John Kelvin Koelsch

John Kelvin Koelsch (December 22, 1923 – October 16, 1951) was a United States Navy officer and a recipient of the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War. He was the first helicopter pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Early life Koelsch was born in London, the third son of American banker Henry August Koelsch and Beulah Anne Hubbard Koelsch. The family sailed back to the United States in 1924 and resided at Briarcliff Manor, New York.

Military career Koelsch joined the United States Navy Reserve as an aviation cadet on September 14, 1942, and was commissioned as an ensign on October 23, 1944. After completing flight training he served in the Pacific War. During the next few years, he served at Naval Air Stations at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Norfolk, Virginia, and subsequently flew with Composite Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadrons 97 and 18. He became an accomplished torpedo bomber pilot, and was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on August 1, 1946. First enrolling at Princeton in September 1941, he returned to the university after the war, and finally graduated in 1949.

Koelsch is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His grave can be found in section 30, grave 1123-RH.

Medal of Honor citation alt=A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon.

Lieutenant (jg) Koelsch's official citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with a Navy helicopter rescue unit in North Korea on 3 July 1951. Although darkness was rapidly approaching when information was received that a Marine aviator had been shot down and was trapped by the enemy in mountainous terrain deep in hostile territory, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch voluntarily flew a helicopter to the reported position of the downed airman in an attempt to effect a rescue. With an almost solid overcast concealing everything below the mountain peaks, he descended in his unarmed and vulnerable aircraft without the accompanying fighter escort to an extremely low altitude beneath the cloud level and began a systematic search. Despite the increasingly intense enemy fire, which struck his helicopter on one occasion, he persisted in his mission until he succeeded in locating the downed pilot, who was suffering from serious burns on the arms and legs. While the victim was being hoisted into the aircraft, it was struck again by an accurate burst of hostile fire and crashed on the side of the mountain. Quickly extricating his crewmen and the aviator from the wreckage, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch led them from the vicinity in an effort to escape from hostile troops, evading the enemy forces for 9 days and rendering such medical attention as possible to his severely burned companion until all were captured. Up to the time of his death while still a captive of the enemy, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch steadfastly refused to aid his captors in any manner and served to inspire his fellow prisoners by his fortitude and consideration for others. His great personal valor and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice throughout sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the United States naval service.

Awards and Decorations

Namesake The destroyer escort (later reclassified as a frigate) was named in his honor.