Today I received great news from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The Secretary stated in a letter that after careful consideration, he agrees with my request to upgrade then-Corporal Fred McGee Sr. to the Medal of Honor for his valorous actions on June 16, 1952 during the Korean War.
The next step is for Congress to waive the five-year time limit and authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor. Secretary Austin has now stated he will endorse this action to the President who will make the ultimate determination.
I’ve pursued this relentlessly over the past several years, and will continue to do so until it is signed into law and the McGee Family accepts the medal on behalf of Cpl. McGee, an American hero who passed away in 2020.
Background, from the Weirton Daily Times from 2020: In the early morning hours of June 16, 1952, Corporal Fred B. McGee of Bloomingdale, Ohio, distinguished himself in brutal combat on Hill 528, Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, when sent to fight against an entrenched, numerically superior army. As gunner on a light machine gun in a weapons squad, Corporal McGee delivered a heavy volume of supporting fire from an exposed position, despite intense enemy machine gun and mortar fire directly on his position. When his squad leader was wounded, and his second in command paralyzed by the horrors around him, Corporal McGee assumed command and moved the squad even further forward to a more exposed position in order to deliver neutralizing fire on an enemy machine gun sweeping the assault platoon with deadly flanking fire. When his machine gunner was mortally wounded, he again took over the gun. Though wounded in the face and leg, Corporal McGee heroically exposed himself by standing straight up in intense enemy machine gun and mortar fire as he attempted to evacuate the body of the company runner. After carrying his comrade 75-100 yards, Corporal McGee realized the man was deceased so he aided a second wounded man to be moved to the rear and safety through a high volume of enemy mortar and artillery fire. On the order to withdraw, he ordered his squad to withdraw and voluntarily remained behind to help evacuate the wounded and dead. The gallantry and courageous actions displayed by Corporal Fred B. McGee reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
Original source can be found here.
