Murray T. Manning, Jr.
Private First Class, U.S. Army

In May 1951, Private First Class Murray T. Manning, Jr. was serving with Company I, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 25 May, PFC Manning's unit was engaged with enemy forces in the vicinity of Sogong-ni, Korea. Two squads of Company I had the mission of assaulting Hill 800 while the remainder of the company furnished covering fire for the operation. PFC Manning, a member of one of the squads, was in the leading element of the assault when intense enemy fire temporarily halted the advance. He moved up the fire-swept slope until he could bring effective fire on the hostile elements holding up the advance. When he had killed six enemy riflemen with fire from his M-1 rifle, the assault was able to continue. Observing the automatic rifleman of his squad fall from exhaustion, he rushed to the fallen man, pushed him to a safe position behind a rock, then picked up the automatic rifle and continued advancing up the hill. As the squads reached the hilltop, the enemy launched a counterattack on the friendly forces, forcing them to withdraw. Ignoring the intense enemy fire, PFC Manning remained in position, throwing grenades at the hostile troops and delivering automatic-rifle fire on them until the friendly troops reached cover. When the squads had regrouped and rejoined the company, the entire company assaulted the hill. PFC Manning again led the attack, moving relentlessly forward in the face of withering enemy fire. His aggressive actions so inspired the men around him that they followed him to the crest of the hill, engaged the numerically superior enemy troops in hand-to-hand combat, and forced them to flee in disorder, leaving numerous dead and wounded on the hill. For his courageous actions and leadership, PFC Manning earned the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

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 Private First Class Murray T. Manning, Jr., United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company I, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Private First Class Manning distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Sogong-ni, Korea, on 25 May 1951. On that date, two squads of Company I had the mission of assaulting Hill 800 while the remainder of the company furnished covering fire for the operation. Private Manning, a member of one of the squads, was in the leading element of the assault when intense enemy fire temporarily halted the advance. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he moved up the fire-swept slope until he could bring effective fire on the hostile elements holding up the advance. When he had killed six enemy riflemen with accurate fire from his M-1 rifle, the assault was able to continue. Observing the automatic rifleman of his squad fall from exhaustion, he rushed to the fallen man, pushed him to a safe position behind a rock, then picked up the automatic rifle and continued advancing up the hill. As the squads reached the hilltop, the enemy launched a vicious counterattack on the friendly forces, forcing them to withdraw. Heedless of the intense enemy fire, Private Manning remained in position, throwing grenades at the hostile troops and delivering withering automatic-rifle fire on them until the friendly troops reached cover. When the squads had regrouped and rejoined the company, the entire company assaulted the hill. Again Private Manning led the attack, moving relentlessly forward in the face of withering enemy fire. His aggressive actions so inspired the men around him that they followed him to the crest of the hill, engaged the numerically superior enemy troops in hand-to-hand combat, and forced them to flee in disorder, leaving numerous dead and wounded on the hill.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 477 (June 29, 1951)

Death and Burial

Private First Class Murray T. Manning, Jr. died on 23 June 2015 in Houston, TX. He is buried at the Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Harris County, TX.

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