Eugene A. Obregon

Eugene Arnold Obregon (November 12, 1930 – September 26, 1950) was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration for valor — the Medal of Honor — for sacrificing his life to save that of a wounded comrade during the Second Battle of Seoul. On September 26, 1950, Private First Class Obregon was fatally wounded by enemy machine gun fire while using his body to shield a wounded fellow Marine.

Eugene Arnold Obregon
Eugene A. Obregon, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
Born(1930-11-12)November 12, 1930
Los Angeles, California
DiedSeptember 26, 1950(1950-09-26) (aged 19)
near Seoul, Korea
Place of burial
Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, California
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1948–1950
Rank Private First Class
UnitCompany G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division
Battles/warsKorean War
AwardsMedal of Honor
Purple Heart

Early years

Eugene Arnold Obregon, who was of Mexican American descent, was born on November 12, 1930 in Los Angeles, California. He attended elementary school and Theodore Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on June 7, 1948, at the age of 17.

Following recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, he was assigned to the Marine Corps Supply Depot in Barstow, California, where he served as a fireman until the outbreak of the Korean War. He was transferred to the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade and served as a machine gun ammunition carrier. His unit departed the United States on July 14, 1950 and arrived at Pusan, Korea on August 3, 1950.

He was in action by August 8, 1950, along the Naktong River, and participated in the Inchon landing. Then, on September 26, 1950, during the assault on the city of Seoul he was killed in action while using his body to shield a wounded fellow Marine. For this action, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor was presented to PFC Obregon's parents by Secretary of the Navy Daniel A. Kimball on August 30, 1951.

The wounded comrade was PFC Bert M. Johnson, 19, of Grand Prairie, Texas. He was hospitalized, recovered, and returned to duty in the United States at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor citation:

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS EUGENE A. OBREGON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces at Seoul, Korea, on September 26, 1950. While serving as an ammunition carrier of a machine gun squad in a Marine Rifle Company which was temporarily pinned down by hostile fire, Private First Class Obregon observed a fellow Marine fall wounded in the line of fire. Armed only with a pistol, he unhesitatingly dashed from his covered position to the side of the casualty. Firing his pistol with one hand as he ran, he grasped his comrade by the arm with his other hand and, despite the great peril to himself, dragged him to the side of the road. Still under enemy fire, he was bandaging the man's wounds when hostile troops of approximately platoon strength began advancing toward his position. Quickly seizing the wounded Marine's carbine, he placed his own body as a shield in front of him and lay there firing accurately and effectively into the hostile group until he himself was fatally wounded by enemy machine-gun fire. By his courageous fighting spirit, fortitude and loyal devotion to duty, Private First Class Obregon enabled his fellow Marines to rescue the wounded man and aided essentially in repelling the attack, thereby sustaining the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

Decorations

In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Obregon also was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Korean Service Medal with three bronze stars and the United Nations Service Medal.

 
Medal of Honor Purple Heart
Presidential Unit Citation Korean Service Medal with three bronze stars United Nations Service Medal

Foundation
Eugene A. Obregon Medal of Honor Monument's "Wall Of Honor" in Los Angeles, CA

The Eugene A. Obregon Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is building a Medal of Honor Monument complex located in the heart Los Angeles, California's historic birthplace known as "El Puebo." Two of the four Monument parts have already been completed. Across from Olvera St. Marketplace, atop a grassy knoll, stands The Wall of Honor. This 36' long, curved granite wall bears the inscribe names of all of the nearly 3,500 Medal Of Honor recipients awarded throughout American history.

The organization plans to erect a bronze sculpture of Pfc. Eugene A. Obregon USMC in recognition of Latino recipients and young Obregon's sacrifice for his fellow Marines. The group's goal is to promote a message that brotherhood and unity - as they were forged in war - could also be practiced in peace.

Academy Award® winner Edward James Olmos narrates a video explaining The Monument project and the upcoming bronze sculpture.

Namesakes and honors

A US Navy ship, a school, a Marine Corps barracks, an American Legion post, and three parks have been named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Eugene Obregon.

See also

References
Inline
  1. MSC Ship Inventory: SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006), United States Navy. Retrieved on 2006-06-29
  2. SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006), NavySite.de. Retrieved on 2006-06-29
  3. http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/california/district/el-rancho-unified-school-district/ . accessed 7/27/2010
  4. Hurt, LCpl Andy J. Park Dedicated to Hispanic Medal of Honor recipient First Class Eugene A. Oberegon, Marine Corps Times, October 9, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-06-29
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2012-12-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) SCR 109 Senate Concurrent Resolution . accessed 7/27/2010
  6. http://dist22.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC=%7B913470AD-5BA2-4465-B4DA-8752413DD5B0%7D&DE=%7BC225E4D5-7043-430F-AFE1-0A45C171006E%7D Archived 2011-08-14 at the Wayback Machine Senator Gilbert Cedillo -- SCR 109 Medal of Honor Eugene Obregon Memorial Interchange . accessed 7/27/2010
  7. http://egpnews.com/?p=18426 Archived 2011-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Freeway Sign Points to War Veteran’s Courage . accessed 7/27/2010
  8. LATimes article from above.
  9. Eugene A. Obregon Congressional Medal of Honor Monument, LULAC Resolution, June 29, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-06-29
  10. Obregon-CMH Foundation. Retrieved on 2006-06-29
  11. http://www.ci.pico-rivera.ca.us/news/jul/July2001.pdf%5B%5D . accessed 7/27/2010
  12. http://www.lacountyparks.org/Parkinfo.asp?URL=cms1_033232.asp&Title=Eugene%20A.%20Obregon%20Park Los Angeles County Parks and Rec. Eugene A. Obregon Park . accessed 7/27/2010
  13. http://www.intersectionssouthla.org/index.php/blog/story/los_angeles_county_sees_first_green_park/ The South Los Angeles Report . accessed 7/27/2010
General
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