Edward Clyde Benfold (January 15, 1931 – September 5, 1952) was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

hospital corpsman third class who was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

while attached to a

Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...

rifle company during the

Battle of Bunker Hill (1952) The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought between 9 August and 30 September 1952 during the Korean War between United Nations Command (UN) and Chinese forces over several frontline outposts. Background In March 1952 the US 1st Marine Division was tr ...

in the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. He was

posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...

awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty on September 5, 1952.

Early life and education

Benfold was born in

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

, the son of Edward and Glenys Benfold. His father served as a Merchant Marine Officer (1st engineer) during World War II and was killed in action serving on the Honduran ship ''Castilla'' on June 7, 1942, when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the near

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

. Benfold grew up in

Haddon Heights, New Jersey Haddon Heights is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,495, an increase of 22 (+0.3%) from the 2010 census count of 7,473, which in turn reflected a d ...

, and lived in nearby

Audubon The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such org ...

, where he graduated from Audubon High School in 1949.

U.S. Navy

Benfold enlisted in the United States Navy on June 27, 1949, in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

. He completed Navy recruit training in

Great Lakes, Illinois Naval Station Great Lakes (NAVSTA Great Lakes) is the home of the United States Navy's only current boot camp, located near North Chicago, in Lake County, Illinois, along Lake Michigan. Important tenant commands include the Recruit Training C ...

, in December and was selected for "A" school training there at the

Naval Hospital Corps School Naval Hospital Corps School was the United States Navy's only basic hospital corpsman school. It was located within Lake County, Illinois, at 601 D St., Bldg 130H, Naval Station, Great Lakes, Illinois 60088, for nearly a century. History It was ...

. He was promoted to hospital apprentice in 1949. In April 1950, he was transferred to the Naval Hospital at

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

Korean War

He was promoted to hospital corpsman third class on August 12, 1950. On June 9, 1951, he was married to Dorothy Groff. In July 1951, he was transferred to the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Field Medical Service School at

Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune ( or ) is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, for combat field training, graduating in September as a Field Medical Service Technician (HM-8404). He was then assigned to the

3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, abbreviated as (3/3), was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kaneohe, Hawaii. Known as either "Trinity" or "America's Battalion", the unit normally fell under the command of the 3r ...

3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry division ...

(was the 3rd Marine Brigade until January 1952), Fleet Marine Force, as a FMF corpsman, at

Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In March 1952, he was transferred to the

1st Battalion, 3rd Marines The 3d Littoral Combat Team (formerly 1st Battalion, 3d Marines) is an infantry unit in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Nicknamed the "Lava Dogs", the unit consists of approximately 800 Marines and sailors a ...

, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, at Camp Pendleton until July 1952. On July 21, he was assigned to the

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine (military), Marine Division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine E ...

in Korea, where he was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.

Death and burial

Benfold was

on September 5, 1952, while saving the lives of two wounded Marines he was aiding in a crater from two enemy hand grenades at "Outpost Bruce" which was held by Marines of I Company,

3rd Battalion, 5th Marines 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (3/5, nicknamed Dark Horse) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and consists of approximately 1,000 Marines and Fleet Marine ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

during the

Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Boston, Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peri ...

(September 5–15, 1952) in western Korea. Benfold was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. On July 16, 1953, The medal was presented by Rear Admiral John H. Brown Jr., Commandant of the 4th Naval District, to his one-year-old son, Edward Joseph, who was his next of kin (NOK) as his wife remarried. Benfold was buried with full military honors in Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey. His grave can be found in the Distinguished Service Section, Grave 12.

Awards and honors

Medal of Honor citation

Benfold's Medal of Honor citation reads: The

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Hospital Corpsman, attached to a company in the
First Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is the ...
during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on September 5, 1952. When his company was subjected to heavy
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
and mortar barrages, followed by a determined assault during the hours of darkness by an enemy force estimated at
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
strength, HC3c. BENFOLD resolutely moved from position to position in the face of intense hostile fire, treating the wounded and lending words of encouragement. Leaving the protection of his sheltered position to treat the wounded when the
platoon A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
area in which he was working was attacked from both the front and the rear, he moved forward to an exposed ridge line where he observed two Marines in a large crater. As he approached the two men to determine their condition, an enemy soldier threw two
grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...
s into the crater while two other enemy charged the position. Picking up a grenade in each hand, HC3c. BENFOLD leaped out of the crater and hurled himself against the onrushing hostile soldiers, pushing the grenades against their chests and killing both the attackers. Mortally wounded while carrying out this heroic act, HC3c. BENFOLD, by his great personal valor and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, was directly responsible for saving the lives of his two comrades. His exceptional courage reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for others.

Other honors

USS ''Benfold''

The

guided missile destroyer A guided-missile destroyer (DDG) is a destroyer whose primary armament is guided missiles so they can provide anti-aircraft warfare screening for the fleet. The NATO standard designation for these vessels is DDG, while destroyers which have a pr ...

was named after Hospital Corpsman Third Class Edward C. Benfold and commissioned on March 30, 1996, at Broadway Pier in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

Benfold Medical Center

The ''Benfold Center'', Naval Branch Health Clinic (Building S-771), in

Millington, Tennessee Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and is a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee St ...

was named in his honor.

Medal of Honor Memorial

Listed on Audubon High School's Medal of Honor Memorial (1994).
Medal of Honor. Benfold obituary. Retrieved Jan. 19, 2014

References

* * *
Who's Who in Marine Corps History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benfold, Edward Clyde 1931 births 1952 deaths Audubon High School (New Jersey) alumni United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients People from Audubon, New Jersey People from Haddon Heights, New Jersey Military personnel from Staten Island United States Navy sailors United States Navy corpsmen United States Navy personnel of the Korean War American military personnel killed in the Korean War Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor Burials at Beverly National Cemetery Deaths by hand grenade