Don C. Faith, Jr.

Don Carlos Faith, Jr.
Medal of Honor recipient Don Faith
Born	August 26, 1918(1918-08-26) Washington, Indiana
Died	December 1, 1950(1950-12-01) (aged 32) Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Korea
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942 - 1950
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands held	31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War
Awards	Medal of Honor Silver Star (2) Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantryman Badge, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Korea War Service Medal World War II Victory Medal.

Don Carlos Faith, Jr. (August 26, 1918 – December 1, 1950) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions from November 27, through December 1, 1950. In 1976 Lieutenant Colonel Faith was posthumously inducted into the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Early life

Born in Washington, Indiana, on August 26, 1918, Don C. Faith, Jr. was an Army brat who travelled for his father's career around the United States and around the world. Faith completed high school in Kentucky and enrolled at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. after he was found medically unfit to attend the United States Military Academy.

Military career

With America's entry into the Second World War approaching, Congress passed the Selective Service Act. Don Faith was called in for his draft physical, but was rejected for the same dental disqualification that thwarted his admission to West Point. However Faith was able to appeal the draft board's decision, and he was inducted on June 25, 1941. After completion of Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned on February 26, 1942.

Lieutenant Faith was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and spent the remainder of the war with the division. He served as both an aide to Brig. Gen. Matthew Ridgeway and as a staff officer in the division. In addition to participating in all of the division's combat jumps during the war, Faith was awarded two Bronze Stars and was promoted to Lt. Colonel.

After World War II, Faith served with the military mission in China until it was withdrawn. His next assignment was with the 7th Infantry Division in Japan as a battalion commander. When the war in Korea broke out during the summer of 1950, Faith and the 7th Infantry were sent to help stop the invasion of North Korea.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division

Place and date: Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Northern Korea, November 27, to December 1, 1950

Entered service at: Washington, Ind. Born: August 26, 1918, Washington, Indiana

G.O. No.: 59, August 2, 1951

Citation:

Lt. Col. Faith, commanding 1st Battalion, distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the area of the Chosin Reservoir. 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. Lt. Col. Faith's outstanding gallantry and noble self-sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty reflect the highest honor on him and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army. (This award supersedes the prior award of the Silver Star (First Oak Leaf Cluster) as announced in G.O. No. 32, Headquarters X Corps, dated 23 February 1951, for gallantry in action on 27 November 1950.)^[1]

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients
• Task Force Faith

Notes

1. ^ ""DON C. FAITH" entry". Medal of Honor recipients: Korean War. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/koreanwar.html. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

• ""DON C. FAITH" entry". Medal of Honor recipients: Korean War. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/koreanwar.html. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 

External links

• "Don C. Faith, Jr.". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6215388. Retrieved 2008-07-02. 
• "About our school: LTC Don C. Faith, Jr.". http://www.am.dodea.edu/benning/faith/Schoolinfo/About.html. Retrieved August 2, 2009. 

Persondata
Name	Faith, Don C.
Alternative names
Short description	United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
Date of birth	August 26, 1918
Place of birth	Washington, Indiana
Date of death	December 1, 1950
Place of death	Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Korea