Eugene A. Obregon

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Eugene Arnold Obregon
November 12, 1930 (1930-11-12) – September 26, 1950 (aged 19)
  
Eugene A. Obregon, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth Los Angeles, California
Place of death Killed in action in Seoul, Korea
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1948-1950
Rank Private First Class
Unit 3rd Battalion 5th Marines
Battles/wars Korean War
*Battle of Inchon
*Battle of Seoul
Awards Medal of Honor
Purple Heart

Eugene Arnold Obregon (12 November 1930 – 26 September 1950) was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor — the Medal of Honor — for sacrificing his life to save that of a wounded comrade during the Battle of Seoul. On 26 September 1950, Private First Class Obregon was fatally wounded by enemy machine gun fire while using his body to shield a wounded fellow Marine.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Eugene Arnold Obregon, who was of Mexican American descent, was born on 12 November 1930 in Los Angeles, California (L.A.) He attended elementary school and high school (Roosevelt High School) in L.A. before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on 7 June 1948, at the age of 17.[1]

Following recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, he was assigned to the Marine Corps Supply Depot in Barstow, California, where he served as a fireman until the outbreak of the war in Korea. He was transferred to the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade and served as a machine gun ammunition carrier. His unit departed the United States on 14 July 1950 and arrived at Pusan, Korea on 3 August 1950.

He was in action by 8 August 1950, along the Naktong River, and participated in the Inchon landing. Then, on 26 September 1950, during the assault on the city of Seoul he was killed in action while using his body to shield a wounded fellow Marine. For this action, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor was presented to PFC Obregon's parents by Secretary of the Navy Daniel A. Kimball on 30 August 1951.

The wounded comrade was PFC Bert M. Johnson, 19, of Grand Prairie, Texas. He was hospitalized, recovered, and returned to duty in the United States at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Obregon also was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, and Korean Service Medal with three bronze stars.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS EUGENE A. OBREGON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces at Seoul, Korea, on 26 September 1950. While serving as an ammunition carrier of a machine gun squad in a Marine Rifle Company which was temporarily pinned down by hostile fire, Private First Class Obregon observed a fellow Marine fall wounded in the line of fire. Armed only with a pistol, he unhesitatingly dashed from his covered position to the side of the casualty. Firing his pistol with one hand as he ran, he grasped his comrades by the arm with his other hand and, despite the great peril to himself, dragged him to the side of the road. Still under enemy fire, he was bandaging the man's wounds when hostile troops of approximately platoon strength began advancing toward his position. Quickly seizing the wounded Marine's carbine, he placed his own body as a shield in front of him and lay there firing accurately and effectively into the hostile group until he himself was fatally wounded by enemy machine-gun fire. By his courageous fighting spirit, fortitude and loyal devotion to duty, Private First Class Obregon enabled his fellow Marines to rescue the wounded man and aided essentially in repelling the attack, thereby sustaining the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

[edit] Namesakes and Honors

A US Navy ship, a school, a Marine Corps barracks, an American Legion post, and three parks have been named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Eugene Obregon.[2]

  • The Maritime Prepositioning ship SS Pfc. Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006) entered into service in January 1985.[3][4]
  • The park just outside of the main gate of the Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California, Yermo Annex is named in honor of Obregon.[5]

A monument in Los Angeles' Pershing Square will be built dedicated in honor of Obregon.[2][6][7]

[edit] See also

United States Marine Corps Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Pfc. Eugene Arnold Obregon, USMC
  2. ^ a b *Sullivan, Deborah. Arnold Obregon, Medal of Honor Recipient: He Gallantly Gave His Life for His Country, In Memory of a Hero East L.A. Man is Focus of Planned Monument to Latino Medal Winners,Los Angeles Times, June 28, 1994. Posted on MedalOfHonor.com — Retrieved on 2006-06-29.
  3. ^ MSC Ship Inventory: SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006), United States Navy. Retrieved on 2006-06-29.
  4. ^ SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006), NavySite.de. Retrieved on 2006-06-29.
  5. ^ Hurt, LCpl Andy J. Park Dedicated to Hispanic Medal of Honor Recipient First Class Eugene A. Oberegon, Marine Corps Times, October 9, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-06-29.
  6. ^ Eugene A. Obregon Congressional Medal of Honor Monument, LULAC Resolution, June 29, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-06-29.
  7. ^ Obregon-CMH Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-06-29.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.