Medal of Honor: Private First Class Joseph R. Ouellette, Korean War, August 31 – September 3, 1950

Private First Class Joseph R. Ouellette

War: Korean War
Date of Action: August 31 – September 3, 1950

Summary of Action

In late August 1950, during the desperate defense of the Pusan Perimeter, Ouellette and his comrades of Company H, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division found themselves trapped in the Makioug-Chang River salient near Yongsan. The enemy launched ferocious assaults, cutting them off from reinforcements and supplies. For most men, survival seemed impossible. For Ouellette, it was a test of courage he refused to fail.

When his unit lost contact and confusion reigned, he volunteered to reconnoiter a nearby hill to locate friendly positions and judge the strength of enemy forces. Under withering fire, he crawled forward, confirmed that no friendly forces held the ground, and returned through the storm of bullets to report. That single act provided his unit with clarity in the fog of battle.

As thirst gnawed at the surrounded Americans, a desperate airdrop of water cans landed beyond the perimeter. Ouellette, without hesitation, braved open ground under enemy fire to retrieve them. He found them shattered and empty—but returned to his comrades anyway, proving by action alone that they were not forgotten and that one man’s courage could restore morale.

Later, when ammunition ran low, Ouellette again slipped beyond the perimeter, scavenging weapons and grenades from fallen enemy soldiers. Attacked in the process by a hostile fighter, he killed the enemy in brutal hand-to-hand combat before carrying the needed supplies back to his comrades.

The ordeal reached its climax on September 3rd, when the enemy hurled grenades into his position again and again. Six times he leapt from his foxhole, exposing himself to enemy fire to avoid the blasts. Severely wounded but still fighting, Ouellette refused to yield, resisting until the last moments of his life. His gallantry under impossible conditions saved lives, stiffened the defense, and etched his name among the immortal few who gave everything for their brothers in arms.

Medal of Honor Citation

Pfc. Ouellette distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy in the Makioug-Chang River salient. When an enemy assault cut off and surrounded his unit he voluntarily made a reconnaissance of a nearby hill under intense enemy fire to locate friendly troop positions and obtain information of the enemy’s strength and location. Finding that friendly troops were not on the hill, he worked his way back to his unit under heavy fire. Later, when an airdrop of water was made outside the perimeter, he again braved enemy fire in an attempt to retrieve water for his unit. Finding the dropped cans broken and devoid of water, he returned to his unit. His heroic attempt greatly increased his comrades’ morale. When ammunition and grenades ran low, Pfc. Ouellette again slipped out of the perimeter to collect these from the enemy dead. After collecting grenades he was attacked by an enemy soldier. He killed this enemy in hand-to-hand combat, gathered up the ammunition, and returned to his unit. When the enemy attacked on 3 September, they assaulted his position with grenades. On 6 occasions Pfc. Ouellette leaped from his foxhole to escape exploding grenades. In doing so, he had to face enemy small-arms fire. He continued his resistance, despite a severe wound, until he lost his life. The extraordinary heroism and intrepidity displayed by Pfc. Ouellette reflect the highest credit on himself and are in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service.