LTJG
John K. Koelsch, U.S. Navy
Rank
and organization: Lieutenant (j.g.), U.S. Navy, Navy
helicopter rescue unit.
Place
and date: North Korea, 3 July 1951.
Entered
service at: Los Angeles, Calif.
Birth:
London, England.
Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty while
serving with a Navy helicopter rescue unit. Although
darkness was rapidly approaching when information
was received that a marine aviator had been shot down
and was trapped by the enemy in mountainous terrain
deep in hostile territory, Lt. (j.g.) Koelsch voluntarily
flew a helicopter to the reported position of the
downed airman in an attempt to effect a rescue. With
an almost solid overcast concealing everything below
the mountain peaks, he descended in his unarmed and
vulnerable aircraft without the accompanying fighter
escort to an extremely low altitude beneath the cloud
level and began a systematic search. Despite the increasingly
intense enemy fire, which struck his helicopter on
1 occasion, he persisted in his mission until he succeeded
in locating the downed pilot, who was suffering from
serious burns on the arms and legs. While the victim
was being hoisted into the aircraft, it was struck
again by an accurate burst of hostile fire and crashed
on the side of the mountain. Quickly extricating his
crewmen and the aviator from the wreckage, Lt. (j.g.)
Koelsch led them from the vicinity in an effort to
escape from hostile troops, evading the enemy forces
for 9 days and rendering such medical attention as
possible to his severely burned companion until all
were captured. Up to the time of his death while still
a captive of the enemy, Lt. (j.g.) Koelsch steadfastly
refused to aid his captors in any manner and served
to inspire his fellow prisoners by his fortitude and
consideration for others. His great personal valor
and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice throughout sustain
and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service.
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