William S. Sitman
William S. Sitman | |
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 Medal of Honor recipient William Sitman | |
| Born | August 9, 1923 |
| Died | February 14, 1951 (aged 27) near Chipyong-ni, Korea |
| Place of burial | Logan Valley Cemetery, Bellwood, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1943–1951 |
| Rank | Sergeant First Class |
| Unit | Company M, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division |
| Conflicts | Korean War † |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart |
William Samuel Sitman [1] (August 9, 1923 – February 14, 1951) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on February 14, 1951, during the Battle of Chipyong-ni.
Sitman joined the Army from his birthplace of Bellwood, Pennsylvania in February 1943.[2]
Biography
World War II
In 1943, William Sitman enlisted in the United States Army. After graduating from basic training. He would be assigned to the 83rd Reconnaissance Battalion. Part of the 83rd Infantry Division,[3] He would deploy to Europe in 1944, seeing combat in France, Belguim and Germany, during which he received a Bronze Star for Gallantry.[4]
Medal of Honor Citation
Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, Company M, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Place and date: Near Chipyong-ni, Korea, February 14, 1951
Entered service at: Bellwood, Pennsylvania, Birth: Bellwood, Pennsylvania
G.O. No.: 20, February 1, 1952
Citation:
Sfc. Sitman distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sfc. Sitman, a machine gun section leader of Company M, was attached to Company I, under attack by a numerically superior hostile force. During the encounter when an enemy grenade knocked out his machine gun, a squad from Company I, immediately emplaced a light machine gun and Sfc. Sitman and his men remained to provide security for the crew. In the ensuing action, the enemy lobbed a grenade into the position and Sfc. Sitman, fully aware of the odds against him, selflessly threw himself on it, absorbing the full force of the explosion with his body. Although mortally wounded in this fearless display of valor, his intrepid act saved 5 men from death or serious injury, and enabled them to continue inflicting withering fire on the ruthless foe throughout the attack. Sfc. Sitman's noble self-sacrifice and consummate devotion to duty reflect lasting glory on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.[5]
Awards and decorations
SFC Sittman received the following awards for his service[6]
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| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge
with star denoting 2nd award | |||
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| 1st row | Medal of Honor | Bronze Star Medal
with "V" Device and 1 Oak leaf cluster | ||
| 2nd row | Purple Heart | Army Good Conduct Medal | American Campaign Medal | |
| 3rd row | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
with 5 Campaign stars |
World War II Victory Medal | National Defense Service Medal | |
| 4th row | Korean Service Medal
with 1 Campaign star |
United Nations Service Medal Korea | Korean War Service Medal
Retroactively Awarded, 2003 | |
| Unit awards | Presidential Unit Citation | Korean Presidential Unit Citation | ||
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| 83rd Infantry Division Insignia | 2nd Infantry Division Insignia |
See also
Notes
- ^ Hall of Valor
- ^ WWII Army Enlistment Records
- ^ "Shadow box". army.togetherweserved.com. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ Bourdius, Allan (2012-02-14). "Their Finest Hour: TFH 2/14: Sergeant First Class William S. Sitman, USA". Their Finest Hour. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ ""WILLIAM S. SITMAN" entry". Medal of Honor recipients: Korean War. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
- ^ "Shadow box". army.togetherweserved.com. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ""WILLIAM S. SITMAN" entry". Medal of Honor recipients: Korean War. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
External links
"William S. Sitman". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-01-06.