William Hale Wilbur Jr was the son of Brig. Gen. William Hale & Laura Grace (Schieffelin) Wilbur.
William Hale graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1949. He was wounded in action on September 5, 1950, and died the following day. His father by the same name graduated from the Military Academy with the Class of 1912 and earned the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Awarded for actions during the Korean War
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William Hale Wilbur, Jr. (ASN: 0-59308), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Second Lieutenant Wilbur distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Tabu-dong, Korea, on 3 September 1950. From the 28th of August 1950, when he joined the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Wilbur continually volunteered for extra hazardous duties, leading several combat and reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory and securing important information as to enemy gun emplacements and troop dispositions. On the morning of 4 September 1950, Company I was given the mission of halting the enemy's advance by cutting the road north of Tabu-dong, even though the village and terrain to their rear was held by the enemy. Realizing the necessity of clearing the enemy from the village, Lieutenant Wilbur volunteered to lead a thirty-man patrol into it. Although continually harassed by enemy small arms fire, he succeeded in clearing a sector. Then, despite the heavy enemy small arms and machine-gun fire, he aggressively led his patrol to the far side of the town where they successfully recovered and evaluated a seriously wounded man. While clearing out the remainder of the village, Lieutenant Wilbur skillfully directed his patrol in repelling an enemy attack, killing six. When the enemy, approximately seventy-five in number, launched a second attack and nearly overwhelmed his troops, he called for artillery fire upon his own position and broke up the hostile force, allowing his patrol to withdraw to his company's position. His courage, initiative, and superior leadership were largely responsible for Company I successfully withstanding successive attacks of an enemy in vastly numerical strength over a period of three days. He constantly exposed himself to intense enemy fire, and on 5 September 1950, was mortally wounded.
General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 14 (January 8, 1951).
Thanks to Gerry (G47)
CDR, USN (ret)
William Hale graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1949. He was wounded in action on September 5, 1950, and died the following day. His father by the same name graduated from the Military Academy with the Class of 1912 and earned the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Awarded for actions during the Korean War
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William Hale Wilbur, Jr. (ASN: 0-59308), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Second Lieutenant Wilbur distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Tabu-dong, Korea, on 3 September 1950. From the 28th of August 1950, when he joined the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Wilbur continually volunteered for extra hazardous duties, leading several combat and reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory and securing important information as to enemy gun emplacements and troop dispositions. On the morning of 4 September 1950, Company I was given the mission of halting the enemy's advance by cutting the road north of Tabu-dong, even though the village and terrain to their rear was held by the enemy. Realizing the necessity of clearing the enemy from the village, Lieutenant Wilbur volunteered to lead a thirty-man patrol into it. Although continually harassed by enemy small arms fire, he succeeded in clearing a sector. Then, despite the heavy enemy small arms and machine-gun fire, he aggressively led his patrol to the far side of the town where they successfully recovered and evaluated a seriously wounded man. While clearing out the remainder of the village, Lieutenant Wilbur skillfully directed his patrol in repelling an enemy attack, killing six. When the enemy, approximately seventy-five in number, launched a second attack and nearly overwhelmed his troops, he called for artillery fire upon his own position and broke up the hostile force, allowing his patrol to withdraw to his company's position. His courage, initiative, and superior leadership were largely responsible for Company I successfully withstanding successive attacks of an enemy in vastly numerical strength over a period of three days. He constantly exposed himself to intense enemy fire, and on 5 September 1950, was mortally wounded.
General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 14 (January 8, 1951).
Thanks to Gerry (G47)
CDR, USN (ret)
William Hale Wilbur Jr was the son of Brig. Gen. William Hale & Laura Grace (Schieffelin) Wilbur.
William Hale graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1949. He was wounded in action on September 5, 1950, and died the following day. His father by the same name graduated from the Military Academy with the Class of 1912 and earned the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Awarded for actions during the Korean War
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William Hale Wilbur, Jr. (ASN: 0-59308), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Second Lieutenant Wilbur distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Tabu-dong, Korea, on 3 September 1950. From the 28th of August 1950, when he joined the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Wilbur continually volunteered for extra hazardous duties, leading several combat and reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory and securing important information as to enemy gun emplacements and troop dispositions. On the morning of 4 September 1950, Company I was given the mission of halting the enemy's advance by cutting the road north of Tabu-dong, even though the village and terrain to their rear was held by the enemy. Realizing the necessity of clearing the enemy from the village, Lieutenant Wilbur volunteered to lead a thirty-man patrol into it. Although continually harassed by enemy small arms fire, he succeeded in clearing a sector. Then, despite the heavy enemy small arms and machine-gun fire, he aggressively led his patrol to the far side of the town where they successfully recovered and evaluated a seriously wounded man. While clearing out the remainder of the village, Lieutenant Wilbur skillfully directed his patrol in repelling an enemy attack, killing six. When the enemy, approximately seventy-five in number, launched a second attack and nearly overwhelmed his troops, he called for artillery fire upon his own position and broke up the hostile force, allowing his patrol to withdraw to his company's position. His courage, initiative, and superior leadership were largely responsible for Company I successfully withstanding successive attacks of an enemy in vastly numerical strength over a period of three days. He constantly exposed himself to intense enemy fire, and on 5 September 1950, was mortally wounded.
General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 14 (January 8, 1951).
Thanks to Gerry (G47)
CDR, USN (ret)
William Hale graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1949. He was wounded in action on September 5, 1950, and died the following day. His father by the same name graduated from the Military Academy with the Class of 1912 and earned the Medal of Honor in World War II.
Awarded for actions during the Korean War
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William Hale Wilbur, Jr. (ASN: 0-59308), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Second Lieutenant Wilbur distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Tabu-dong, Korea, on 3 September 1950. From the 28th of August 1950, when he joined the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Lieutenant Wilbur continually volunteered for extra hazardous duties, leading several combat and reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory and securing important information as to enemy gun emplacements and troop dispositions. On the morning of 4 September 1950, Company I was given the mission of halting the enemy's advance by cutting the road north of Tabu-dong, even though the village and terrain to their rear was held by the enemy. Realizing the necessity of clearing the enemy from the village, Lieutenant Wilbur volunteered to lead a thirty-man patrol into it. Although continually harassed by enemy small arms fire, he succeeded in clearing a sector. Then, despite the heavy enemy small arms and machine-gun fire, he aggressively led his patrol to the far side of the town where they successfully recovered and evaluated a seriously wounded man. While clearing out the remainder of the village, Lieutenant Wilbur skillfully directed his patrol in repelling an enemy attack, killing six. When the enemy, approximately seventy-five in number, launched a second attack and nearly overwhelmed his troops, he called for artillery fire upon his own position and broke up the hostile force, allowing his patrol to withdraw to his company's position. His courage, initiative, and superior leadership were largely responsible for Company I successfully withstanding successive attacks of an enemy in vastly numerical strength over a period of three days. He constantly exposed himself to intense enemy fire, and on 5 September 1950, was mortally wounded.
General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 14 (January 8, 1951).
Thanks to Gerry (G47)
CDR, USN (ret)
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