Melvin L. Brown
Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. Melvin served as a Private First Class in the United States Army in Company D, 8th Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on September 4, 1950 at Kasan, Korea. Melvin was killed in action.
His citation reads in part “Taking a position on a 50-foot-high wall he delivered heavy rifle fire on the enemy. His ammunition was soon expended and although wounded, he remained at his post and threw his few grenades into the attackers, causing many casualties. When his supply of grenades was exhausted his comrades from nearby foxholes tossed others to him and he left his position, braving a hail of fire, to retrieve and throw them at the enemy. The attackers continued to assault his position and Pfc. Brown, weaponless, drew his entrenching tool from his pack and calmly waited until they one by one peered over the wall, delivering each a crushing blow upon the head. Knocking 10 or 12 enemy from the wall, his daring action so inspired his platoon that they repelled the attack and held their position.”
The town of Mahaffey celebrated the first “Pfc. Melvin L. Brown Day” on June 21, 2008. A bridge over the West Branch Susquehanna River was renamed “PFC Melvin L. Brown Memorial Bridge” and a monument to Brown in front of the Community Volunteer Fire Company hall was dedicated on that day. The second annual Melvin Brown Day was held in June 2009.
Korean War - Key Events
September 12, 1950
North Korean troops reach their farthest point of advance. Although thousands of UN troops have arrived to reinforce South Korea, months of fighting have reduced the area under their control to a 5,000-square-mile rectangle centered on the critical southeastern port of Pusan. By the time the North Korean invasion force reaches the “Pusan Perimeter,” its strength has been nearly cut in half and it is almost entirely lacking in armor.
These events are taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica
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