Edward Clyde Benfold
| Edward Clyde Benfold | |
|---|---|
 Hospitalman Edward Benfold |
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| Born | January 15, 1931 Staten Island, New York |
| Died | September 5, 1952 (aged 21) KIA in Korea |
| Place of burial | Beverly National Cemetery New Jersey |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1949 - 1952 |
| Rank | Hospital Corpsman Third Class |
| Unit | 2nd Battalion 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Edward Clyde Benfold (January 15, 1931 – September 5, 1952) was a United States Navy sailor who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War. He was killed in action, aged 21, while serving with the 1st Marine Division, as a Hospital Corpsman Third Class.
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[edit] Biography
Born in Staten Island, Petty Officer Benfold grew up in Haddon Heights, New Jersey and graduated from Audubon High School in Audubon, New Jersey. Petty Officer Benfold entered the service at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1949. After completion of recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, he was selected for "A" school training as a Hospitalman. In July 1951, he was designated as a Medical Field Technician and was ordered to duty with the Fleet Marine Force, Ground, Pacific.
He was killed in action while serving with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines in Korea. He is buried in Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey. His grave can be found in the distinguished service section, Grave 12.
[edit] Awards and decorations
Edward Benfold's awards include:
Purple Heart (with Gold Star in lieu of a second award)
National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze star)
[edit] Medal of Honor citation
He posthumously received the Medal of Honor,
Citation:
For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Hospital Corpsman, attached to a company in the First Marine Division during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on September 5, 1952. When his company was subjected to heavy artillery and mortar barrages, followed by a determined assault during the hours of darkness by an enemy force estimated at battalion strength, Benfold resolutely moved from position to position in the face of intense hostile fire, treating the wounded and lending words of encouragement. Leaving the protection of his sheltered position to treat the wounded when the platoon area in which he was working was attacked from both the front and the rear, he moved forward to an exposed ridge line where he observed two Marines in a large crater. As he approached the two men to determine their condition, an enemy soldier threw two grenades into the crater while two other enemies charged the position. Picking up a grenade in each hand, Benfold leaped out of the crater and hurled himself against the onrushing hostile soldiers, pushing the grenades against their chests and killing both the attackers. Mortally wounded while carrying out this heroic act, Benfold, by his great personal valor and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, was directly responsible for saving the lives of his two comrades. His exceptional courage reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for others.
[edit] Legacy
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) was named after Hospital Corpsman Third Class Edward C. Benfold.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- "Edward Clyde Benfold". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19516. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
- "Global Security". http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/ddg-65.htm. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- "USS Benfold (DDG-65) Official Navy Website". United States Navy. http://www.benfold.navy.mil/. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
