1st Sgt. Benjamin F. Wilson's company was ordered to take the largest hill (later dubbed “Hell Hill”) overlooking the Hwachon Reservoir on June 4, 1951 (Korea). During the assault he was shot in the leg. His men began to carry him down the hill on a stretcher as the battle neared its climax. When his stretcher-bearers set him down to rest, Wilson, in obvious pain, arose from the stretcher and trudged back up the hill without a word. Once on top of the hill, he led a bayonet charge, killing 27 enemy soldiers in the process. When his men were pinned down by enemy machine guns, he dashed across the field and killed 4 more with rifle fire and grenades and took over their positions. As his men began to consolidate, the enemy launched a massive counter attack, during which,Wilson made a determined lone-man charge, killing 7 and wounding 2 of the enemy, and routing the remainder in disorder.
After the position was organized, he continued the assault carrying to approximately 15 yards of the final objective, when enemy fire halted the advance. He ordered the platoon to withdraw and, although painfully wounded in this action, remained to provide covering fire. During an ensuing counterattack, the commanding officer and 1st Platoon leader became casualties. Unhesitatingly, 1st Sgt. Wilson charged the enemy ranks and fought valiantly, killing 3 enemy soldiers with his rifle before it was wrested from his hands, and annihilating 4 others with his entrenching tool. For his actions he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
I’ll leave out the fact that the very next day, Wilson killed 33 more Chinese soldiers with his rifle, bayonet, and hand grenades in another one-man assault. He was again recommended for the Medal of Honor, but Army policy prohibited any man from being awarded more than one, so he had to settle for a Distinguished Service Cross. #hero #stayzero