Moundsville's DSC Winner Dies In Sleep
Moundsville Daily Echo - January 10, 1952
News articles submitted by Naomi Lowe Hupp; typed by Linda Fluharty.
Cpl. Glenn L. Whitlatch, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Whitlatch of 428 Poplar avenue, and a holder of the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest award for valor, died in his sleep early Wednesday morning at Valley Forge hospital, near Philadelphia, Pa.
His death came a day after he was medically discharged from the Army for wounds suffered in the Korean war and only a little more than a month after he was awarded the Service Cross at ceremonies on December 7 for "extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in the vicinity of Su-Ri, Korea, on February 13, 1951."
STOPPED TWO THRUSTS
As a member of Company D 15th Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division, Cpl. Whitlatch was credited with manning a machine gun under heavy enemy fire and from an exposed position unleashing withering blasts from his gun that turned back two attacks by an ememy contingent estimated to be of battalion size.
Despite a serious head wound, Whitlatch refused to leave his position for medical treatment, and for the next five hours kept his company from being overrun by the Red forces. It was for treatment of this head wound that Whitlatch had been hospitalized for many months. He spent two recent leaves at his home here.
BODY DUE FRIDAY
The body is expected to arrive in Moundsville on Friday morning, and will be escorted to Grisell's 805 Fifth Street, by an honor guard provided by local veterans organizations. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Cpl. Whitlatch was born in Moundsville, January 17, 1930. He was educated in Moundsville schools and went into the Army September 3, 1948. He was a member of the Church of Christ, 210 Cedar avenue.
Surviving in addition to his parents are three brothers, Dewey, Jr., Moundsville, and Paul and Jack Whitlatch, both at home; five sisters, Brenda and Sandra Kay Whitlatch, both at home; Mrs. Peggy Olnick, Mrs. Louise Hoyt and Mrs. Betty Richards, all of Moundsville; the paternal grandfather, Edward Whitlatch, of Rosbys Rock and the maternal grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Riggs of Deep Valley, Pa.
PLAN POST MORTEM
Valley Forge, Pa., Jan. 10 -- A post mortem is scheduled to determine the cause of death of Cpl. Glen L. Whitlatch, 21, of Moundsville, W. Va., who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in Korea.
He died in his sleep at the Valley Forge General Hospital Tuesday night, Army authorities said. He had appeared before a medical board earlier that day, and had been ordered retired because of wounds.
DEATH CERTIFICATE
U. S. ARMY CITATION
For service as set forth in the following:
CITATION - Distinguished Service Cross
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 388 (June 2, 1951):
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Corporal Glen L. Whitlatch (ASN: RA-15410462), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Corporal Whitlatch distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Suso-ri, Korea, on 13 February 1951. On that date, while moving from Suso-ri to occupy the high ground north of the village, Company D was suddenly and fiercely attacked by an estimated enemy battalion, As the attack commenced, Corporal Whitlatch left his concealed position to run through the deadly hail of fire to his jeep on which was mounted a heavy machine-gun. From this exposed and hazardous position he delivered accurate, withering fire into the enemy ranks, halting the initial assault and killing approximately 39 hostile troops. Taking advantage of a temporary lull in the fighting, Corporal Whitlatch obtained a tripod for his weapon; then, as he started toward a selected firing position, the enemy launched a second banzai charge at the friendly position. Immediately placing his gun in action, he stopped this charge only twenty yards from his position. During this action, Corporal Whitlatch received a serious head wound caused by fragments from an enemy grenade. Refusing to relinquish his gun and return to the aid station for medical attention, he remained in position throughout the ensuing five hour battle, placing effective machine-gun fire on the enemy and preventing the friendly positions from being overrun.