FIRST LIEUTENANT ERNEST P. TERRELL, 01688591, Artillery, United States Army, a member of Battery A, 11th Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy near Taejon, Korea, during the period 19 July to 24 July 1950. On 19 July 1950 in a defensive position north of Taejon Lieutenant Terrell kept his six 155mm howitzers firing throughout a twelve hour enemy artillery barrage during which accurate counterbattery fire was placed on his position killing several of his men and wounding many more. That night he displaced his battery to positions within the city of Taejon. Early on the morning of 20 July 1950 enemy tanks broke through the infantry lines and into the howitzer positions firing on them with tank guns and machineguns. Lieutenant Terrell personally directed the shifting of two of his howitzers to place direct fire on these tanks, destroying one and rapidly driving the remainder away. He kept his men firing despite enemy artillery and sniper fire. By mid-afternoon elements of enemy infantry had entered the city and Lieutenant Terrell was ordered to evacuate his position with whatever equipment he could save. He immediately evacuated all his battery personnel retaining only twelve men to help him retrieve the five remaining howitzers from an area now under enemy small arms fire. He successfully retrieved the howitzers and rejoined the convoy leaving the city. The blazing city was infested with enemy snipers and the roads leading out were blocked. Lieutenant Terrell was on a 3/4-ton truck which was destroyed by a direct hit. To prevent the road from being blocked he helped push the truck off the road. Three enlisted men assisting him at this time were killed. Climbing on one of his M-5 tractors he continued through the flaming part of the city and three miles out on the road which leads to Yong-dong. At that point he again encountered a road block and enemy machinegun fire hit the tractor causing the driver to lose control and crash into a telephone pole off the road. He again climbed aboard the next passing tractor and proceeded five miles on a road clogged with damaged vehicles. Here he dismounted and directed men to remove all of the injured and dead from the stalled vehicles. He then instructed his tractor driver to push all of the vehicles off the road with the tractor. It was while clearing the road at this point that Lieutenant Terrell sustained injuries from enemy mortar fire. After assisting in loading the over crowded remaining vehicles with wounded, Lieutenant Terrell directed that they proceed. He then joined a foot party. Lieutenant Terrell continued on to the south through the mountains with a small party. By the evening of 24 July 1950, dressed in native clothing and weak from hunger and exposure, Lieutenant Terrell arrived at the area of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. The extraordinary valor displayed by Lieutenant Terrell on this occasion reflects the highest credit on himself and the military service. Entered the military service from Oklahoma.

Colonel Terrell a life member resided in Oklahoma.