Jerry Kirt Crump (February 18, 1933 – January 10, 1977) was a
soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. He received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his actions on September 6 and 7, 1951. Crump was killed in a car accident in 1977.
Awards and decorations
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company L,
7th Infantry Regiment,
3rd Infantry Division
Place and date: Near Chorwon, Korea, 6 and September 7, 1951
Entered service at: Forest City, N.C. Born: February 18, 1933, Charlotte, N.C.
G.O. No.: 68, July 11, 1952
Citation:
Cpl. Crump, a member of Company L, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. During the night a numerically superior hostile force launched an assault against his platoon on Hill 284, overrunning friendly positions and swarming into the sector. Cpl. Crump repeatedly exposed himself to deliver effective fire into the ranks of the assailants, inflicting numerous casualties. Observing 2 enemy soldiers endeavoring to capture a friendly machine gun, he charged and killed both with his bayonet, regaining control of the weapon. Returning to his position, now occupied by 4 of his wounded comrades, he continued his accurate fire into enemy troops surrounding his emplacement. When a hostile soldier hurled a grenade into the position, Cpl. Crump immediately flung himself over the missile, absorbing the blast with his body and saving his comrades from death or serious injury. His aggressive actions had so inspired his comrades that a spirited counterattack drove the enemy from the perimeter. Cpl. Crump's heroic devotion to duty, indomitable fighting spirit, and willingness to sacrifice himself to save his comrades reflect the highest credit upon himself, the infantry and the U.S. Army.
Legacy
Cornelius Veteran's Monument in
Cornelius, North Carolina
Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 24,866 at the 2010 census.
History
Potts Plantation i ...
features a bronze portrait statue of Cpl. Jerry K. Crump, dedicated on July 4, 2017.
Cpl. Jerry Crump Bronze Portrait Statue - Lena Toritch
Retrieved August 23, 2021.
See also
*List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
*List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients
This list represents all of the 146 United States military personnel who received the Medal of Honor for valor in combat during the Korean War. 103 Medals of Honor were awarded Posthumously awarded, posthumously.
The Korean War was an escalation ...
Notes
References
:
*
1933 births
1977 deaths
United States Army personnel of the Korean War
Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
United States Army soldiers
{{US-army-bio-stub