Wiley Mcgarity

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Wiley McGarity, First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant McGarity distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Paengma-gol, Korea, on 1 September 1951. On that date, Company F, in defensive positions on a strategic hill, was viciously attacked at approximately 0200 hours by an estimated three hundred ruthless hostile forces supported by automatic-weapons and grenade fire. After the enemy penetrated a company position on the west end of the hill, inflicting heavy casualties and gaining control of key terrain, Captain McGarity, armed only with a pistol and several grenades, braved withering small-arms and automatic-weapons fire and, launching a one-man assault against the fanatical assailants, killed approximately six hostile soldier before his ammunition was expended. Although wounded by grenade fragments, he grabbed abandoned enemy grenades and a discarded carbine and continued to pour deadly accurate fire into enemy positions until the ammunition was exhausted. Then, seizing a trenching tool, he closed in hand-to-hand combat, killing two more hostile soldiers. Maintaining his magnificent stand, he inflicted such sweeping destruction that the enemy broke off the engagement and when friendly troops reached the area, he was hurling grenades at the retreating force. His inspirational, intrepid actions exacted a toll of approximately thirty enemy dead and as a result of his incredible display of valor the vital strongpoint was re-secured.