Korean War
| Service # | 4168234 |
|---|---|
| Rank | Hospital Corpsman Third Class U.S. Navy |
| Date of Death | September 5 1952 |
Combat Action Ribbon (Navy)
Korean Service Medal
Medal of Honor (Navy)
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
For his leadership and great valor, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Benfold was awarded the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart with Gold Star, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. On November 11, 1995, the U.S. Navy christened a new aegis destroyer the "USS BENFOLD".
Notes
Hospital Corpsman Third Class Benfold was attached to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. On September 5, 1952, during intense enemy attack supported by artillery and mortar fire, he was treating two wounded marines in a large crater, when two enemy soldiers threw two grenades into the crater. He picked up the grenades and thrust them against the bodies of the enemy as they exploded, mortally wounding himself.