Jack Arden Davenport (September 7, 1931 – September 21, 1951) was a former Golden Gloves boxer and a

United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during the Korean War.

Biography

Jack Davenport was born September 7, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from high school in 1949. While in high school, he was a newspaper carrier for the

Kansas City Star ''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...

and played American Legion baseball for three seasons. Upon completing high school, he studied for a year at the University of Kansas, where he was a member of the freshman football team. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 25, 1950, and completed his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, that September. He was then stationed with the Training and Replacement Command at Camp Pendleton, California, until December 1950, when he embarked to join the

5th Marines The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

in Korea. In the early morning of September 21, 1951, Corporal Davenport sacrificed his life to save the life of a fellow Marine Priv. Robert W Smith in Korea. He was standing watch together with Priv. Smith when an enemy

hand grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...

landed in their foxhole. Without thought of his own safety, Davenport found the grenade in the dark and smothered its explosion with his own body in order to save the life of his fellow Marine. His body was returned to the United States in January 1952 to be buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Hickman Mills, Missouri. Davenport's father, Fred received the Medal of Honor on January 7, 1953, from U.S. Secretary of the Navy

Dan A. Kimball Dan Able Kimball (March 1, 1896 – July 30, 1970) was the 51st U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Biography Kimball was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 1, 1896. He was an Army Air Service pilot during the First World War and maintained an i ...

in Washington, D.C.

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 Squad Leader in Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of

Seongnae-Dong Seongnae-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Gangdong-gu in Seoul, South Korea. See also *Administrative divisions of South Korea South Korea is made up of 17 first-tier administrative divisions: 6 metropolitan cities (''gwangyeoksi'' ) ...

, Korea, early on the morning of 21 September 1951. While expertly directing the defense of his position during a probing attack by hostile forces attempting the infiltrate the area, Corporal Davenport, acting quickly when an enemy grenade fell into the foxhole which he was occupying with Private Robert Smith another young Marine, skillfully located the deadly projectile in the dark and, undeterred by the personal risk involved, heroically threw himself over the live missile, thereby saving his companion from serious injury or possible death. His cool and resourceful leadership were contributing factors in the successful repulse of the enemy attack and his superb courage and admirable spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Corporal Davenport gallantly gave his life for his country. The video of Corporal Davenport's Medal of Honor ceremony is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GeVtVQAmvo

Awards and decorations

References

: http://www.marinemedals.com/davenportjack.htm * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davenport, Jack A. 1931 births 1951 deaths Boxers from Missouri United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers American military personnel killed in the Korean War Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor Sportspeople from Kansas City, Missouri American male boxers Deaths by hand grenade Burials in Missouri United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War