Medal of Honor Awardees & Unit Awards
SP4 Danny J. Petersen
Company B, 4th Bn (Mech) 23rd Inf Regt, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam, Jan 9, 1970. Track Commander on an Armored Personnel Carrier exposed himself while firing his 50 Cal MG to allow his platoon to move to safer ground.
SFC William S. Sitman
Company M, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, Chipyong-ni, Korea, Feb 14 1951. SFC Sitman, a machinegun section leader in close physical combat with the enemy was exchanging hand granades with the enemy after his MG was disabled, finally threw himself on an enemy granade, saving the rest of his team.
SGT John A. Pittman
Company E, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Kujang-dong, Korea, June 4, 1951. Sgt Pittman volunteered to lead his squad in a counter attack through intense enemy fire and when an enemy grenade landed in the midst of his squad, he through himself on the grenade, saving the lives of his squad.
SGT Jose M. Lopez
Company K, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Krinkelt, Belgium, Dec 17, 1944. Sgt Lopez carried his heavy machinegun from place to place while fixing and fireing on the enemy allowing his company to get to a safer defensive position. He was responsible for killing over 100 enemy.
PFC Richard E. Cowan
Company M, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Krinkelter Wald, Belgium, Dec 17, 1944. PFC Cowan was a heavy machinegunner, and after most of his unit was dead or wounded, he waited and then opened up on them killing over 40 enemy, thus allowing the rest of his unit to move to safety.
PVT George M. Shelton
Company I, 23rd Inf Regt, at La Paz, Leyte, Philippine Islands, April 26, 1900. Pvt Shelton advanced alone under heavy fire of trhe enemy and rescued a wounded comrade.
1SGT William Allen
Company I, 23rd Inf Regt, at Turret Mountain, Arizona, March 27, 1873. For Gallentry in Action against a superior enemy force.
CPL Jeptha L. Lytton
Company A, 23rd Inf Regt, near Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska, April 28, 1876. For Gallantry in Action for a Cavalry charge against a large hostile Sioux Indian Tribe.
MSG Hubert L. Lee
Company I, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, Near Ip-Or-i, Korea, February 5, 1952. MSG Lee took over his Platoon when his Platoon leader was wounded and led several assaults against a superior enemy force and defeating them.
SFC Junior D. Edwards
Company E, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Chipyong-ni, Korea Jan 2, 1951. As a platoon sergeant, he took charge of a hill top defense, and after being pushed off the hill by he enemy, he charged the enemy several times which allowed his platoon to regain control of the hill.
PFC Herbert K. Pililaau
Company C, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Pia-ri, Korea, Sept 17, 1951. PFC Pililaau fought off wave after wave of enemy assaults on Heartbreak Ridge. He was last seen fighting with his entrenching tool and fists. When the position was subsequently retaken, more than 40 dead enemy were around his foxhole.
SGT John J. McVeigh
Company H, 23rd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div, near Brest, France, Aug 29, 1944. Sgt McVeigh exposed himself to enemy fire to direct his squard's fire on the enemy, which haulted their advance, and then after running out of ammunition, he charged the enemy with his knife and killed several more enemy.
CAPT William H. Sage
23rd US Inf Regt, near Zapote River, Luzon, Philippine Islands, June 13, 1899. With 9 men, he volunteered to hold an advanced position against an enemy estimated at 1000 strong. Capt Sage held the position and killed several enemy himself.
2LT Charles H. Hoyt
23rd Infantry Regiment, April 28, 1876
CPL Patrick T. Leonard
Company A, 23rd Inf Regt, near Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska, April 28, 1876. This was the SECOND AWARD OF THE MOH for CPL Leonard, and was awarded to him for his Gallantry in Action in a Cavalry charge on a large hostile Sioux Indian Tribe. His first award of the MOH was for Gallantry in Action in June, 1870.
Unit Awards
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment for Brest, France.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment, for Krinkelter Wald, Belgium.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment for TWIN TUNNELS, Korea.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment for HONGCHON, Korea.
Valorous Unit Award
4th Battalion (Mech) 23rd Infantry Regiment for TAY NINH PROVINCE, Vietnam.
Belgian Fourragere 1940
The 23rd Infantry Regiment was awarded two Belgian Fourragere medals, Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in: The ARDENNES, and at ELSENBORN CREST, during World War II.
Republic of Vietnam
The 4th Battalion (Mech) 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Inf Div; Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, 1966-1968, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam.
Republic of Vietnam
The 4th Battalion (Mech) 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Inf Div; Republic of Vietnam Civic Action Honor Medal, 1st Class, with Streamer Embroidered, 1966- 1970; Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment, for Wirtzfeld, Belgium.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment, for St. Vith.
Presidential Unit Citation
23rd Infantry Regiment, for CHIPYONG-NI, Korea.
Valorous Unit Award
4th Battalion (Mech) 23rd Infantry Regiment for SAIGON, Vietnam.
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I.
The 23rd Infantry Regiment was awarded four French Croix de Guerre with Palm awards during World War I for: CHATEAU THIERRY; AISNE-MARNE; MEUSE-ARGONNE and FOURRAGERE. These were some of the most decisive battles of WWI.
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
The 23rd Infantry Regiment was awarded three Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations for their actions: For NAKTONG RIVER LINE; For KOREA 1950-1953; and For KOREA 1952-1953.
Republic of Vietnam
The 4th Battalion (Mech) 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Div; Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, 1968-1970, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam.