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The DSC Paine, George H.
Sergeant, U.S. Army
Co. H, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
Date of Action: November 30, 1950 Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Sergeant George H. Paine, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company H, 31st Infantry Regiment, Seventh Infantry Division, on November 30, 1950, near Koto-ri, Korea. He was with the leading element of the Second Battalion moving north to link up with friendly units when the column was attacked by enemy who were entrenched and concentrated on high ground along the route of advance. Sergeant Paine located several enemy positions on a hillside form which automatic-weapons and small-arms were firing. Bravely and without regard for his own personal safety, he advanced alone against these positions, exposing himself to draw their fire from other elements of the column who were regrouping to make an attack. In his advance, he neutralized two enemy automatic weapons, permitting friendly troops to advance without casualties. Joining the attacking troops of the battalion, he assisted in driving the enemy from their positions around the hilltop. During this action Sergeant Paine was mortally wounded while fiercely resisting enemy forces counterattacking in an attempt to retain the hilltop. This counterattack was repulsed with heavy loss of enemy personnel. The courageous actions of Sergeant Paine were an inspiration to his comrades and enabled the battalion to complete its mission.
HQ Eighth US Army Korea, General Orders No. 113 (March 4, 1951) In March 2008 remains from the 1950 Chosin Reservoir were identified as that of a Sgt of the 31st I.R. In April 2008 a PFC was identified as having been killed at Chosin reservoir. The 31st Infantry was far from finished. The regiment was evacuated from North Korea by sea to Pusan. There it rebuilt, retrained, and refitted and was soon back in combat, stopping the Chinese at Chechon, South Korea and participating in the counteroffensive to retake central Korea. Near the Hwachon Reservoir, two members of the regiment earned the Medal of Honor in some of the war's most determined offensive combat. By the summer of 1951, the line stabilized near the war's start point along the 38th Parallel. For the next two years, a seemingly endless series of blows were exchanged across central Korea's cold, desolate hills. Names like Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill, Triangle Hill, and OP Dale are among the war's most famous battles, all fought by the 31st Infantry and bought with its blood. By the war's end, the 31st Infantry had suffered many times its strength in losses and 5 of its members had earned the Medal of Honor, Jack G. Hanson (7 June 1951), Ralph E. Pomeroy (20 May 1951), Edward R. Schowalter, Jr. (14 October 1952) and Benjamin F. Wilson (5 June 1951). A United Nations Unit alongside the 31 I.R. at Pork Chop Hill was the Kagnew Battalion. In Korea the Intelligence/Operations Officer was Young-Oak Kim, who was later promoted to command the 1st Battalion, making him the first American of an ethnic minority to command a combat battalion in the history of the United States Armed Forces.
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