James L . Stone James Lamar Stone ( December 27 , 1922 – November 9 , 2012 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of America ' s highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Korean War . He was awarded the medal for his conspicuous leadership during a fight against overwhelming odds , for continuing to lead after being wounded , and for choosing to stay behind after ordering others to retreat , a decision which led to his capture by Chinese forces . Military service . Stone joined the Army from Houston , Texas , in 1948 , and by November 21 , 1951 was serving as a first lieutenant in Company E of the 2nd Battalion , 8th Cavalry Regiment , 1st Cavalry Division . On that morning , Stone ' s platoon relieved another American unit that was manning a hilltop outpost above the Imjin River near Sokkogae , Korea ( now South Korea ) . At about 9 : 00 pm , Chinese forces launched an artillery and mortar attack against the outpost , followed by a series of infantry assaults . Stone led his platoon ' s defense against the battalion - sized force . Just after midnight , a second battalion joined the Chinese assault , pitting Stone ' s 48 - man platoon against roughly 800 enemy soldiers . Wounded three times during the battle , Stone continued to lead his men and fight , including in hand - to - hand combat . Realizing the defense was hopeless , Stone ordered those men who could still walk to leave and rejoin the rest of Company E , while he stayed behind with the badly wounded to cover their retreat . Stone eventually lost consciousness and , just before dawn on November 22 , he and the six remaining men of his platoon were captured by Chinese forces . After regaining consciousness , Stone was interrogated by the Chinese before being sent to a prison camp on the Yalu River . After 22 months of captivity , he was released in a prisoner exchange on September 3 , 1953 . Upon his liberation , Stone learned that he was to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle near Sokkogae . Stone ' s Medal of Honor was officially approved on October 20 , 1953 and presented to him a week later . At a ceremony in the White House on October 27 , President Dwight Eisenhower presented Medals of Honor to Stone and six others . Stone reached the rank of colonel and served in the Vietnam War before retiring from the Army in 1980 . Medal of Honor citation . First Lieutenant Stone ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : 1st Lt . Stone , distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy . When his platoon , holding a vital outpost position , was attacked by overwhelming Chinese forces , 1st Lt . Stone stood erect and exposed to the terrific enemy fire calmly directed his men in the defense . A defensive flame - thrower failing to function , he personally moved to its location , further exposing himself , and personally repaired the weapon . Throughout a second attack , 1st Lt . Stone ; though painfully wounded , personally carried the only remaining light machine gun from place to place in the position in order to bring fire upon the Chinese advancing from 2 directions . Throughout he continued to encourage and direct his depleted platoon in its hopeless defense . Although again wounded , he continued the fight with his carbine , still exposing himself as an example to his men . When this final overwhelming assault swept over the platoon ' s position his voice could still be heard faintly urging his men to carry on , until he lost consciousness . Only because of this officer ' s driving spirit and heroic action was the platoon emboldened to make its brave but hopeless last ditch stand . Death . Stone died in November 2012 at Arlington , Texas , aged 89 .