Duane E. Dewey

Duane Edgar Dewey (born November 16, 1931) is a former United States Marine and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War. Although already wounded, he smothered an exploding grenade with his own body to save the lives of his comrades.

Biography
Dewey was born on November 16, 1931 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended school in Muskegon until 1947. He then worked for six months on a farm in South Haven, and for a year as a foundry worker at National Motors, Inc. in South Haven.

Dewey signed with the Marine Corps Reserve on March 7, 1951 for an "'indefinite' enlistment — the duration of the war plus six months." He completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, and underwent intensive combat training at Camp Pendleton, California, until embarking for Korea in September 1951. He participated in the United Nations summer-fall offensive of 1951 and the second winter of Korean fighting.

Medal of Honor action
Corporal Dewey earned the Medal of Honor on April 16, 1952, near Panmunjom, Korea, while serving as leader of a machine gun squad with Company E, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He had been wounded by a grenade that had exploded at his feet, and was being treated by a Navy medical corpsman when an enemy grenade landed at the squad’s position. Yanking the corpsman to the ground, and warning members of the squad, Cpl Dewey flung himself on the grenade shouting, "Doc, I got it in my hip pocket!" The grenade exploded, lifting him off the ground and inflicting "gaping shrapnel wounds throughout the lower part of his body". In addition, he sustained a bullet wound to the stomach.

After treatment of his wounds at the front, Dewey was evacuated to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan, and then to the U.S. Naval Hospitals at Mare Island, California, and Great Lakes, Illinois. Following his recuperation at Great Lakes, he was released from active duty on August 19, 1952.

Dewey was the first person to receive the Medal of Honor from President Dwight D. Eisenhower. After presenting the award on March 12, 1953 at the White House, Eisenhower told him, "You must have a body of steel."

Decorations
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Dewey's awards include the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal with two battle stars, and the United Nations Service Medal.

Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to CORPORAL DUANE E. DEWEY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE 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 as a Gunner in a Machine-Gun Platoon of Company E, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces near Panmunjom, Korea, on April 16, 1952. When an enemy grenade landed close to this position while he and his assistant gunner were receiving medical attention for their wounds during a fierce night attack by numerically superior hostile forces, Corporal Dewey, although suffering intense pain, immediately pulled the corpsman to the ground and, shouting a warning to the other Marines around him, bravely smothered the deadly missile with his body, personally absorbing the full force of the explosion to save his comrades from possible injury or death. His indomitable courage, outstanding initiative and valiant efforts in behalf of others in the face of almost certain death reflect the highest credit upon Corporal Dewey and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

/S/ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER