Charles F. Pendleton

He held a key perimeter after his machine gun was destroyed.

Charles Frank Pendleton received a posthumous Medal of Honor for defending a key position during the closing weeks of the Korean War. Beginning on 16 July 1953, near Choo Gung-Dong, he served as a corporal and machine gunner in Company D, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

During repeated enemy attacks, he shifted his gun to cover threatened flanks and stopped an attacker who entered the position. Wounded and burned by hot cartridge cases, he refused evacuation. When a grenade destroyed his machine gun, he continued defending the perimeter with a carbine until mortally wounded.

Born in Camden, Tennessee, on 26 September 1931, Pendleton grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. After graduating from R. L. Paschal High School, he attended college, worked as a mail carrier and served in the Texas Army National Guard. He married Mary Hubbard in 1951 and hoped to become a church music director. Called to active duty in June 1952, he reached Korea in March 1953.

Pendleton died on 17 July 1953 and was buried in Laurel Land Memorial Cemetery, Fort Worth. His widow received his Medal of Honor on 18 January 1954. His family later donated his medals to his former high school, where the ROTC wing bears his name.

Official Medal of Honor citation:

“Cpl. Pendleton, a machine gunner with Company D, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. After consolidating and establishing a defensive perimeter on a key terrain feature, friendly elements were attacked by a large hostile force. Cpl. Pendleton delivered deadly accurate fire into the approaching troops, killing approximately 15 and disorganizing the remainder with grenades.

Unable to protect the flanks because of the narrow confines of the trench, he removed the machine gun from the tripod and, exposed to enemy observation, positioned it on his knee to improve his firing vantage. Observing a hostile infantryman jumping into the position, intent on throwing a grenade at his comrades, he whirled about and killed the attacker, then inflicted such heavy casualties on the enemy force that they retreated to regroup.

After reorganizing, a second wave of hostile soldiers moved forward in an attempt to overrun the position and, later, when a hostile grenade landed nearby, Cpl. Pendleton quickly retrieved and hurled it back at the foe. Although he was burned by the hot shells ejecting from his weapon, and he was wounded by a grenade, he refused evacuation and continued to fire on the assaulting force.

As enemy action increased in tempo, his machine gun was destroyed by a grenade but, undaunted, he grabbed a carbine and continued his heroic defense until mortally wounded by a mortar burst. Cpl. Pendleton's unflinching courage, gallant self-sacrifice, and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the finest traditions of the military service.”