Gordon M. Craig

He saved four comrades by smothering a deadly grenade blast.

Gordon Maynard Craig was born on August 3, 1929, in Brockton, Massachusetts. After graduating from East Bridgewater High School in 1948, he enlisted in the Army on 20 July. He left for the Far East that October and served in Japan before deploying to Korea. He served as a corporal in the 16th Reconnaissance Company, 1st Cavalry Division, during the Korean War.

On September 10, 1950, at Kasan, his company attacked a strategic hill under heavy fire. Craig and four comrades moved toward a machine-gun position blocking the advance. When an enemy soldier threw a grenade at them, Craig covered it with his body. He died protecting the others.

His comrades continued the attack and eliminated the machine-gun crew, allowing the company to advance. General Omar Bradley presented Craig's posthumous Medal of Honor to his mother at the Pentagon on April 3, 1951. He is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Medal of Honor citation

Cpl. Craig, 16th Reconnaissance Company, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. During the attack on a strategic enemy-held hill, his company's advance was subjected to intense hostile grenade, mortar, and small-arms fire. Cpl. Craig and four comrades moved forward to eliminate an enemy machine-gun nest that was hampering the company's advance.

At that instance an enemy machine gunner hurled a hand grenade at the advancing men. Without hesitating or attempting to seek cover for himself, Cpl. Craig threw himself on the grenade and smothered its burst with his body. His intrepid and selfless act, in which he unhesitantly gave his life for his comrades, inspired them to attack with such ferocity that they annihilated the enemy machine-gun crew, enabling the company to continue its attack. Cpl. Craig's noble self-sacrifice reflects the highest credit upon himself and upholds the esteemed traditions of the military service.