Richard E. Bowman

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Richard E. Bowman (ER35966565), Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company L, 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Master Sergeant Bowman distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Chorwon, Korea, on 6 and 7 September 1951. During the night of 6 September 1951, Company L’s defensive positions were attacked by a numerically superior and fanatically determined hostile force. Advancing under cover of a smoke screen, wave after wave of enemy troops hurled themselves against the friendly defenses. After the battle had raged for two hours with each enemy assault being successfully repulsed, the hostile force suddenly shifted its attack to a different sector of the defense perimeter. Under the terrific pressure of this attack, the perimeter was breached and the enemy began to pour through the gap. Realizing the dangerous threat posed by this break in the friendly lines, Sergeant Bowman immediately moved across the fire-swept terrain, organizing men for a counterattack. He then fearlessly led them forward in the face of the devastating enemy fire and engaged the hostile troops in hand-to-hand combat. Early on the morning of 7 September 1951 with the friendly forces fighting fiercely, Sergeant Bowman observed a fresh enemy force poised to attack his squad from the flank. Without hesitation, he charged the enemy troops single-handedly, effectively delaying them and diverting, their fire from his men until he fell, mortally wounded, by the intense hostile fire concentrated on him. His aggressive action so inspired the friendly troops that they successfully executed their counterattack and drove the enemy, from the area.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 873 (November 10, 1951)