Medal of Honor: Baldomero López Korean War, Inchon Landing, Korea – 15 September 1950

Baldomero López
Korean War – Inchon Landing, Korea – 15 September 1950

The roar of naval guns still echoed across Inchon’s seawalls as the Marines stormed ashore. Among them was First Lieutenant Baldomero López, a young officer from Tampa, Florida, leading his platoon into the teeth of enemy fire. Inchon was a gamble—its narrow tidal approaches and fortified shoreline made it one of the most dangerous amphibious assaults in Marine Corps history. For López, the gamble would become a test of ultimate sacrifice.

With enemy bullets raking the beach and cutting down men around him, López pushed his platoon forward, his eyes fixed on a pillbox spitting fire that pinned them in the sand. He ran alongside a bunker, clutching a hand grenade, ready to silence the enemy and open the way for his men. At the moment he pulled back his arm to throw, an enemy automatic weapon struck him in the chest and shoulder. The grenade fell from his grasp, live, seconds from detonation.

In that instant, López made his choice. Wounded, bleeding, and unable to throw, he turned his body toward the grenade. With deliberate motion, he swept it beneath him, using his own body as a shield. The blast tore through him, but his men lived. His selfless act not only saved those around him, it pushed the Marines forward, giving them the chance to take Inchon’s defenses and press inland.

Baldomero López’s story is one of a leader who refused to let fate dictate the lives of his men. In his final act, he embodied the essence

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Marine platoon commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.), in action against enemy aggressor forces at Inchon, Korea, on 15 September 1950. With his platoon 1st Lt. López was engaged in the reduction of immediate enemy beach defenses after landing with the assault waves. Exposing himself to hostile fire, he moved forward alongside a bunker and prepared to throw a hand grenade into the next pillbox whose fire was pinning down that sector of the beach. Taken under fire by an enemy automatic weapon and hit in the right shoulder and chest as he lifted his arm to throw, he fell backward and dropped the deadly missile. After a moment, he turned and dragged his body forward in an effort to retrieve the grenade and throw it. In critical condition from pain and loss of blood, and unable to grasp the hand grenade firmly enough to hurl it, he chose to sacrifice himself rather than endanger the lives of his men and, with a sweeping motion of his wounded right arm, cradled the grenade under him and absorbed the full impact of the explosion. His exceptional courage, fortitude, and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. López and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.