Robert Taplett Robert Donald Taplett ( December 10 , 1918 – December 17 , 2004 ) was a highly decorated United States Marine who was most notable for commanding 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War for which he was awarded the Navy Cross — the second highest medal for valor in the United States Armed Forces . Taplett served with distinction in the Marine Corps for 20 years . He served aboard ship in the Pacific Theater during World War II . During the Korean War , he served as commander of 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines . After retiring from the Marine Corps , he authored a book that chronicled his experiences during the Korean War . Biography . Taplett was born in Tyndall , South Dakota on December 10 , 1918 . He attended the University of South Dakota where he joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity . He graduated with honors in 1940 . Although he was a member of the Army ROTC , he resigned his commission and joined the Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant . World War II . During the attack on Pearl Harbor , Taplett was aboard the USS " Salt Lake City " which was not damaged during the assault . The " Salt Lake City " was one of only a handful of ships able to pursue the Japanese fleet . Taplett served on the ship for three years and participated in numerous campaigns in the Pacific Theater , including the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of the Aleutian Islands in 1943 . After the war , Taplett , now a Colonel , was assigned as the commanding officer of the Navy supply barracks first at Clearview , Utah , and subsequently at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay and at the Naval Air Station Alameda , California . Korean War . Taplett was dispatched to Korea immediately after the outbreak of hostilities . He was assigned to be the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion 5th Marines and participated in numerous battles . His unit held the perimeter at Pusan and led the Inchon landing taking Wolmi - do Island ( Battle of Inchon ) , which was the gateway to Inchon . He led the 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines through the gates of Seoul to liberate the South Korean State House . During the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir , Taplett distinguished himself . From November 27 , to December 10 , 1950 , he supported the strategic fall back of United States forces who were outnumbered by Chinese forces nearly 5 to 1 . Despite the severe cold and harsh weather which was inflicted on him and his men , they fought desperately to clear the road which allowed for escape from the reservoir . Of the roughly 1 , 300 men in his unit who began the fight , only 326 able bodied Marines were left . For his leadership during the battle , Taplett was awarded the Navy Cross . After the war . After the Korean War , he became the academic director of The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico in 1951 and 1952 . In 1957 through 1959 , he was based in Marine Corps Base Hawaii , although most of his time was spent training troops in Okinawa and the Philippines . Taplett was also a guest lecturer to various military units throughout the country speaking on the importance of close air support for ground troops . He retired from the Marine Corps in 1960 , citing his displeasure with not being able to work directly with his troops and his military pay , which was not enough to support six children . In retirement . After retiring from the Marine Corps , Taplett and his family moved to Arlington , Virginia where he spent the rest of his life . He earned his Masters Degree for George Washington University in 1974 . He joined the U . S . Postal Service and fully retired in 1993 . He went back to visit Korea twice and eventually wrote a book , " Darkhorse Six " ( 2003 ) , which chronicled his experiences in Korea . He and wife Patricia Kingston Taplett had six children : Claire Ross Taplett , Robert Howard Taplett , Christine Kingston Taplett , Marty Kingston Taplett , Martin Ross Taplett , and Margot Barbara Taplett . He had nine grandchildren : Amanda Kingston Taplett , John Cawley Taplett , Lydia Ross Taplett , Mary Breen Taplett , Lindsey Marie Sallada , Liane Ross Sallada , Robert Matthew Sallada , Robert Ian Taplett , and Sean Robert Taplett . Colonel Robert Taplett died on December 17 , 2004 of congestive heart failure and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors .