First Lieutenant MILLARD C. WHITE was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary heroism in Korea on 23 June 1951 while serving as a platoon leader of B Company, 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division. On that date, Company B was engaged in an assault against Hill 717 which was being defended by a fanatically determined and well-entrenched hostile force. As Lieutenant White led his platoon toward the objective, the men were forced to seek cover when a heavy volume of mortar, small-arms and automatic-weapons fire was concentrated on them from the hostile emplacements. Realizing that his men faced annihilation in untenable positions, Lieutenant White, with complete disregard for his personal safety, charged across the fireswept terrain toward the key enemy emplacement. On the way, he was painfully wounded by fragments from a bursting mortar shell but, despite this, he crawled to within a few yards of the enemy position and succeeded in neutralizing the hostile weapon and killing its crew with grenades. As a result of Lieutenant White’s courageous action, the hostile troops withdrew from the crest of the hill, enabling the friendly forces to secure their objective. Lieutenant White immediately set about organizing his men in a perimeter defense against the enemy counterattack which was sure to come. When the enemy charged up the slope they were met by a devastating volume of fire from the friendly forces. Accounting for many of the enemy dead himself, Lieutenant White constantly moved among his men, encouraging them and directing their fire. His example of courage so inspired his men that they succeeded in beating off the enemy attack and held the hill.

Mr. White was the Legion of Valor National Commander in 1971-1972. He resided in Virginia.