SGT WILLIAM R. JECELIN

United States Army
Killed in Action | Korean War
February 12, 1951

Medal of Honor: April 3, 1951
Presented by Gen. Omar N. Bradley to his Father
Born: May 6, 1930, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
Died: September 19, 1950, Korea
Buried: Bohemian National Cemetery (MH), Baltimore, Maryland, United States

In Honor of His Sacrifice

Today, we honor Sergeant William R. Jecelin, United States Army, who gave his life during the brutal fighting near Hoengsong, South Korea, on February 12, 1951.

The Battle of Hoengsong was part of the massive Chinese Spring Offensive. U.S. forces faced overwhelming attacks in mountainous terrain under winter conditions that were as punishing as the enemy. Units were surrounded. Lines were overrun. Survival depended on leadership at the smallest levels.

Sergeants were the backbone.

SGT Jecelin would have led his men through confusion, artillery fire, and close combat. Noncommissioned officers did not have the luxury of hesitation. They made decisions in seconds that shaped the lives of dozens.

On that February day, he did not step back.

He stepped forward.

On September 19, 1950, his company was ordered to secure a ridge that was occupied by Korean forces they attacked as ordered but the first attempt to take the hill failed. They tried a second time and this time Jecelin led his platoon through heavy enemy fire advancing to the base of the cliff where the attack was stopped again due to enemy fire. He determined that a direct assault was the only way to gain control of the hill so he began firing his rifle and throwing grenades at the enemy position, calling to his men to follow him. The American troops were able to make it to the crest of the hill before being forced to take cover from enemy fire, before attempting another assault. They attached bayonets for hand-to-hand combat and were able to defeat a portion of the enemy before being forced to take cover after receiving fire from another group of enemy forces in the area. When they began attacking this new group, one of the enemy soldiers threw a grenade at the incoming Americans and Sergeant Jecelin dived on the grenade, smothering the blast with his body, saving the lives of the other American soldiers but was killed in the blast. For this action he posthumously received the United States military’s highest decoration for bravery, the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Citation

Sgt. Jecelin, Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His company was ordered to secure a prominent, saw-toothed ridge from a well-entrenched and heavily armed enemy. Unable to capture the objective in the first attempt, a frontal and flanking assault was launched. He led his platoon through heavy enemy fire and bursting shells, across rice fields and rocky terrain, in direct frontal attack on the ridge in order to draw fire away from the flanks. The unit advanced to the base of the cliff, where intense, accurate hostile fire stopped the attack. Realizing that an assault was the only solution, Sgt. Jecelin rose from his position firing his rifle and throwing grenades as he called on his men to follow him. Despite the intense enemy fire this attack carried to the crest of the ridge where the men were forced to take cover. Again he rallied his men and stormed the enemy strongpoint. With fixed bayonets they charged into the face of antitank fire and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. After clubbing and slashing this force into submission the platoon was forced to take cover from direct frontal fire of a self-propelled gun. Refusing to be stopped he leaped to his feet and through sheer personal courage and fierce determination led his men in a new attack. At this instant a well-camouflaged enemy soldier threw a grenade at the remaining members of the platoon. He immediately lunged and covered the grenade with his body, absorbing the full force of the explosion to save those around him. This incredible courage and willingness to sacrifice himself for his comrades so imbued them with fury that they completely eliminated the enemy force. Sgt. Jecelin’s heroic leadership and outstanding gallantry reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the military service.