Whitt L . Moreland Private First Class Whitt Lloyd Moreland ( March 7 , 1930 – May 29 , 1951 ) was a United States Marine who heroically sacrificed his life to save the lives of fellow Marines by smothering a hand grenade with his body during the Korean War . For this action on May 29 , 1951 at Kwagch ’ i - Dong , PFC Moreland was posthumous ly awarded the United States ' highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor . He was the 17th Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War . Biography . Born in Waco , Texas on March 7 , 1930 , Whitt Lloyd Moreland attended public school in Austin , and graduated from Junction High School in 1948 , where he played football for two years . In September 1948 , he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps for one year , serving in San Diego and Camp Pendleton , California . Upon discharge he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years . On November 30 , 1950 , he was called to active duty , and received advanced training at Camp Pendleton , California . PFC Moreland was an intelligence scout attached to the 1st Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division when he was killed in action at Kwangch ' i - Dong , Korea , on May 29 , 1951 . Moreland is buried at Whittington Cemetery in Mount Ida , Arkansas . There is a monument dedicated to him in Llano , Texas along with others who served in the war . Awards and decorations . PFC Moreland ' s decorations include : Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS WHITT L . MORELAND UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Intelligence Scout attached to Company C , First Battalion , Fifth Marines , First Marine Division ( Reinforced ) , in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on May 29 , 1951 . Voluntarily accompanying a rifle platoon in a daring assault against a strongly defended enemy hill position , Private First Class Moreland delivered accurate rifle fire on the hostile emplacement and thereby aided materially in seizing the objective . After the position had been secured , he unhesitatingly led a party forward to neutralize an enemy bunker which he had observed some 400 meters beyond and , moving boldly through a fireswept area , almost reached the hostile emplacement when the enemy launched a volley of hand grenade s on his group . Quick to act despite the personal danger involved , he kicked several of the grenades off the ridgeline where they exploded harmlessly and , while attempting to kick away another , slipped and fell near the deadly missile . Aware that the sputtering grenade would explode before he could regain his feet and dispose of it , he shouted a warning to his comrades , covered the missile with his body and absorbed the full blast of the explosion , but in saving his companions from possible injury or death , was mortally wounded . His heroic initiative and valiant spirit of self - sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Moreland and the United States Naval Service . He gallantly gave his life for his country . / S / HARRY S . TRUMAN