John Kelvin Koelsch John Kelvin Koelsch ( December 22 , 1923 – October 16 , 1951 ) was a United States Navy officer and a recipient of America ' s highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Korean War . He was the first helicopter pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor . Biography . John Kelvin Koelsch joined the U . S . Naval Reserve as an Aviation Cadet on September 14 , 1942 and was commissioned as an Ensign on October 23 , 1944 after completing flight training . During the next few years , he served at Naval Air Stations at Fort Lauderdale , Florida , and Norfolk , Virginia , and subsequently flew with Composite Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadrons 97 and 18 . Promoted to Lieutenant ( Junior Grade ) on August 1 , 1946 , he became an accomplished torpedo bomber pilot . After the outbreak of Communist aggression in Korea , he joined Helicopter Squadron 1 ( HU - 1 ) at Miramar , California , in August 1950 . As Officer in Charge of a helicopter detachment , he joined in October for pilot rescue duty off the eastern coast of Korea . He served in " Princeton " until June 1951 when he joined Helicopter Squadron 2 ( HU - 2 ) for pilot rescue duty out of Wonsan , Korea , then under naval blockade . He provided lifeguard duty for pilots who were downed either in coastal waters or over enemy - held territory . On June 22 , he rescued a Naval aviator from the waters of Wonsan Harbor , southeast of Yo Do Island . Late in the afternoon of July 3 , 1951 , Lt ( jg ) Koelsch responded to a distress call from a Marine aviator , Capt . James V . Wilkins , whose Corsair had been hit by enemy fire during an armed reconnaissance mission about 35 miles southwest of Wonsan . Capt . Wilkins parachute d from his burning plane at low altitude ; and , though severely burned about the legs , he survived . Despite approaching darkness , worsening weather , and enemy ground fire , Lt . Koelsch located the downed aviator in the Anbyon Valley and began his pickup . Thick fog prevented the air cover from protecting the unarmed HO3S helicopter , and intense enemy fire downed the craft as the Lieutenant ' s crewman , George M . Neal , AM3 , hoisted the injured pilot toward the helicopter . All three men survived the crash ; and , after hiding in the mountains from enemy patrols for 3 days , they began a slow march to the coast . After 6 more days , they reached a coastal village where they were captured the following day while hiding in a hut . During his captivity , though beaten and abused , Koelsch refused to aid his captors or submit to interrogation . His fortitude and personal bravery inspired his fellow prisoners . John Koelsch died of malnutrition and dysentery on October 16 , 1951 , while a prisoner of war . On August 3 , 1955 , Lieutenant ( Junior Grade ) John Kelvin Koelsch was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Korea . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington , Virginia . His grave can be found in section 30 , grave 1123 - RH , Map Grid V / U 36 . 5 . Medal of Honor citation . Lieutenant ( jg ) Koelsch ' s official citation reads : Namesake . The destroyer escort ( later reclassified as a frigate ) was named in his honor .