Sgt. Tony K. Burris

McClain County, Oklahoma


 


Family Gets State Hero's Honor Medal


Washington, August 14 (UP) - Gen. Omar N. Bradley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, presented Medals of Honor Thursday to parents of three young Army infantrymen, one an Oklahoman, killed in action in Korea.

Bradley offered the relatives his personal "deep sympathy" and voiced "humble gratitude" for the soldiers' heroic service.

The ceremony was attended by Gen. J. Lawton Collins, Army chief of staff; Gen. Nathan F. Twining, acting Air Force Chief of staff; and Adm. Donald B. Duncan, vice chief of Naval operations.

Sen. Mike Monroney (D-Okla.), and Hawaiian delegate Joseph R. Farrington also attended.

 The posthumous awards were conferred on:

Sgt. Tony K. Burris, 22, Blanchard, Okla., who in a two-day display of gallantry near Mundung-Ni on Oct. 8 and 9, 1951, killed about 15 enemy troops with grenades, personally knocked out two machine gun emplacements, and deliberately drew enemy fire while his comrades knocked out another enemy gun emplacement.  Although wounded twice he continued to lead his unit until fatally wounded as his last grenade wrecked another enemy gun emplacement.

Sgt. LeRoy A. Mendonca, 19, Honolulu, T. H., who was credited with inflicting 37 casualties on the enemy in a furious battle July 4, 1951, near Chich-On while singlehandedly stalling a fanatical enemy assault.

Pfc. David M. Smigh, 23, Livingston, Ky., who lost his life but shielded five comrades by smothering a hand grenade with his body near the Maktong river in South Korea Sept. 1, 1950.

-Submitted by: Bob Chada



|McClain County Recipients Page|  |Medal of Honor Page|  |Home|


Updated: Wednesday, 08-Apr-2009 19:48:36 CDT