George D. Libby | |
---|---|
Born | 4 December 1919 Bridgton, Maine |
Died | 20 July 1950 (aged 30) Near Taejon, Korea |
Place of burial | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service | United States Army |
Years of service | ?-1950 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Service number | 31153010[1] |
Unit | Company C, 3rd Engineer Combat Battalion, 24th Infantry Division |
Battles / wars | World War II |
Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
George Dalton Libby (4 December 1919 – 20 July 1950) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 20, 1950.
Serving with the 24th Infantry Division, Sergeant Libby was attempting to withdraw from Taejon after the Battle of Taejon when the truck he was riding in was disabled by North Korean fire. Libby exposed himself to enemy fire multiple times to help wounded soldiers, before using himself as a human shield to protect the driver of another truck as they broke through the North Korean forces. Shot multiple times, Libby died from blood loss, but was able to protect a truck full of wounded men until they escaped to allied lines. For this action, Libby was awarded the Medal of Honor.