Wataru Nakamura

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Wataru Nakamura (ER36467531), 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 I, 3d Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Private First Class Nakamura distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at P’unch’on, Korea, on 18 May 1951. Private Nakamura’s unit sustained a vicious attack on the night of 17 May 1951, which neutralized communications facilities between the 1st platoon and the Company Command Post. At approximately 0430 hours on 18 May 1951, with intermittent rain and fog increasing the darkness of early morning, Private Nakamura volunteered to check and repair the damaged line. Unaware that the enemy had infiltrated and captured heavily fortified friendly positions, he moved forward until he came under a withering hail of hostile fire. Disregarding his safety, he made a one-man assault, silencing a machine-gun and its crew with his carbine and bayonet and destroying two other enemy positions with grenades. When his ammunition was expended, he was forced to withdraw in the face of overwhelming odds. After falling back, he met a carrying party, briefed the officer in charge, and replenishing his ammunition, returned to engage the hostile force. Supported by rifle fire, he wiped out an enemy position and attacked the remaining bunker, killing one and wounding another enemy soldier before he was mortally wounded by grenade fire.