Statues - Hither & Thither |
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Pueblo
Colorado Central Main Street 320
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Medal of Honor Memorial |
David Dirrim & William Yates
2000 |
Around the flagpole stand four more than lifesize statues of Pueblo Medal of Honor recipients. On the granite pedestals of the statues are the name and rank of the soldier, the medal of honor citation, and on the back side a map of the area where he fought and a depiction of his medals. The statues are of:
september 21, 2000
The statues:
The statue of Sgt. Dix is holding and wearing some unusual weapons. Because he was with Special Forces he was permitted to use weapons of his choice. The submachine gun is a Karl Gustav or Swedish K. The side arm is a Buntline Special with a 12 inch barrel. He acquired it when a friend asked if he could have the Barretta Dix had never used and insisted that Dix take the Buntline in trade. He first wore it as a lark to a day of target practice and was such a dead shot with it at 100 yards that his Vietnamese troops insisted that he carry it from then on.
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DREW D. DIX Rank and organization Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Senior Advisor Group, IV Corps, Military Assistance Command Place and date Chau Doc Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 January and 1 February 1968 Entered service at Pueblo, Colorado Born: 14 December 1944, West Point, New York Medal of Honor Citation For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. S/Sgt. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, S/Sgt. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, S/Sgt. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue 8 civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. S/Sgt. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machinegun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing 6 Viet Cong, and rescuing 2 Filipinos. The following day S/Sgt. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of S/Sgt. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. S/Sgt. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. S/Sgt. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of S/Sgt. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army lyndon b. johnson
President of the United States 16 January 1969 |
The uniform worn by the statue is typical GI issue used by troops in Africa and Italy. He was in the Texas 38th Infantry Division which landed at Salerno. The small shovel on his back was used to dig fox holes. In addition to the long bayonet on his M-1 rifle, he carried a number of hand grenades and an extra cartridge belt.
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WILLIAM J. CRAWFORD Rank and organization Private, U.S. Army, 36th Infantry Division Place and date Near Altavilla, Italy, 13 September 1943 Entered service at Pueblo, Colorado Born: 19 May 1918, Pueblo, Colorado Medal of Honor Citation For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla, Italy, 13 September 1943. When Company I attacked an enemy-held position on Hill 424, the 3d Platoon, in which Pvt. Crawford was a squad scout, attacked as base platoon for the company. After reaching the crest of the hill, the platoon was pinned down by intense enemy machinegun and small-arms fire. Locating 1 of these guns, which was dug in on a terrace on his immediate front, Pvt. Crawford, without orders and on his own initiative, moved over the hill under enemy fire to a point within a few yards of the gun emplacement and single-handedly destroyed the machinegun and killed 3 of the crew with a hand grenade, thus enabling his platoon to continue its advance. When the platoon, after reaching the crest, was once more delayed by enemy fire, Pvt. Crawford again, in the face of intense fire, advanced directly to the front midway between 2 hostile machinegun nests located on a higher terrace and emplaced in a small ravine. Moving first to the left, with a hand grenade he destroyed 1 gun emplacement and killed the crew; he then worked his way, under continuous fire, to the other and with 1 grenade and the use of his rifle, killed 1 enemy and forced the remainder to flee. Seizing the enemy machinegun, he fired on the withdrawing Germans and facilitated his company's advance ronald reagan
President of the United States 30 May 1984 |
The navy parka, scarf and mittens worn by Captain Sitter were typical attire for soldiers trying to keep warm in the Northern part of Korea at Chosin Reservoir, the site of his Medal action. He wore a Colt .45 in a shoulder holster because he had done so during WWII and it had deflected a bullet and most likely saved his life.
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CARL L. SITTER Rank and organization Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G 3d Batallion, 1st Marine Division (Rein) Place and date Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 and 30 November 1950 Entered service at Pueblo, Colorado Born: 2 December 1922, Syracuse, Missouri Medal of Honor Citation For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of Company G, Third Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces at Hagaru-ri, Korea, on 29 and November 30, 1950. Ordered to break through enemy-infested territory to reinforce his Battalion the early morning of November 29, Captain Sitter continuously exposed himself to enemy fire as he led his company forward and, despite twenty-five percent casualties suffered in the furious action, succeeded in driving through to his objective. Assuming the responsibility of attempting to seize and occupy a strategic area occupied by a hostile force of regiment strength deeply entrenched on a snow-covered hill commanding the entire valley southeast of the town, as well as the line of march of friendly troops withdrawing to the south, he reorganized his depleted units the following morning and boldly led them up the steep, frozen hillside under blistering fire, encouraging and redeploying his troops as casualties occurred and directing forward platoons as they continued the drive to the top of the ridge. During the night when a vastly outnumbering enemy launched a sudden, vicious counterattack, setting the hill ablaze with mortar, machine-gun, and automatic weapons fire and taking a heavy toll in troops, Captain Sitter visited each foxhole and gun position, coolly deploying and integrating reinforcing units consisting of service personnel unfamiliar with infantry tactics into a coordinated combat team and instilling in every man the will and determination to hold his position at all costs. With the enemy penetrating his lines in repeated counterattacks which often required hand-to-hand combat and, on one occasion infiltrating to the command post with hand grenades, he fought gallantly with his men in repulsing and killing the fanatic attackers in each encounter. Painfully wounded in the face, arms and chest by bursting grenades, he staunchly refused to be evacuated and continued to fight on until a successful defense of the area was assured with a loss to the enemy of more than fifty percent dead, wounded and captured. His valiant leadership, superb tactics and great personal valor throughout thirty-six hours of bitter combat reflect the highest credit upon Captain Sitter, and the United States Naval Service. harry s. truman
President of the United States 29 October 1951 |
Lt. Murphy is standing partially on sandbags, one of which is leaking sand from a bullet hole. The area where his MOH action took place was the side of a hill where there were a number of dug-out emplacements that were fortified with sandbags. The heavy parka and gloves were necessary due to the extreme cold of the Korean winters, some were the coldest on record during the years of 1950 to 1953.
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RAYMOND G. MURPHY Rank and organization Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Batallion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein) Place and date Ungok Hill, west of Panmunjan, Korea, 3 February 1953 Entered service at Pueblo, Colorado Born: 14 January 1930, Pueblo, Colorado Medal of Honor Citation For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Platoon Commander of Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on February 3, 1953. Although painfully wounded by fragments from an enemy mortar shell while leading his evacuation platoon in support of assault units attacking a cleverly concealed and well-entrenched hostile force occupying commanding ground, Second Lieutenant Murphy steadfastly refused medical aid and continued to lead his men up a hill through a withering barrage of hostile mortar and small-arms fire, skillfully maneuvering his force from one position to the next and shouting words of encouragement. Undeterred by the increasing intense enemy fire, he immediately located casualties as they fell and made several trips up and down the fire-swept hill to direct evacuation teams to the wounded, personally carrying many of the stricken Marines to safety. When reinforcements were needed by the assaulting elements, Second Lieutenant Murphy employed part of his Unit as support and, during the ensuing battle, personally killed two of the enemy with his pistol. When all the wounded evacuated and the assaulting units beginning to disengage, he remained behind with a carbine to cover the movement of friendly forces off the hill and, though suffering intense pain from his previous wounds, seized an automatic rifle to provide more firepower when the enemy reappeared in the trenches. After reaching the base of the hill, he organized a search party and again ascended the slope for a final check on missing Marines, locating and carrying the bodies of a machine-gun crew back down the hill. Wounded a second time while conducting the entire force to the line of departure through a continuing barrage of enemy small-arms, artillery and mortar fire, he again refused medical assistance until assured that every one of his men, including all casualties, had preceded him to the main lines. His resolute and inspiring leadership, exceptional fortitude and great personal valor reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Murphy and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service dwight d. eisenhower
President of the United States 29 October 1951 |
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