Corporal Charles L. Gilliland was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on April 25, 1951 in Tongmang-ni, Korea during the Korean War. At the time he was serving with Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Gilliland was 17 years old.
Gilliland was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Gilliland was born on May 24, 1933 in Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas. His Medal of Honor is credited to Yellville, Marion County, Arkansas. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gilliland is one of 153 Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean War and one of 12 credited to Arkansas.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Cpl. Gilliland, a member of Company I, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. A numerically superior hostile force launched a coordinated assault against his company perimeter, the brunt of which was directed up a defile covered by his automatic rifle. His assistant was killed by enemy fire, but Cpl. Gilliland, facing the full force of the assault, poured a steady fire into the foe, which stemmed the onslaught. When two enemy soldiers escaped his raking fire and infiltrated the sector, he leaped from his foxhole, overtook and killed them both with his pistol. Sustaining a serious head wound in this daring exploit, he refused medical attention and returned to his emplacement to continue his defense of the defile. His unit was ordered back to new defensive positions, but Cpl. Gilliland volunteered to remain to cover the withdrawal and hold the enemy at bay. His heroic actions and indomitable devotion to duty prevented the enemy from completely overrunning his company positions. Cpl. Gilliland's incredible valor and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory upon himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
What the citation records about his wounds:
Sustaining a serious head wound in this daring exploit, he refused medical attention and returned to his emplacement to continue his defense of the defile.
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (April 25, 1951).
- Age at death: 17
- Resting place: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Charles L. Gilliland received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Korean War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Arkansas →
Timeline
- May 24, 1933Born in Mountain Home, Baxter County, Arkansas
- April 25, 1951Act of valor — Tongmang-ni, KoreaAge 17. Company I, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division Killed in action.
- Resting placeNational Memorial Cemetery of the PacificHonolulu, Hawaii
Biography
Charles Leon Gilliland (May 24, 1933 – April 25, 1951) was a United States Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the United States military's highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War. Gilliland, at age 17, was the youngest Medal of Honor recipient of the Korean War.
From the Wikipedia article “Charles L. Gilliland”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Further reading
- Honoring KIA & POW Medal of Honor Recipientscmohs.org · 2021
