The Grind:
A U.S. Army corporal posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Korean War. Now, 73 years after he was killed serving his country, Luther H. Story’s remains have been identified.
Story, a member of the 9th Infantry, was declared missing after his company was attacked by the North Korean army near the Naktong River in South Korea in 1950. The corporal – who was from Buena Vista, Georgia – was declared unrecoverable after he took heroic action to repel enemy forces so his company could withdraw, according to the Associated Press.
The Details:
In 1951, Gen. Omar Bradley presented Story’s father with the Medal of Honor. U.S. and South Korean officials announced Wednesday that Story’s remains had been identified and accounted for on April 6.
“The supreme sacrifice and heroism of Corporal Luther Story is illustrative of the freedom, security, and prosperity the South Korean people have today,” the White House said in a joint statement with South Korea.
On September 1, 1950, Story saw the enemy army crossing the river and heading toward his company. He grabbed a machine gun from his wounded gunner and opened fire on the North Koreans, killing or wounding an estimated 100 enemy soldiers, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
The American company was still surrounded by North Koreans, however, and the commander ordered a withdrawal. As the Americans moved positions, Story noticed an enemy truck approaching them. After telling his comrades to take cover, Story “fearlessly stood in the middle of the road, throwing grenades into the truck,” according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Read more…