Ralph S. Gustin: the Distinguished Service Cross at Haman

11 August 1950

The city's cross: The Distinguished Service Cross is the Army's second-highest decoration for valor, and Mishawaka's verified decoration record holds one. It belongs to First Lieutenant Ralph S. Gustin, a platoon leader of Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in the first summer of the Korean War. He was the son of William Earl Sylvester and Ethel G. Gustin. His tie to this city, stated at the strength the record proves: he is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Mishawaka. His home of record is not stated in the award record itself, and the county veterans index carries no row for him; the burial is documented, and the entry rests on it without claiming the rest.

The citation, entire: The citation is printed whole, because the act is the subject and the citation is the only witness this section admits: "The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Ralph S. Gustin (ASN: 0-60851), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Gustin distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Haman, Korea, on 11 August 1950. On that date, Lieutenant Gustin's platoon was attacked by an enemy superior in both numbers and firepower. Heedless of the intense fire, he moved quickly and continuously among his men, encouraging them and directing their action. By employing his squad with great skill and setting for them a notable example of personal bravery, he enabled the unit to hold its position and inflict severe casualties on the foe until withdrawal was mandatory because of the overwhelming number of the enemy. Having determined the method and supervised the start of an orderly displacement, he remained firing into the onrushing enemy to cover the unit until he was mortally wounded."

The instrument and the rest of the record: The award was published in General Orders No. 89, Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea, 1 October 1950. The register that carries his record lists beside the cross his Purple Heart and his Combat Infantryman Badge. He died of the wounds the citation describes, covering his platoon's withdrawal, in the war's second month; the county's Korean War dead are counted in the Wars section, and Gustin's death stands there as here — the decoration is this section's, the roll is Wars'.

Sources:

1. Military Hall of Honor, honoree record of 1LT Ralph S. Gustin: Distinguished Service Cross citation entire; General Orders No. 89, Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea, 1 October 1950; medal list (Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge); burial, Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka.
2. St. Joseph County veterans index (INGenWeb), G section read entire: no entry for Gustin — the home-of-record gap as stated in the entry.