Private First Class Whitt L. Moreland

Born in 1930 in Waco, Texas, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1948, following graduation from Junction City High School. After serving out his active duty, he reverted to Reserve status. In November 1950, he was recalled to active duty and sent to Korea. While serving as an intelligence scout while attached to Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, he was killed at Kwagchi-dong on 29 May 1951.

The citation of his posthumous Medal of Honor award reads, in part:

Voluntarily accompanying a rifle platoon in a daring assault against a strongly defended enemy hill position, Private First Class Moreland delivered accurate rifle fire on the hostile emplacement and thereby aided materially in seizing the objective. After the position had been secured, he unhesitatingly led a party forward to neutralize an enemy bunker which he had observed some 400 meters beyond and, moving boldly through a fire swept area, almost reached the hostile emplacement when the enemy launched a volley of hand grenades on his group. Quick to act despite the personal danger involved, he kicked several of the grenades off the ridgeline where they exploded harmlessly and, while attempting to kick away another, slipped and fell near the deadly missile. Aware that the sputtering grenade would explode before he could regain his feet and dispose of it, he shouted a warning to his comrades, covered the missile with his body and absorbed the full blast of the explosion, but in saving his companions from possible injury or death, was mortally wounded.

Department of Defense Photo (USMC) A46966