Heroes of the Korean War: 1st Sergeant Benjamin Wilson

Basic Information

• Name: Benjamin Wilson
• Born: June 2, 1922
• Died: March 1, 1988
• Buried: Honolulu, Hawaii
• Korean War Service: Company I, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
• Recognized with the Medal of Honor in 1954

Introduction

In Vashon, Washington on June 22, 1922 one of the greatest combat heroes of the Korean War was born, Benjamin Wilson.  This unassuming man who grew up in an unassuming town would go on to be known as a one-man Army for his combat actions during the Korean War.  His career in the US military began when he enlisted into the Army in 1940 after dropping out of high school his senior year. After basic training he was stationed on the Hawaiian island of Oahu at Schofield Barracks as an artilleryman in the 13th Field Artillery Regiment.  He was woken on the morning of December 7, 1941 by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  The following year in 1942 he went through Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was selected as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry.

After World War II ended in 1945 Wilson resigned his commission and returned home to Vashon, Washington to work in a lumber mill.  After returning home for a few months, Wilson decided that the Army wasn’t all that bad compared to working in the lumber mill.  However, due to the post-World War II draw down the Army had no need for more lieutenants so Wilson enlisted as a private.  Wilson quickly rose through the enlisted ranks and by the time the Korean War broke out in 1950 he had achieved the rank of Master Sergeant.

Combat Actions During the Korean War

In 1951 Wilson was the 1st Sergeant for Company I, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division when they were deployed to Korea. On June 4, 1951, I Company was ordered to take the largest hill overlooking the Hwachon Reservoir.  This mountain was known as “Hell Hill” for reasons that I Company would soon find out.  The following day 1SG Wilson led a charge up the hill against a numerically superior and entrenched enemy force.  As the soldiers of I Company made their way up the hill they came under withering hostile fire.  With his men penned down 1SG Wilson charged the machine gun by firing his rifle and throwing hand grenades.  His assault killed four enemy soldiers manning the machine gun bunker.  With the bunker cleared the I Company soldiers moved further up the mountain where 1SG Wilson then led his men on a bayonet attack against the next line of entrenched Chinese soldiers.  The attack killed an estimated 27 enemy soldiers.

After the successful bayonet charge the enemy launched a counter attack against Wilson’s men. With the threat of being overrun becoming imminent, 1SG Wilson launched a one-person charge against the attacking Chinese soldiers.  He killed seven enemy soldiers and wounded two others which caused the remaining soldiers to retreat to a position further up the mountain.  1SG Wilson then organized his men for one last push to seize the summit of the mountain.  They got within 15 yards of their objective when the enemy fire became to intense and they were forced to withdraw.  During this final attack 1SG Wilson was wounded and was taken down the hill on a stretcher.  About half way down the mountain the medics put the stretcher down to rest.  With the battle continuing to rage on the hill above him 1SG Wilson got off the stretcher and began to limp his way back up the mountain to provide cover fire for his withdrawing unit.  During this time 1SG Wilson killed three more Chinese soldiers with his rifle before he resulted to hand-to-hand combat where he lost his rifle and had to instead kill four more enemy with his entrenching tool.  As he continued to make his way down the hill providing cover fire for his unit, 1SG Wilson was wounded yet again, but continued to lay cover fire for his unit until they got off of the hill.  His actions on this day caused his command to recommend 1SG Wilson for the Medal of Honor.

However, 1SG Wilson’s combat exploits were far from over.  A few days later on June 9, 1951, I Company was given orders to attack another enemy hill complex near the village of Nodong-ni. During the previous battle the I Company Commander was wounded and 1SG Wilson now found himself leading the company.  Despite being previously wounded himself 1SG Wilson led his men on the assault up the hill.  They eventually came under heavy machine gun fire.  With his men penned down 1SG Wilson conducted another lone charge against the enemy.  His charge killed four enemy soldiers in a bunker which allowed his men to advance up the hill.  The enemy then launched a counterattack against the positions that I Company had just occupied.  During this attack 1SG Wilson left the safety of the bunker to engage the enemy at close range.  He killed five more enemy troops with small arms fire and hand grenades which caused the remainder of the enemy to withdraw.  However, his one man assault ended up causing the wounds that he had stitched up from the previous battle to reopen.  The bleeding forced him to be medically evacuated to a hospital for treatment. Since he had already been recommended for a Medal of Honor his command this time recommended 1SG Wilson for the second highest combat medal the Distinguished Service Cross.

Here is the Medal of Honor Citation for Benjamin Wilson:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Benjamin F. Wilson, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company I, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Hwach’on-Myon, Korea, on 5 June 1951. Company I was committed to attack and secure commanding terrain stubbornly defended by a numerically superior hostile force emplaced in well-fortified positions. When the spearheading element was pinned down by withering hostile fire, First Lieutenant Wilson dashed forward and, firing his rifle and throwing grenades, neutralized the position denying the advance and killed four enemy soldiers manning submachine guns. After the assault platoon moved up, occupied the position, and a base of fire was established, he led a bayonet attack which reduced the objective and killed approximately 27 hostile soldiers.

While friendly forces were consolidating the newly won gain, the enemy launched a counterattack and First Lieutenant Wilson, realizing the imminent threat of being overrun, made a determined lone-man charge, killing seven and wounding two of the enemy, and routing the remainder in disorder. After the position was organized, he led an assault carrying to approximately 15 yards of the final objective, when enemy fire halted the advance. He ordered the platoon to withdraw and, although painfully wounded in this action, remained to provide covering fire. During an ensuing counterattack, the commanding officer and 1st Platoon leader became casualties. Unhesitatingly, First Lieutenant Wilson charged the enemy ranks and fought valiantly, killing three enemy soldiers with his rifle before it was wrested from his hands, and annihilating four others with his entrenching tool. His courageous delaying action enabled his comrades to reorganize and effect an orderly withdrawal. While directing evacuation of the wounded, he suffered a second wound, but elected to remain on the position until assured that all of the men had reached safety. First Lieutenant Wilson’s sustained valor and intrepid actions reflect utmost credit upon himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.

General Orders: Department of the Army, General Orders No. 69 (September 23, 1954)

Here is his Distinguished Service Cross citation:

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Master Sergeant Benjamin F. Wilson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Master Sergeant Wilson distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Nodong-ni, Korea, on 9 June 1951. On that date, Sergeant Wilson’s company was advancing against heavily fortified enemy hill positions when a sudden and heavy volume of small-arms and automatic-weapons fire forced the men to seek cover. Sergeant Wilson, realizing the need for immediate and aggressive action so that the men could extricate themselves from their untenable positions, charged forward against the enemy emplacements single-handedly, firing his rifle rapidly and pitching grenades. Completely exposed to the concentrated fire of the enemy, he nevertheless succeeded in killing four of the enemy and in neutralizing a hostile bunker. His heroic actions so inspired his men that they renewed their assault and secured the objective. Immediately, the enemy launched a fierce counterattack against the newly gained positions and Sergeant Wilson once more left his position and engaged them at extremely close range. He personally killed five of the attacking enemy and laid down such a devastating volume of fire that the remainder were forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 694 (September 12, 1951)

Later that year after he recovered from his wounds 1SG Wilson was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 15, 1951.  Three years later the then 1st Lieutenant Wilson would finally be recognized with the Medal of Honor by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on September 7, 1954 on Lowry Air Force Base.  Though he was recommended for the Medal of Honor when he was a First Sergeant his Medal of Honor citation had him at his current rank of 1st Lieutenant.

Life After the Korean War

Benjamin Wilson at the time of his Medal of Honor ceremony was serving as the as assistant inspector general at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.  A little over a year later in November 1955 he was promoted to Captain. In 1956 he attended advanced infantry schooling before receiving orders to Germany. Wilson would finish up his military career in his home state of Washington when he was assigned to Ft. Lewis in 1958.  He was put in charge of planning for maneuver operations at the Yakima Training Center.  Wilson would retire at Ft. Lewis on October 30, 1960 as a Major.  For those who have served on Ft. Lewis they may have seen that the North Fort fitness center is named after Benjamin Wilson.

After retiring from the Army Wilson would work as an insurance agent.  After finding the work to be not very fulfilling, Wilson then landed a job with the Veteran’s Administration in Seattle.  Working with disabled vets was something that Wilson enjoyed.  He would later move to Los Angeles to work at the VA center there.  In 1982 he moved to Hawaii and lived on a 49-foot sailboat named the Ginseng.  He continued to work for the VA in Hawaii before retiring in 1986.  He would die two years later in 1988 and was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Further Reading:

• President Dwight D. Eisenhower awards the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Wilson, Historylink.org
• Benjamin Wilson, Home of Heroes
• A One-Man Army – Major Benjamin F. Wilson, U.S. Army (1921-1988), Hawaii Reporter

Note: You can read more of the ROK Drop featured series Heroes of the Korean War at the below link: