Melvin Mayfield

Melvin Mayfield
Born	March 24, 1919(1919-03-24) Salem, West Virginia
Died	June 19, 1990(1990-06-19) (aged 71)
Place of burial	Frazeysburg Cemetery, Frazeysburg, Ohio
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Corporal
Unit	20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Medal of Honor

Melvin Mayfield (March 24, 1919 – June 19, 1990) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

Mayfield joined the Army from Nashport, Ohio, and by July 29, 1945 was serving as a Corporal in Company D, 20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division. On that day, in the Cordillera Mountains, Luzon, the Philippines, he single-handedly attacked four enemy positions. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on May 31, 1946.

Mayfield left the Army while still a corporal. He died at age 71 and was buried in Frazeysburg Cemetery, Frazeysburg, Ohio.

Medal of Honor citation

Corporal Mayfield's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while fighting in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon, Philippine Islands. When 2 Filipino companies were pinned down under a torrent of enemy fire that converged on them from a circular ridge commanding their position, Cpl. Mayfield, in a gallant single-handed effort to aid them, rushed from shell hole to shell hole until he reached 4 enemy caves atop the barren fire-swept hill. With grenades and his carbine, he assaulted each of the caves while enemy fire pounded about him. However, before he annihilated the last hostile redoubt, a machinegun bullet destroyed his weapon and slashed his left hand. Disregarding his wound, he secured more grenades and dauntlessly charged again into the face of pointblank fire to help destroy a hostile observation post. By his gallant determination and heroic leadership, Cpl. Mayfield inspired the men to eliminate all remaining pockets of resistance in the area and to press the advance against the enemy.

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal
	World War II portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

• "Melvin Mayfield". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8602362. Retrieved 2008-01-08. 

• "Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (M-S)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-m-s.html. Retrieved 2008-01-08. 

Persondata
Name	Mayfield, Melvin
Alternative names
Short description	United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
Date of birth	March 24, 1919
Place of birth	Salem, West Virginia
Date of death	June 19, 1990
Place of death