family

Bronze Star Medal     (Est 1944)
Criteria : Meritorious achievement or service
not involving participation in aerial flight.

   Arthur's Bronze Star Action
     My father graduated from Princeton in 1950 before marrying
my mother and then going to Korea. The following is his account of
an action for which he was recommended for a bronze star but
which, because of confusion between his two units was never processed.
I pursued the issue with Rep. Richard Pombo but found that there were
no surviving witnesses. Judge for yourself.    David A. Humphreys 4/7/2006

"I was a Forward Observer for the 77th F.A. Bn. of the 7th Cavalry
Regiment of the 1st Cav. Div. from Sept. 51 to Jan. 52. We were fighting
the Chinese on Pork Chop Hill in Chorwon Valley. At one of my first
Observation Posts my observing almost came to an early halt when two
Chinese 76mm howitzers dug into two seperate tunnels through a mountain
about a mile away started firing at my O.P. They took turns firing, then
rolling back to safety in their tunnels. Our 105mm Howitzers couldn't
hurt them, nor did l55mm, even 8 inch Howitzers even though our
rounds landed right on the mouths of their tunnels. Meanwhile, they kept
shooting at us with rounds landing right in front of our O.P. and right
over us. It was just a matter of time before one came through the slot.
Finally got them though with napalm from a Phantom Jet.
   The 1st Cav. rotated back to Japan and most of the short time Forward
Observers stayed behind with the 45th Division. I was with the 160th
F.A. Bn. when the Chinese hit a Battalion of us with a Regiment
supported with tanks. I was lucky to be where I could see the tanks and
knocked out two and disabled another. They beat on us all night long but
we drove them off.
The next action took place on "Eerie", an outpost on Pork Chop Hill.
This is where a Chinese sniper was killing our people during the day and
their troops would attack every night. I was lucky to get promoted to a
Captain's job as Battalion Liaison Officer where I could coordinate our
Artillery with the Infantry. Finally got the sniper by timing 105mm
salvos with mortar rounds. The 105's would scream in on the sniper, he'd
duck down his hole, and the silent mortar rounds got him when he popped
back out.
We ended up on "Heartbreak Ridge" where the day before I rotated home,
Lt. Col. Waters I think it was, came up to me and said, "Did the Cav.
ever mention a Bronze Star?" I said "Yes Sir, they did." and he said, "I
was going to put you in for one," He walked away before I realized I
should have said, "but they just said they would recommend that the 45th
put me in for one." So I blew it! At least I know I earned one though.
Made Captian back home and ended up as Battalion S-2 Intelligence Officer."

Suzanne Humphreys-Ford-de Florez