MASTER SERGEANT (then SERGEANT FIRST CLASS) VICTOR
CARTAGENA, RA10401644,
Infantry, Company "E", 65th Infantry, 3d Infantry
Division, United States Army,
On 22 April 1951, Company "E" attacked and captured
a hill near Onsu-Dong,
Source: Record Group 338: General Orders
3rd
Infantry Division, Boxes 129 to 131 -
Korea; during the engagement which lasted approximately
three hours, Sergeant
CARTAGENA constantly exposed himself in order to point
out and fire on enemy
targets. That night, hostile forces attacked and subjected
the platoon command
post, held by Sergeant CARTAGENA and a few others,
to severe fire. The enemy,
of estimated battalion stringth, continued to attack
until daylight; and, while
a slight withdrawal of friendly troops was necessary,
Sergeant CARTAGENA personally silenced an enemy machine gun, organized defeses
at great risk to him- self and, with various weapons, inflected such heavy
casualties on the enemy
that they withdrew leaving a greater part of the objective
in friendly hands.
The gallantry and superb courage displayed by Sergeant
CARTAGENA reflect the
highest credit upon himself and the military service.
Entered the military
service from Puerto Rico.