George D. Libby
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". George Dalton Libby (4 December 1919 – 20 July 1950) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 20, 1950.
Serving with the 24th Infantry Division, Sergeant Libby was attempting to withdraw from Taejon after the Battle of Taejon when the truck he was riding in was disabled by North Korean fire. Libby exposed himself to enemy fire multiple times to help wounded soldiers, before using himself as a human shield to protect the driver of another truck as they broke through the North Korean forces. Shot multiple times, Libby died from blood loss, but was able to protect a truck full of wounded men until they escaped to allied lines. For this action, Libby was awarded the Medal of Honor. Additionally, Libby Field at Fort Huachuca, Arizona is named in his honor. The original dedication plaque was on the military side near the Base Operations building and reads:
Libby Field
Constructed by the Engineer Aviation Training Center
Fort Huachuca, Arizona 1951-1952
Dedicated 3 Dec. 1952 in Honor of
Sgt. George D. Libby
Company C, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion
Posthumously Awarded the Medal of Honor,
For Heroic Service Near
Taejon Korea 20 July 1950
Biography
George Dalton Libby was born on 4 December 1919[1] in Bridgton, Maine. He enlisted in the United States Army in Waterbury, Connecticut.[2][3]
Libby fought in World War II in the European Theatre of Operations.[4]
By the time of the outbreak of the Korean War, Libby was a sergeant and had been assigned to C Company of the 3rd Engineer Battalion, 24th Infantry Division.[2]
Medal of Honor action
On 20 July 1950, the 24th Infantry Division was attempting to withdraw from the city of Taejon, South Korea, after having been badly beaten by the North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA) in the Battle of Taejon.[5] By nightfall, the last remaining elements of the division were attempting to leave the town for Taegu. Libby was aboard a truck to the east of town attempting to evacuate when it reached a KPA roadblock. The KPA there ambushed the truck, disabling it and killing or wounding everyone aboard except Libby with gunfire.[6]
Libby disembarked from the damaged truck, taking cover in a ditch and returning fire. During this fight, Libby twice exposed himself to fire to run across the road to assist other wounded soldiers.[6] After rendering medical aid to the wounded,[7] and pulling them out of the line of fire,[8] Libby then stopped a passing M5 Half-track which was towing a 105 mm howitzer and loaded them onto it.[8] Libby then took a position on the outside of the truck, protecting the driver with his own body and again exposing himself to fire, as he was the only unwounded soldier capable of carrying a weapon,[4]
Having the vehicle stop several times to load more wounded onto it, Libby continued to fire his M2 Carbine at the KPA they encountered as they attempted to escape. Libby was struck several times in the body and arms by bullets as they broke through the first roadblock. At a second roadblock, Libby was struck again by gunfire.[4] Too weak to hold his weapon, Libby pulled himself to an erect position in order to be a human shield for the driver until they were out of the range of enemy fire.[8] Libby eventually collapsed and died from blood loss, but his actions allowed the truck full of wounded men to reach safety.[4]
On 2 August 1951, the Army awarded the Medal of Honor to Libby posthumously.[7]
Awards and decorations
Libby's awards and decorations include:[1]
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| Medal of Honor | Purple Heart | National Defense Service Medal | |||||||||
| Korean Service Medal | Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | United Nations Korea Medal | Korean War Service Medal[n 1] | ||||||||
Medal of honor citation
Libby was one of the first two soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean war, the other being 24th Infantry Division commander Major General William F. Dean, who was captured in the same evacuation.[2]
Memorial
On 4 July 1953, US Army built the Bridge across the Imjin River and this bridge was named as 'Libby Bridge (리비교)' in honor of him.[9][10]
See also
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References
Notes
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- ↑ In 2000 this award was made retroactive to all US military who served in the Korean War.
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Citations
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- ↑ 미군이 건설한 임진강 ‘리비교’, 안보관광지로 재탄생
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Sources
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- 1919 births
- 1950 deaths
- United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
- American military personnel killed in the Korean War
- People from Bridgton, Maine
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor
- Military personnel from Connecticut
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- United States Army personnel of the Korean War
- United States Army non-commissioned officers