Medal of Honor: David M. Smith, Korean War, September 1, 1950
In the desperate fighting near Yongsan, Korea, Private First Class David M. Smith made the ultimate sacrifice on September 1, 1950, when he threw himself on a grenade to save his comrades. His selfless act of courage became a shining example of devotion t
September 2, 2025
Name: David M. Smith
War: Korean War
Date of Action: September 1, 1950
Branch/Unit: U.S. Army, Company E, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Born: November 10, 1926, Livingston, Kentucky
Summary of Action
As the Korean War raged in its earliest, most desperate months, U.S. forces were fighting to hold the Pusan Perimeter against overwhelming North Korean assaults. Near the town of Yongsan, Pfc. Smith was manning his mortar position in rugged terrain as enemy troops launched a ferocious attack. Vastly outnumbered, his company fought bitterly, but the enemy infiltrated their lines and quickly began encircling the mortar section.
Under heavy small-arms fire and grenades, Smith and his comrades received the order to withdraw. Just as the enemy closed in, a grenade landed inside his position. With only seconds to act, Smith shouted a warning to the five men near him. In that instant, he made a decision that saved their lives—he threw himself upon the grenade, absorbing the full blast with his own body.
The explosion killed him instantly, but his supreme sacrifice spared his comrades from death or grievous wounds. His bravery and devotion gave them the chance to survive and continue the fight, a legacy of selflessness that would be remembered long after the guns fell silent.
Medal of Honor Citation
Citation:
Pfc. Smith, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action. Pfc. Smith was a gunner in the mortar section of Company E, emplaced in rugged mountainous terrain and under attack by a numerically superior hostile force. Bitter fighting ensued and the enemy overran forward elements, infiltrated the perimeter, and rendered friendly positions untenable. The mortar section was ordered to withdraw, but the enemy had encircled and closed in on the position. Observing a grenade lobbed at his emplacement, Pfc. Smith shouted a warning to his comrades and, fully aware of the odds against him, flung himself upon it and smothered the explosion with his body. Although mortally wounded in this display of valor, his intrepid act saved 5 men from death or serious injury. Pfc. Smith’s inspirational conduct and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory on himself and are in keeping with the noble traditions of the infantry of the U.S. Army.
