Ola L. Mize
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Ola Lee Mize (August 28, 1931 – March 12, 2014) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of 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 valo ...
for his actions in 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 ...
.


Biography

Mize was born in
Albertville, Alabama Albertville is a city in Marshall County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 22,386. It is the largest city in Marshall County. His ...
, the son of a sharecropper. He left school after 9th grade to help support his family. After several years of working for low pay, he attempted to enlist in the Army, but was rejected for being too light, at . He tried repeatedly to enlist and was eventually accepted, joining the Army in 1950 from Gadsden, Alabama. Assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, Mize planned to finish his term of service and return to school. When the Korean War began, he changed his plans and reenlisted in hopes of seeing combat. He volunteered for a front-line unit and ended up as a sergeant in Company K of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On June 10, 1953, his unit was manning Outpost Harry near Surang-ni,
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, when the post came under heavy enemy attack. Mize organized defensive positions, rescued wounded soldiers, and engaged the enemy until reinforcements arrived about noon the next day. He was subsequently promoted to master sergeant and, on September 24, 1954, awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Outpost Harry. Major General Charles D.W. Canham, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, presided over a pass in review by the 15th Infantry in Mize's honor prior to Mize being returned to the United States where he was presented with the medal by President Eisenhower at the White House. Mize later met President John F. Kennedy. Mize later joined the Special Forces where he gained a commission and served three tours of duty in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
. In 1965, he was assigned to the Special Forces Training Group, where he was the Advanced Training Committee chief for SCUBA, HALO, and the SKY HOOK schools. Colonel Mize is credited for being the officer responsible for starting the present day Combat Divers Qualification Course in Key West, FL. From 1966 to 1967, he was again assigned to Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group where he was an Operational A, B, and C Detachment Commander and once more in 1969, where he was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group as the Commander of the 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command (Cambodian Troops). During his tour while commander of B-36 3rd Mobile Strike Force he was awarded the Silver Star for Valor in 1969. Mize retired from the Army in 1981 as a
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
. Mize died of cancer on March 12, 2014, at Gadsden, Alabama, aged 82.


Decorations


Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Master Sergeant (then Sgt.), U.S. Army, Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Surang-ni, Korea, 10 to 11 June 1953. Entered service at: Gadsden, Ala. Born: 28 August 1931, Marshall County, Ala. G.O. No.: 70, 24 September 1954. Citation:
M/Sgt. Mize, a member of Company K, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Company K was committed to the defense of "Outpost Harry", a strategically valuable position, when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he moved through the intense barrage, accompanied by a medical aid man, and rescued the wounded soldier. On returning to the main position he established an effective defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determined enemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area. During his fearless actions he was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts 3 times but each time he dauntlessly returned to his position, tenaciously fighting and successfully repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughts ceased he took his few men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing through apertures and throwing grenades at the foe, neutralizing their positions. When an enemy soldier stepped out behind a comrade, prepared to fire, M/Sgt. Mize killed him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. After rejoining the platoon, moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words of encouragement he observed a friendly machine gun position overrun. He immediately fought his way to the position, killing 10 of the enemy and dispersing the remainder. Fighting back to the command post, and finding several friendly wounded there, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, he directed friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy's routes of approach. At dawn he helped regroup for a counterattack which successfully drove the enemy from the outpost. M/Sgt. Mize's valorous conduct and unflinching courage reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.


Legacy

A section of Steel Station Road in Gadsden, Alabama, is named Col. Ola Lee Mize Medal of Honor Highway in his honor. On May 14, 2015, the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida, celebrated its 50th anniversary by naming its headquarters building in his honor.


See also

*
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 ...


References

: {{DEFAULTSORT:Mize, Ola L. 1931 births 2014 deaths United States Army officers United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) People from Albertville, Alabama