Robert DONALD Ivison

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Robert Donald Ivison (RA12284786), 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 Company E, 2d Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Private First Class Ivison distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Chonjo-ri, Korea, on 20 May 1951. On that date, Private Ivison’s company was given the mission of attacking and securing the position of a well-entrenched and fanatically determined enemy force holding Hill 198. Moving in a frontal assault up the hill, the unit was pinned down by intense and accurate enemy small-arms and automatic-weapons fire. As the enemy began to roll grenades down among the group, Private Ivison, observing that both the platoon leader and platoon sergeant had been wounded, realized that his comrades must move from their precarious position on the slope or face annihilation. Jumping up from his position, he rushed through the accurate, point-blank enemy fire toward a hostile machine-gun emplacement, shouting words of encouragement to his comrades and urging them forward. With his automatic rifle, he killed the two enemy machine gunners and, although mortally wounded in his charge up the hill, he continued to fire at the now retreating enemy. His actions so inspired his comrades that they charged up the slope, routing the enemy from their position.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 615 (August 5, 1951)