Juan Francisco Guerra
Corporal, U.S. Army

Juan Francisco Guerra was born on 16 June 1920, the son of Higinio and Angelita Guerra.

During World War II, Juan fought at Guadalcanal, New Guinea and Leyte, earning five Bronze Star Medals.

In May 1951, Corporal Juan Francisco Guerra was serving with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 24 May, CPL Guerra's unit was engaged with enemy forces near Wongo-ri, South Korea. CPL Guerra was a member of an infantry unit that had the mission of breaking up an enemy roadblock. When the advance of one of the platoons of his unit was halted by enemy fire, CPL Guerra single-handedly charged the hostile positions, killing five of the enemy in their foxholes and enabling the platoon to secure the objective. CPL Guerra then volunteered to lead his squad in an attack on a hostile force that had pinned down another friendly platoon. Leading his squad forward, he remained well in advance of his men, assaulted the enemy positions and, using grenades, destroyed three enemy mortars and one machine-gun. His courageous actions and inspired leadership earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Corporal Guerra was later flown to Tokyo where his Distinguished Service Cross was presented to him by General Matthew Bunker Ridgeway [Honoree Record ID 41], commander of all United Nations forces in Korea.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
Philippine Liberation Ribbon
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (Second Award)

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Corporal Juan F. Guerra, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Corporal Guerra distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Wongo-ri, Korea, on 24 May 1951. Corporal Guerra was a member of an infantry unit that had the mission of breaking up an enemy roadblock. When the advance of one of the platoons of his unit was halted by intense enemy fire, Corporal Guerra single-handedly charged the hostile positions, killing five of the enemy in their foxholes, enabling the platoon to continue its advance and secure the objective. Corporal Guerra then volunteered to lead his squad in an attack on a hostile force that had pinned down another friendly platoon. Leading his squad forward, he remained well in advance of his men, assaulted the enemy positions and, using grenades, destroyed three enemy mortars and one machine-gun.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 480 (June 30, 1951)

Death and Burial

Corporal Juan Francisco Guerra died on 9 September 2007 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, TX. He is buried at Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito, Cameron County, TX.

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