Raphael J. Sullivan

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Raphael J. Sullivan, Private First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with an Infantry Company of the 45th Infantry Division. Private First Class Sullivan distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Tumyong-dong, Korea, on the morning of 14 June 1952. On that date, Private Sullivan volunteered to neutralize a group of fanatical enemy troops who had inflicted heavy casualties on a friendly force. Deeply entrenched in six caves, the foe was pouring forth a murderous volume of small-arms and machine-gun fire, and constituted a serious threat to the security of the friendly lines. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Private Sullivan moved through the deadly hostile fire to the caves. While the enemy concentrated a fusillade of automatic-weapons fire upon him and sent forth a shower of grenades, he entered the first cave and successfully placed an explosive charge which destroyed the hostile troops inside. With the utmost coolness in the face of extreme danger, he then proceeded to the second cave and, despite the heavy close-range fire, placed another charge of explosives. On entering the third cave he was painfully wounded in the face, but nevertheless continued his exceedingly hazardous mission, returning to his unit only after he had entered and placed a destructive charge in each of the six caves. His exceptionally courageous actions resulted in the death of approximately twenty-eight enemy troops and enabled his company to secure a hill of great strategic importance.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 587 (September 29, 1952)