Captain William

Barber(USMC)

 

US Marine Corps

*Medal of Honor*

Recipient

Captain William Barber: 

From November 28th to

December 2nd 1950,

Captain Barber served

with

the First Marine Division,

in action against enemy

forces in Korea. 

 

Assigned to defend a

three-mile mountain pass along the division's main

supply line,

Captain Barber took

position with his

battle-weary troops,

and, before nightfall,

had dug in and set up

a defense along

the frozen, snow-covered hillside. 

 

An enemy force of

regimental strength

attacked during the night,

inflicting heavy casualties and surrounding

the Marines position.

Following seven-hours

a battle, Captain Barber's men, held their posittion.

Captain Barber received

orders fight his way over

to a trapped group of

Marines after two other

Marine units had been

driven back under fierce

resistance in their

attempts to reach the

isolated troops. 

 

Aware that leaving the

position would sever

contact with the 8,000

marines trapped at

Yudam-ni and jeopardize

their chances of joining

the 3,000 more awaiting

their arrival in Hagaru-ri

for the continued drive

to the sea,

he chose to risk loss of

his command rather than sacrifice more men

if the enemy seized

control and forced a

renewed battle to regain

the position,

or abandon his many

wounded who were

unable to walk. 

 

Although severely

wounded in the leg in

the early morning of the

29th, Captain Barber

continued to maintain his

leadership, often moving

up and down the lines

on a stretcher to direct

the defense and

consistently encouraging

and inspiring his men

to supreme efforts

despite the staggering

opposition. 

 

Waging desperate battle

throughout five days

and six nights of repeated onslaughts launched by

the fanatical aggressors,

he and his heroic

command accounted for

approximately 1,000

enemy dead in this epic

stand in bitter subzero

weather, and when the

company was relieved,

only 82 of his original

220 men were able to

walk away from the

position so valiantly

defended against

insuperable odds. 

 

Captain Barber's

profound faith and

courage and unwavering

fortitude were decisive

factors in the successful

withdrawal of the division from the deathtrap in

the Chosin Reservoir

sector

and reflect the highest

credit upon Captain

Barber, his intrepid

officers and men, and

the United States Naval

Service.

 

윌리엄 바버 대위
(해병대)

미 해병대 *명예훈장* 

수상자 윌리엄 바버 대위

1950년 11월 28일부터

12월 2일까지 바버 대위는

제1해병사단에서 한국전쟁

당시 적군과의 전투에

참전했습니다.

사단의 주요 보급선을 따라 

3마일(약 4.8km)에 달하는

 산길을 방어하라는 임무를 

받은 바버 대위는 전투에 

지친 병사들과 함께 진지를 

구축하고, 해가 지기 전에 

얼어붙고 눈 덮인 언덕을

 따라 참호를 파고 방어선을

 구축했습니다.

연대 병력 규모의 적군이

 야간에 공격해 많은

 사상자를 내고 해병대 

진지를 포위했습니다. 

7시간에 걸친 전투 끝에 

바버 대위의 병사들은 

진지를 사수했습니다. 

바버 대위는 다른 두 해병 

부대가 고립된 해병대 

진지를 향해 접근하려다 

격렬한 저항에 밀려 

후퇴하자, 포위된 해병대

 진지를 향해 전진하라는

 명령을 받았습니다.

진지를 이탈하면 유담리에 

갇힌 8,000명의 해병대와

 연락이 두절되고, 

하갈우리에 도착하여 

바다로 진격을 계속할 

3,000명의 병력에 합류할

 가능성이 위태로워질 것을

 알고 있었기에, 

그는 적이 진지를 장악하고 

진지를 탈환하기 위해 새로운 전투를 강요할 경우 더 

많은 병력을 희생하거나, 

걸을 수 없는 많은 

부상병들을 포기하는 

것보다 지휘권을 잃을 

위험을 감수하기로 

결정했습니다.

29일 이른 아침, 다리에 

중상을 입었음에도 불구하고, 

바버 대위는 계속해서 

지휘권을 유지하며,

 종종 들것에 실려 전선을

 오르내리며 방어를 지휘하고,

 압도적인 저항에도 

불구하고 부하들을 끊임없이 

격려하고 격려하며 최고의

 성과를 거두었습니다.

광신적인 침략자들의 

거듭된 맹공격에 맞서 5일

 6일 밤낮으로 필사적인 

전투를 벌인 그와 그의 

영웅적인 지휘관은 영하의 

혹독한 날씨 속에서 

이 장대한 전투에서

약 1,000명의 적군을 

사살했습니다. 

중대가 교전 후 복귀했을 때, 

그의 원래 220명 중 

82명만이 극복할 수 없는 

역경 속에서 용감하게 

방어했던 진지에서 

철수할 수 있었습니다.

바버 대위의 깊은 신념과 

용기, 그리고 흔들림 없는

 불굴의 의지는 장진호 

지역의 죽음의 함정에서 

사단을 성공적으로 

철수시키는 데 결정적인 

요인이었으며, 이는 

바버 대위와 그의 

용감무쌍한 장교와 병사들, 

그리고 미 해군에 대한 

최고의 찬사를 보여줍니다.

 

 

2025년 6월 10일 화요일