William R . Jecelin William R . Jecelin ( May 6 , 1930 – September 19 , 1950 ) was a soldier in the United States Army who posthumously received the United States military ' s highest decoration for bravery , the Medal of Honor , for his actions during the Korean War . He was born and joined the Army from Baltimore , Maryland and was sent as a Sergeant to fight in the Korean War . While there he was fighting with Company C , 35th Infantry Regiment when a grenade was thrown at them Jecelin sacrificed himself to save the other soldiers in his unit . He covered the grenade with his body and was killed . His body was returned to the US and buried in his hometown of Baltimore . Biography . Jecelin was born May 6 , 1930 in Baltimore , Maryland and joined the United States Army from that location . After attending training he was sent to fight in Korea as a Sergeant in Company C , 35th Infantry Regiment , 25th Infantry Division . On September 19 , 1950 his company was ordered to secure a ridge that was occupied by Korean forces they attacked as ordered but the first attempt to take the hill failed . They tried a second time and this time Jecelin led his platoon through heavy enemy fire advancing to the base of the cliff where the attack was stopped again due to enemy fire . He determined that a direct assault was the only way to gain control of the hill so he began firing his rifle and throwing grenades at the enemy position , calling to his men to follow him . The American troops were able to make it to the crest of the hill before being forced to take cover from enemy fire , before attempting another assault . They attached bayonet s for hand to hand combat and were able to defeat a portion of the enemy before being forced to take cover after receiving fire from another group of enemy forces in the area . When they began attacking this new group , one of the enemy soldiers threw a grenade at the incoming Americans and Sergeant Jecelin dived on the grenade , smothering the blast with his body , saving the lives of the other American soldiers but was killed in the blast . For this action he posthumously received the United States military ' s highest decoration for bravery , the Medal of Honor . His body was returned to the United States after his death and buried in Bohemian National Cemetery . Medal of Honor citation . Citation : Sgt . Jecelin , Company C , distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and Intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy . His company was ordered to secure a prominent , sawtoothed ridge from a well - entrenched and heavily armed enemy . Unable to capture the objective in the first attempt , a frontal and flanking assault was launched . He led his platoon through heavy enemy fire and bursting shells , across rice fields and rocky terrain , in direct frontal attack on the ridge in order to draw fire away from the flanks . The unit advanced to the base of the cliff , where intense , accurate hostile fire stopped the attack . Realizing that an assault was the only solution , Sgt . Jecelin rose from his position firing his rifle and throwing grenades as he called on his men to follow him . Despite the intense enemy fire this attack carried to the crest of the ridge where the men were forced to take cover . Again he rallied his men and stormed the enemy strong point . With fixed bayonets they charged into the face of antitank fire and engaged the enemy in hand - to - hand combat . After clubbing and slashing this force into submission the platoon was forced to take cover from direct frontal fire of a self - propelled gun . Refusing to be stopped he leaped to his feet and through sheer personal courage and fierce determination led his men in a new attack . At this instant a well - camouflaged enemy soldier threw a grenade at the remaining members of the platoon . He immediately lunged and covered the grenade with his body , absorbing the full force of the explosion to save those around him . This incredible courage and willingness to sacrifice himself for his comrades so imbued them with fury that they completely eliminated the enemy force . Sgt . Jecelin ' s heroic leadership and outstanding gallantry reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the military service .