The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest honor our nation can bestow on a member of our armed forces. It is awarded personally by the President of the United States for “individual gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” (America’s Medal, 1980, p. 1). Those who receive the Medal of Honor are the stuff of legend; vignettes of inspiration. They have earned the right to be remembered for their heroic acts, their courage, and the sacrifice they made for those to their left and right on the battlefield (America’s Medal, 1980, p. XI). The story of the young Combat Engineer, PFC Melvin L. Brown, is no different. Moreover, his actions embodied the tenacity and resourcefulness of the Army Engineer as well as the Army Values. …show more content…
Having grown up as a young man during World War II, he developed a natural sense of devotion to his country. He developed a sense of regret that he was not old enough to serve in his nation’s greatest conflict, and in 1948 dropped out of high school and enlisted in the Army at the age of 17. Less than two years later, the United States Army called upon Melvin Brown and the rest of Delta Company, 8th Engineer Battalion (Co. D) to fight against the North Koreans in support of the United Nations and the Republic of Korea (Bloom, 2016; Turner, 2008). During the Korean War, Melvin Brown would make the ultimate sacrifice for his brothers in arms, posthumously earning the Medal of Honor. In an interview after his death, his sister described Melvin as a protector. “He protected his friends and family. It doesn't surprise me the way he died, protecting his friends and his unit” (Turner,