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Victor Hugo Espinoza

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Victor Hugo Espinoza Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA
Death
17 Apr 1986 (aged 57)
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA
Burial
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA GPS-Latitude: 31.8257008, Longitude: -106.4253998
Plot
Section F, Site 1115
Memorial ID
View Source
Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the U.S. Army as a Master Sergeant. As an Acting Rifleman, Corporal, 2d Infantry Division, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014, for action on August 1, 1952, at Chorwon, Korea. President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to his son Tyronne Espinoza at the White House. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Corporal Victor H. Espinoza distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Acting Rifleman in Company A, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Chorwon, Korea, on August 1, 1952. On that day, Corporal Espinoza and his unit were responsible for securing and holding a vital enemy hill. As the friendly unit neared its objective, it was subjected to a devastating volume of enemy fire, slowing its progress. Corporal Espinoza, unhesitatingly and being fully aware of the hazards involved, left his place of comparative safety and made a deliberate one-man assault on the enemy with his rifle and grenades, destroying a machine gun and killing its crew. Corporal Espinoza continued across the fire-swept terrain to an exposed vantage point where he attacked an enemy mortar position and two bunkers with grenades and rifle fire, knocking out the enemy mortar position and destroying both bunkers and killing their occupants. Upon reaching the crest, and after running out of rifle ammunition, he called for more grenades. A comrade who was behind him threw some Chinese grenades to him. Immediately upon catching them, he pulled the pins and hurled them into the occupied trenches, killing and wounding more of the enemy with their own weapons. Continuing on through a tunnel, Corporal Espinoza made a daring charge, inflicting at least seven more casualties upon the enemy who were fast retreating into the tunnel. Corporal Espinoza was quickly in pursuit, but the hostile fire from the opening prevented him from overtaking the retreating enemy. As a result, Corporal Espinoza destroyed the tunnel with TNT, called for more grenades from his company, and hurled them at the enemy troops until they were out of reach. Corporal Espinoza's incredible display of valor secured the vital strong point and took a heavy toll on the enemy, resulting in at least fourteen dead and eleven wounded. Corporal Espinoza's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."
Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the U.S. Army as a Master Sergeant. As an Acting Rifleman, Corporal, 2d Infantry Division, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014, for action on August 1, 1952, at Chorwon, Korea. President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to his son Tyronne Espinoza at the White House. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "Corporal Victor H. Espinoza distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Acting Rifleman in Company A, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Chorwon, Korea, on August 1, 1952. On that day, Corporal Espinoza and his unit were responsible for securing and holding a vital enemy hill. As the friendly unit neared its objective, it was subjected to a devastating volume of enemy fire, slowing its progress. Corporal Espinoza, unhesitatingly and being fully aware of the hazards involved, left his place of comparative safety and made a deliberate one-man assault on the enemy with his rifle and grenades, destroying a machine gun and killing its crew. Corporal Espinoza continued across the fire-swept terrain to an exposed vantage point where he attacked an enemy mortar position and two bunkers with grenades and rifle fire, knocking out the enemy mortar position and destroying both bunkers and killing their occupants. Upon reaching the crest, and after running out of rifle ammunition, he called for more grenades. A comrade who was behind him threw some Chinese grenades to him. Immediately upon catching them, he pulled the pins and hurled them into the occupied trenches, killing and wounding more of the enemy with their own weapons. Continuing on through a tunnel, Corporal Espinoza made a daring charge, inflicting at least seven more casualties upon the enemy who were fast retreating into the tunnel. Corporal Espinoza was quickly in pursuit, but the hostile fire from the opening prevented him from overtaking the retreating enemy. As a result, Corporal Espinoza destroyed the tunnel with TNT, called for more grenades from his company, and hurled them at the enemy troops until they were out of reach. Corporal Espinoza's incredible display of valor secured the vital strong point and took a heavy toll on the enemy, resulting in at least fourteen dead and eleven wounded. Corporal Espinoza's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."

Bio by: Don Morfe


Inscription

MEDAL OF HONOR
M SGT
US ARMY
KOREA


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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Don Morfe
  • Added: Mar 22, 2014
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126710006/victor_hugo-espinoza: accessed ), memorial page for Victor Hugo Espinoza (15 Jul 1928–17 Apr 1986), Find a Grave Memorial ID 126710006, citing Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.