Colonel
Joseph Charles Rodriguez
(November 14, 1928 ? November 1, 2005) was a
United States Army
soldier who earned the
Medal of Honor
? the United States' highest military decoration for his actions near Munye-ri, Korea, during the
Korean War
.
Early years
[
edit
]
Rodriguez, a
Mexican-American
born in
San Bernardino, California
, was raised in the town of San Bernardino, where he also received his primary and secondary education. In October 1950, Rodriguez was drafted into the
United States Army
and ordered to report for induction in his hometown.
He received his basic training at
Camp Carson
in
Colorado
. There he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion of the 196th Regimental Combat Team. Private Rodriguez completed his basic training in February 1951 and volunteered for duty in Korea. He was promoted to
private first class
(PFC) and sent overseas and assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion,
17th Infantry Regiment
,
7th Infantry Division
.
Korean War
[
edit
]
On May 21, 1951, Company F was assigned the mission of occupying some high ground near the village of Munye-ri during the
UN May?June 1951 counteroffensive
. The high ground was held by firmly entrenched enemy forces. Three times Company F attacked the ridge, and three times they were thrown back.
[1]
PFC Joseph C. Rodriguez was the assistant squad leader of the 2nd Platoon. His squad's advance was halted by enemy hostile fire coming from five different emplacements. Rodriguez then took it upon himself to destroy these emplacements. He charged the emplacements and hurled
grenades
into each of the foxholes. Rodriguez destroyed the emplacements and killed 15 enemy soldiers. As a result, the enemy was routed and the strategic strongpoint secured. Rodriguez was promoted to the rank of
sergeant
and nominated for the Medal of Honor.
On February 5, 1952, President
Harry S. Truman
bestowed upon Sergeant Rodriguez the Medal of Honor in a ceremony held in the
Rose Garden
in the
White House
. The citation reads:
JOSEPH C. RODRIGUEZ
Place and date:
Near Munye-ri, Korea, May 21, 1951.
Entered service at:
California
Born:
November 14, 1928, San Bernardino, Calif.
G.O. No.:
22, February 5, 1952.
Citation:
[2]
[3]
Sgt. Rodriguez, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sgt. Rodriguez, an assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon, was participating in an attack against a fanatical hostile force occupying well-fortified positions on rugged commanding terrain, when his squad's advance was halted within approximately 60 yards by a withering barrage of automatic weapons and small-arms fire from 5 emplacements directly to the front and right and left flanks, together with grenades which the enemy rolled down the hill toward the advancing troops. Fully aware of the odds against him, Sgt. Rodriguez leaped to his feet, dashed 60 yards up the fire-swept slope, and, after lobbing grenades into the first foxhole with deadly accuracy, ran around the left flank, silenced an automatic weapon with 2 grenades and continued his whirlwind assault to the top of the peak, wiping out 2 more foxholes and then, reaching the right flank, he tossed grenades into the remaining emplacement, destroying the gun and annihilating its crew. Sgt. Rodriguez' intrepid actions exacted a toll of 15 enemy dead and, as a result of his incredible display of valor, the defense of the opposition was broken, and the enemy routed, and the strategic strongpoint secured. His unflinching courage under fire and inspirational devotion to duty reflect highest credit on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.
Later years
[
edit
]
After the Korean War, Rodriguez decided to make the military his career. He was assigned to the administrative staff at the ORC headquarters in San Bernardino.
On April 23, 1952, Rodriguez and his fiancee Miss Rose Aranda were the invited guests on
You Bet Your Life
, a 1950s
television
game show hosted by
Groucho Marx
. The following is part of the conversation between Rodriguez and Marx in the show:
Groucho
: If you don't win any money here tonight it won't be my fault, son! Well, Joe, that's the most amazing thing I ever heard. There's just one thing I'd like to know ? when you were running through all that lead, what were you thinking about?
Joe
: Well, I wasn't thinking ? I was just mad, I guess.
Groucho
: You wiped out a whole army just because you got mad? Joe...if I said anything here tonight that you resent, I was just being facetious.
Groucho
: What are your plans for the future, Joe?
Joe
: I hope to make a career in the Army.
Groucho
: Well, I'm sure glad you're on our side. Rose, take good care of this fella. My advice is, don't ever make him mad ? he's liable to wipe out Los Angeles! Well, you're a fine couple, and I'm sure you're going to have many happy, handsome, bright, and brave children.
[4]
In 1953, Rodriguez married Rose and together they had three children. He subsequently became a commissioned officer in the
US Army Corps of Engineers
, serving more than 30 years in the military, through four
Latin American
assignments, and unaccompanied tours in Korea and
Vietnam
. In 1980, Rodriguez retired from the Army with the rank of colonel.
Rodriguez was residing with his wife, Rose, in El Paso, Texas, at the time of his retirement. He spent the next ten years as Facilities Director at the
University of Texas
. He dedicated much of his time of his last fifteen years to national speech engagements addressing young people and soldiers, encouraging them to pursue their education.
[5]
Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez died on November 1, 2005, in El Paso and was buried with full military honors at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, California. Rodriguez is survived by his wife Rose; his sons, Lieutenant General Charles G. Rodriguez and Lawrence R. Rodriguez; daughter, Karen Sharp; 11 grandchildren; ten sisters and two brothers.
Awards and recognitions
[
edit
]
Among Joseph C. Rodriguez's decorations and medals were the following:
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- This article incorporates
public domain material
from websites or documents of the
United States Army Center of Military History
.