Joe R. Baldonado

Manning an exposed gun, he broke repeated attacks on a hill.

Joe Rodriguez Baldonado was born in Colorado on 28 August 1930 and later lived in California. He joined the United States Army and trained as an airborne infantryman. During the Korean War he served with Company B, 1st Battalion, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment.

On 25 November 1950, on Hill 171 near Kangdong, Baldonado's company occupied a hill when a strong enemy force attacked. His platoon had used much of its ammunition, and the platoon leader committed the third squad and its remaining supply to the defence.

With the attackers already close, Baldonado had no time to dig a protected position. He set up his machine gun in exposed ground and fired into the advancing troops, forcing them back. The enemy concentrated fire on his gun and tried repeatedly to overcome it by rushing forward in small groups and throwing grenades.

Although explosions struck close to the position, he continued firing and broke successive assaults. During the final attack a grenade landed beside the gun and killed him. His actions helped prevent the attackers from overrunning the position while his comrades fought around him.

Baldonado initially received the Distinguished Service Cross. A later review of awards to Jewish and Hispanic American veterans led to its upgrade to the Medal of Honor. President Barack Obama presented the posthumous decoration to his brother Charles at the White House on 18 March 2014.

His comrades buried him temporarily in Pyongyang. The city changed hands before his remains could be removed, and he remains unaccounted for. He is commemorated on the Honolulu Memorial and by an in-memory marker at Arlington National Cemetery.

Official Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Corporal Joe R. Baldonado distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an acting machinegunner in 3d Squad, 2d Platoon, Company B, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kangdong, Korea, on November 25, 1950. On that morning, the enemy launched a strong attack in an effort to seize the hill occupied by Corporal Baldonado and his company. The platoon had expended most of its ammunition in repelling the enemy attack and the platoon leader decided to commit his 3d Squad, with its supply of ammunition, in the defensive action. Since there was no time to dig in because of the proximity of the enemy, who had advanced to within twenty-five yards of the platoon position, Corporal Baldonado emplaced his weapon in an exposed position and delivered a withering stream of fire on the advancing enemy, causing them to fall back in disorder. The enemy then concentrated all their fire on Corporal Baldonado's gun and attempted to knock it out by rushing the position in small groups and hurling hand grenades. Several times, grenades exploded extremely close to Corporal Baldonado but failed to interrupt his continuous firing. The hostile troops made repeated attempts to storm his position and were driven back each time with appalling casualties. The enemy finally withdrew after making a final assault on Corporal Baldonado's position during which a grenade landed near his gun, killing him instantly. Corporal Baldonado's extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.