade.