Samuel S . Coursen Samuel Streit Coursen ( August 4 , 1926 – October 12 , 1950 ) was a 1949 graduate of the United States Military Academy and company commander in the United States Army during the Korean War . He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 12 , 1950 . Youth and education . Samuel S . Coursen was born August 4 , 1926 in Madison , New Jersey . His father , Wallace Melville Coursen , was a principal in the New York accounting firm of Haskins & Sells ; his mother was the former Kathleen Howell . Coursen graduated in 1945 from the Newark ( New Jersey ) Academy where he was an accomplished athlete . He was awarded an appointment to the U . S . Military Academy in 1945 and graduated with the class of 1949 . After graduation , Coursen married Evangeline Joy Sprague of Virginia Beach , Virginia and the daughter of U . S . Navy Captain Albert Sprague , then commander of the Navy Ammunition Depot at Lake Denmark , New Jersey . Early military career . Coursen was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry in the Regular Army upon graduation from West Point . In August 1950 , he attended the Officer ' s Basic Course of the Ground General School at Fort Riley , Kansas . By January 1950 , Coursen was going through the Infantry Officer ' s Basic and Basic Airborne courses at Fort Benning , Georgia . In July 1950 , he was en route to Far East Command . Promoted to first lieutenant in the Army of the United States , Coursen took command of a platoon of Company C , 5th Cavalry Regiment ( United States ) , 1st Cavalry Division ( United States ) on October 6 , 1950 . The 5th Cavalry fought in the Pacific theater during World War II and in the post - war years posted in Japan . The regiment was transferred to Korea in July 1950 , weeks after the North Korean invasion that prompted the Korean War . Events leading to death . As more American and United Nations forces came into play during the summer of 1950 , they slowed the North Korean advance into South Korea , holding out and maintaining an area around Pusan in the southeast of the country . By September 15 , 1950 , the United Nations began an offensive to drive North Korean forces out of the South . It was during this offensive that Coursen took his first combat command . At Kaesong the 1st Cavalry Division was ready to cross the 38th Parallel in to North Korea . The 8th Cavalry Regiment , in the center , was to attack frontally from Kaesong to Kumch ’ on , fifteen miles north and along the main highway axis . The 5th Cavalry Regiment , Coursen ' s regiment , on the right , was to move east and then swing west in a circular flanking movement , designed to trap enemy forces south of Kumch ’ on . In the meantime , the 7th Cavalry Regiment , on the division ’ s left , traversed the Yesong River ; advanced north on the road from Paekch ’ on to the small town of Hanp ’ o - ri , six miles north of Kumch ’ on , where the main P ’ yongyang road crossed the Yesong River ; and established a blocking position . Defending the Kumch ’ on area north of Kaesong were the North Korean People ' s Army ( NKPA ) 19th and 27th Divisions . Its 43d Division , to the west , defended the Yesong River crossing and the coastal area beyond the river . At 0900 on October 9 , 1950 , the 1st Cavalry Division as part of the Eighth United States Army struck out across the 38th Parallel . Initially , the advance was slow . Along the main highway the 8th Cavalry stopped repeatedly and waited for engineer troops to clear mines from the road . Halfway to Kumch ’ on the twelfth the regiment was halted by an enemy strongpoint , defended by tanks , self - propelled guns , and antiaircraft weapons . In spite of a sixteen - plane air strike and a 155 - mm . howitzer barrage , the strongpoint held . The 5th Cavalry Regiment , which also ran into trouble at the start , failed to cross the parallel until October 10 , 1950 . The next day the regiment ' s 1st Battalion encountered an enemy force holding a long ridge with several knobs — Hills 179 , 175 , and 174 — that dominated a pass fifteen miles northeast of Kaesong . The infantrymen drove the defenders from the ridge during the afternoon of October 12 , but the fight was fierce . In the battle for Hill 174 , Coursen , observing that one of the men of his platoon had entered a well - hidden gun emplacement , thought to be unoccupied , and had taken a bullet . Coursen ran to his aid and without regard for his personal safety , Coursen engaged the enemy in hand - to - hand combat in an effort to protect the wounded soldier until he himself was killed . When his body was recovered after the battle , seven enemy dead were found in the emplacement . Coursen ’ s actions saved the wounded soldier ’ s life and eliminated the main position of the enemy roadblock . For his actions , Lieutenant Coursen was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously . After much fighting , the 1st Cavalry Division captured Kumch ’ on October 14 , 1950 . With I Corps ( United States ) soldiers moving through the enemy ’ s principal fortified positions between the 38th Parallel and P ’ yongyang , the North Korean capital city , enemy front lines as such ceased to exist . On October 19 , Company F , 5th Cavalry , entered P ’ yongyang , followed shortly thereafter by Republic of Korea Army 1st Division elements from the northeast . One of Company F ' s platoon commanders was one of Coursen ' s West Point roommates , Lieutenant John F . Forrest . The next morning , October 15 , 1950 , the 1st Division reached the heart of the city and took the strongly fortified administrative center without difficulty . The entire city was secured by 10 AM that day . " Coursen ' s West Point class of 1949 was greatly affected by the Korean War . Many of them were newly commission lieutenants serving as platoon commanders . Thirty of them would die in combat during the war . Coursen was buried at the U . S . Military Academy Cemetery at West Point . Award . On June 15 , 1951 , it was announced by The Pentagon , that Coursen would be awarded the Medal of Honor . On June 21 , 1951 , Coursen ' s young 14 month - old son , Samuel , Jr . , of Morristown , New Jersey was presented the award in a Pentagon ceremony by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and General of the Army Omar N . Bradley . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : First Lieutenant , U . S . Army , Company C 5th Cavalry Regiment , 1st Cavalry Division Place and date : Near Kaesong , Korea , October 12 , 1950 Entered service at : Madison , N . J . Born : August 4 , 1926 Madison , N . J . G . O . No . : 57 , August 2 , 1951 . Citation : 1st Lt . Coursen distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action . While Company C was attacking Hill 174 under heavy enemy small - arms fire , his platoon received enemy fire from close range . The platoon returned the fire and continued to advance . During this phase 1 his men moved into a well - camouflaged emplacement , which was thought to be unoccupied , and was wounded by the enemy who were hidden within the emplacement . Seeing the soldier in difficulty he rushed to the man ' s aid and , without regard for his personal safety , engaged the enemy in hand - to - hand combat in an effort to protect his wounded comrade until he himself was killed . When his body was recovered after the battle 7 enemy dead were found in the emplacement . As the result of 1st Lt . Coursen ' s violent struggle several of the enemies ' heads had been crushed with his rifle . His aggressive and intrepid actions saved the life of the wounded man , eliminated the main position of the enemy roadblock , and greatly inspired the men in his command . 1st Lt . Coursen ' s extraordinary heroism and intrepidity reflect the highest credit on himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service .