Medal of Honor: Nelson V. Brittin – U.S. Army – Korean War

Name: Nelson V. Brittin
Rank: Sergeant First Class
Branch: U.S. Army
Unit: Company I, 19th Infantry Regiment
Place: Vicinity of Yonggong-ni, Korea
Entered Service At: Audubon, New Jersey
Born: Audubon, New Jersey
G.O. No.: 12, 1 February 1952

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Summary of Action

During fierce fighting near Yonggong-ni, Korea, Sergeant First Class Nelson V. Brittin volunteered to lead his squad in an assault up a hill dominated by well-entrenched enemy forces.

Advancing with almost no cover under murderous enemy fire and exploding shells, Brittin ordered his squad to support him while he moved forward alone. He hurled a grenade into the nearest enemy position, temporarily silencing the defenders.

Returning to his squad, he was knocked down and wounded by an enemy grenade.

He refused medical attention.

Instead, he gathered more grenades and surged forward again, throwing explosives into hostile positions and shooting enemy soldiers as they attempted to flee.

When his weapon jammed, he leapt directly into an enemy foxhole and killed its occupants with his bayonet and the butt of his rifle.

Continuing his relentless attack, Brittin destroyed multiple enemy foxholes. Seeing that his squad had been pinned down by a machine gun, he maneuvered around the position, threw a grenade into the nest, then rushed the front of the emplacement and killed the three-man crew.

Still advancing up the hill, he encountered another heavily camouflaged machine gun position protected by riflemen.

Without hesitation, he charged it.

As he closed with the position, a burst of automatic fire struck him and killed him instantly.

In his determined assault, Sergeant First Class Brittin killed 20 enemy soldiers and destroyed four automatic weapons, enabling his company to seize the objective.

His extraordinary courage, relentless determination, and selfless sacrifice reflect the highest traditions of the United States Army.

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Medal of Honor Citation

BRITTIN, NELSON V.

Place and date: Vicinity of Yonggong-ni, Korea, 7 March 1951.

Birth: Audubon, N.J.

Sfc. Brittin, a member of Company I, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. Volunteering to lead his squad up a hill, with meager cover against murderous fire from the enemy, he ordered his squad to give him support and, in the face of withering fire and bursting shells, he tossed a grenade at the nearest enemy position. On returning to his squad, he was knocked down and wounded by an enemy grenade. Refusing medical attention, he replenished his supply of grenades and returned, hurling grenades into hostile positions and shooting the enemy as they fled. When his weapon jammed, he leaped without hesitation into a foxhole and killed the occupants with his bayonet and the butt of his rifle. He continued to wipe out foxholes and, noting that his squad had been pinned down, he rushed to the rear of a machine gun position, threw a grenade into the nest, and ran around to its front, where he killed all 3 occupants with his rifle. Less than 100 yards up the hill, his squad again came under vicious fire from another camouflaged, sandbagged, machine gun nest well-flanked by supporting riflemen. Sfc. Brittin again charged this new position in an aggressive endeavor to silence this remaining obstacle and ran direct into a burst of automatic fire which killed him instantly. In his sustained and driving action, he had killed 20 enemy soldiers and destroyed 4 automatic weapons. The conspicuous courage, consummate valor, and noble self-sacrifice displayed by Sfc. Brittin enabled his inspired company to attain its objective and reflect the highest glory on himself and the heroic traditions of the military service.