Medal of Honor: Master Sergeant Mike C. Peña, Korean War, September 4, 1950

Master Sergeant Mike C. Peña

War: Korean War
Date of Action: September 4, 1950

Hook

In the chaos of Korea’s desperate early battles, one Texan made a final stand. With his men out of ammunition and retreating to safety, Master Sergeant Mike C. Peña stayed behind, alone, to hold off the enemy until dawn.

Summary of Action

Master Sergeant Mike C. Peña was born on November 6, 1924, in Newgulf, Texas, and entered service at El Paso, Texas. By the summer of 1950, he was serving with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, one of the U.S. Army units thrown into the brutal defense of the Pusan Perimeter as North Korean forces threatened to drive American and South Korean troops into the sea.

On the night of September 4, 1950, near Waegwan, Korea, Peña’s company came under a ferocious assault. The enemy, in overwhelming numbers, poured fire into American positions, threatening to annihilate the unit. Throughout the counterattack, Peña rallied his men, directing their fire and organizing the defense under intense pressure.

As the fighting stretched into the night, Peña realized the desperate truth—their ammunition was running low. If his soldiers stayed in place, they would be overrun and destroyed. Taking command, Peña ordered his men to withdraw and regroup, ensuring they would live to fight again. But someone needed to cover their escape. Peña made the choice himself.

Manning a machine gun, he poured fire into the attacking enemy, buying precious time for his company to pull back. Again and again, waves of hostile soldiers came forward, and again and again Peña met them with fire. Through the long, dark hours, he stood his ground.

By morning, the position was finally overrun. Peña was killed at his gun, having fought to the last, but his stand ensured that his men survived. His sacrifice, carried out with full knowledge of the cost, epitomized the highest traditions of valor and selflessness.

Medal of Honor Citation

Citation:
Peña is being recognized for his actions on the evening of Sept. 4, 1950, near Waegwan, Korea, when his unit was fiercely attacked. During the course of the counter-attack, Peña realized that their ammunition was running out, and ordered his unit to retreat. Peña then manned a machine-gun to cover their withdrawal. He single-handedly held back the enemy until morning when his position was overrun, and he was killed.