Medal of Honor nominee Eduardo Gomez, was born in Los Angeles, Calif., Oct. 28, 1919.
Gomez enlisted in the U.S. Army, Feb. 9, 1949.
Then-Sgt. Eduardo Gomez distinguished himself by defending his company as it was ruthlessly attacked by a hostile force. Notably, Gomez maneuvered across open ground to successfully assault a manned tank. Wounded during his retreat from the tank, Gomez refused medical attention, instead manning his post and firing upon the enemy until his company formed a defensive perimeter.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Gomez received the Distinguished Service Cross (this award will be upgraded to the Medal of Honor on Mar. 18), Bronze Star Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and “V” Device, Purple Heart with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Honorable Service Lapel Button-WWII, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation and Gold Bravery Medal of Greece Unit Citation.
Citation for Distinguished Service Cross
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Sgt. Eduardo C. Gomez, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action, while serving with Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division, Sept. 3, 1950, at Tabu-dong, Korea.
While readying defensive positions, his company was ruthlessly attacked at approximately 1 a.m., by a hostile force comprised of an infantry regiment and spearheaded by two T-34 tanks, the foremost of which moved to within 75 yards of the command post before it was immobilized by rocket fire, but its main battery and machine-guns continued to rake the company perimeter with devastating fire. Realizing the tank posed a serious threat to the entire perimeter, Gomez voluntarily, and fully aware of the odds against him, crawled thirty yards across an open rice field vulnerable to enemy observation and fire, boarded the tank, and, prying open one of the hatches on the turret, dropped an activated grenade into the hull, killing the crew. Wounded in the left side while returning to his position, he refused to be evacuated. Observing that the tripod of a .30 caliber machine-gun was rendered inoperable by enemy fire, he cradled the weapon in his arms, returned to the forward defensive positions, and swept the assaulting force with withering fire. Although his weapon overheated and burned his hands and his painful wound still bled, he maintained his stand and, upon orders to withdraw in the face of overwhelming enemy superiority, remained to provide protective fire. Then, retiring slowly, he continued to pour accurate fire into the ranks of the enemy, which exacted a heavy toll in casualties and retarded the enemy’s advance. Gomez would not consent to leave his post for medical attention until the company established a new defensive position.
Medal of Honor
Gomez is set to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House on March 18.