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Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Private Whitt Lloyd Moreland, USMC
Marine Private First Class Whitt L. Moreland, 21, of Austin, Texas, won the Medal of Honor in Korea for sacrificing his life to save his comrades.
The nations highest decoration for valor was awarded the youthful Marine posthumously for extraordinary heroism on 29 May 1951, at Kwagchi-Dong, when he smothered a hand grenade with his body to save the lives of his fellow Marines.
PFC Moreland was the 17th Marine to win the Medal of Honor in the Korean fighting. The Medal will be presented to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd W. Moreland, of Austin, Texas.
Born in Waco, Texas, 7 March 1930, PFC Moreland attended public school in Austin, and was graduated from Junction High School in 1948, where he played football for two years. In September 1948, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for one year, serving at San Diego and Camp Pendleton, California. Upon discharge he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years. On 30 November 1950, he was called to active duty, and received advanced training at Camp Pendleton, California.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Moreland had been awarded the Purple Heart, Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Star, and the United Nations Service Medal.
CITATION:
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Kwagch'i-Dong, Korea, 29 May 1951. Entered service at: Austin, Tex. Born: 7 March 1930, Waco, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an intelligence scout attached to Company C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Voluntarily accompanying a rifle platoon in a daring assault against a strongly defended enemy hill position, Pfc. Moreland delivered accurate rifle fire on the hostile emplacement and thereby aided materially in seizing the objective. After the position had been secured, he unhesitatingly led a party forward to neutralize an enemy bunker which he had observed some 400 meters beyond, and moving boldly through a fire-swept area, Almost reached the hostile emplacement when the enemy launched a volley of hand grenades on his group. Quick to act despite the personal danger involved, he kicked several of the grenades off the ridge line where they exploded harmlessly and, while attempting to kick away another, slipped and fell near the deadly missile. Aware that the sputtering grenade would explode before he could regain his feet and dispose of it, he shouted a warning to his comrades, covered the missile with his body and absorbed the full blast of the explosion, but in saving his companions from possible injury or death, was mortally wounded. His heroic initiative and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Moreland and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Courtesy of Find A Grave
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