ROS Sends us a link from Military Times which reports that the remains of Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr. have been found and identified. LTC Faith was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950. The citation for the award tells the story of that fateful day;
When the enemy launched a fanatical attack against his battalion, Lt. Col. Faith unhesitatingly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire as he moved about directing the action. When the enemy penetrated the positions, Lt. Col. Faith personally led counterattacks to restore the position. During an attack by his battalion to effect a junction with another U.S. unit, Lt. Col. Faith reconnoitered the route for, and personally directed, the first elements of his command across the ice-covered reservoir and then directed the movement of his vehicles which were loaded with wounded until all of his command had passed through the enemy fire. Having completed this he crossed the reservoir himself. Assuming command of the force his unit had joined he was given the mission of attacking to join friendly elements to the south. Lt. Col. Faith, although physically exhausted in the bitter cold, organized and launched an attack which was soon stopped by enemy fire. He ran forward under enemy small-arms and automatic weapons fire, got his men on their feet and personally led the fire attack as it blasted its way through the enemy ring. As they came to a hairpin curve, enemy fire from a roadblock again pinned the column down. Lt. Col. Faith organized a group of men and directed their attack on the enemy positions on the right flank. He then placed himself at the head of another group of men and in the face of direct enemy fire led an attack on the enemy roadblock, firing his pistol and throwing grenades. When he had reached a position approximately 30 yards from the roadblock he was mortally wounded, but continued to direct the attack until the roadblock was overrun. Throughout the 5 days of action Lt. Col. Faith gave no thought to his safety and did not spare himself. His presence each time in the position of greatest danger was an inspiration to his men. Also, the damage he personally inflicted firing from his position at the head of his men was of material assistance on several occasions.
According to the Military Times;
More than half a century later, in 2004, a joint team of personnel from the U.S. and North Korea and “surveyed the area where Faith was last seen. His remains were located and returned to the U.S. for identification,” the department said in a news release.
Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory determined they were Faith’s through mitochondrial DNA matching Faith’s brother and other means.
LTC Faith will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on April 17th.
