Benito Martinez ( soldier ) Corporal Benito Martinez ( April 21 , 1932 – September 6 , 1952 ) was a United States Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor — the United States ' highest military decoration — for his actions on the near Satae - ri in Korea during the Korean War . Martinez was mortally wounded while solely defending his outpost . His actions enabled his company to take back the terrain which they had lost . Early years . Martinez was a Mexican - American born to Mr . and Mrs . Francisco Martinez in Fort Hancock , Texas . There , he received his primary and secondary education . He joined the United States Army in 1950 at the recruiting station in his hometown . Martinez completed his basic training and was eventually assigned to Company A ( Able Company ) of the 25th Infantry Division . Korean War . The North Korean Communist forces invaded the Republic of Korea on June 25 , 1950 . The 27th Regiment , 25th Infantry Division ( whose nickname was " Wolfhounds " ) was stationed in Hawaii and in July was put on alert . By July 18 , the entire division was in Pusan in Republic of Korea . On February 23 , 1952 , the 25th Division , under the command of Major General Ira P . Swift , was in the front line in the center of the X Corps sector near Mundung - ni northeast of the Hwach ' on Reservoir . The division assumed the front line routine of patrols , ambushes , artillery exchanges , and bunker maintenance . The division also secured and defended forward outposts beyond the main line of resistance . Martinez ' s unit , the 2nd Platoon of A Company , inherited a position known as Sandbag Castle from Charlie Company ( C Company ) . On the night of September 5 , 1952 , Corporal Martinez was in Outpost Agnes performing forward listening post duties . Outpost Agnes was a bunker large enough to hold four soldiers . Shortly after midnight , the North Koreans began shelling Sandbag Castle . During a lull in the shelling , the men of the 27th inside the castle were able to spot crawling North Korean soldiers whose intentions were to cut off the forward bunkers and Outpost Anges . Martinez ordered the three men in his bunker to return to the Sandbag Castle . His commanding officer , Lieutenant McLean called him on the sound power telephone and ordered him to get out . Martinez , knowing the situation better than anyone , replied that he would have to stay on and delay the North Koreans as long as possible . Martinez remained at his post and with his machinegun inflicted numerous casualties on the attacking troops . When he ran out of ammunition he retreated to a bunker destroyed by enemy shelling and from there continued his assault with a Browning Automatic Rifle ( BAR ) . Martinez was mortally wounded before his unit was able to counterattack and regain their terrain . On December 29 , 1953 , President Harry S . Truman presented the family of Benito Martinez with the Medal of Honor . Medal of Honor citation . BENITO MARTINEZ " Rank and organization : " Corporal , U . S . Army , Company A , 27th Infantry Regiment , 25th Infantry Division . " Place and date : " Near Satae - ri Korea , September 6 , 1952 . " Entered service at : " Fort Hancock , Texas " Born : " March 21 , 1931 , Fort Hancock , Texas " G . O . No . : 96 , December 29 , 1953 " Citation : " Honors . Cpl . Benito Martinez was buried in Fort Hancock Cemetery and exhumed in the 1980s to be buried with full military honors at Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso , Texas . Both cities , El Paso and Fort Hancock , have honored his memory by naming elementary schools after him . Awards and recognitions . Among Benito Martinez ' s decorations and medals were the following :