1st Lt. Henry Commiskey led a fearless assault on Hill 85 during the Korean War, charging ahead of his platoon under intense enemy fire. Armed only with a pistol, he singlehandedly took out an enemy machine-gun crew, wrestled one soldier to the ground, and secured a weapon to finish the fight. He continued his attack, eliminating more enemy troops and inspiring his men to victory. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary courage and leadership.

Medal of Honor Citation;
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon leader in Company C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Directed to attack hostile forces well dug in on Hill 85, 1st Lt. Commiskey spearheaded the assault, charging up the steep slopes on the run. Coolly disregarding the heavy enemy machine-gun and small-arms fire, he plunged on well forward of the rest of his platoon and was the first man to reach the crest of the objective. Armed only with a pistol, he jumped into a hostile machine-gun emplacement occupied by five enemy troops and quickly disposed of four of the soldiers with his automatic pistol. Grappling with the fifth, 1st Lt. Commiskey knocked him to the ground and held him until he could obtain a weapon from another member of his platoon and killed the last of the enemy gun crew. Continuing his bold assault, he moved to the next emplacement, killed two more of the enemy and then led his platoon toward the rear nose of the hill to rout the remainder of the hostile troops and destroy them as they fled from their positions. His valiant leadership and courageous fighting spirit served to inspire the men of his company to heroic endeavor in seizing the objective, and reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Commiskey and the U.S. Naval Service.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more true stories of American military heroes.

Photos Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZMN1lzlPAu16EUXJlHOj2w/join

Copyright © 2025 Duty & Valor. All rights reserved.