On the late afternoon of 1 December 1950, during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign, SSgt. William G. Windrich and his company (I 3/5) was surrounded by enemy aggressors at Yudam-ni and they were ordered to move toward Hagaru-ri. By the time they reached their objective (Hill 1520) it was very dark and the temperature averaged a minus 40 degrees. The company relocated a few times, then back to the knoll, between two rugged mile high mountains where they were bombarded by grenades, machine gun and rifle fire.
SSgt. Windrich led a rifle squad of twelve men to meet the enemy head on, while armed with a carbine. Seven of his men were wounded or killed before they reached the forward position they were to defend. As blood gushed down his shoulder and back after taking a grenade to the head, he moved his remaining men into a tight fire group. Then he ran to the company command post, drafting a small group of volunteers, and led them to evacuate the dying and wounded. Assuming command of what was left of a platoon, SSgt. Windrich once more took up defensive positions. Despite being shot in both legs, he kept fighting, always refusing medical attention. He crawled in the snow, back and forth between his men shouting words of encouragement, deploying his forces and helping to throw back the attackers. It was only after the communist had been beaten off did Ssgt.Windrich collapse and die due to the bitter cold, excessive loss of blood and severe pain.
In the end there were two officers and eighteen enlisted men alive, who staggered down the mountain alive.
For his actions a leadership, at the age of 29, SSgt. Windrich was awarded the Medal of Honor. His body was identified and returned to the US in 1955 for burial in Arlington cemetery.
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