Nelson Vogel Brittin

Nelson Vogel Brittin (October 31, 1920 – March 7, 1951) was a United States Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Yonggong-ni, Korea, on March 7, 1951.

Brittin graduated from Audubon High School in Audubon, New Jersey, in 1938 and was drafted into the United States Army from Audubon on July 7, 1942. He was discharged in 1946, and briefly studied at the University of Florence before re-enlisting in 1948.

Medal of Honor

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR (Posthumously) to

Citation:For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Yonggong-ni, Korea on 7 March 1951. Volunteering to lead his squad up a hill, with meager cover against murderous fire from the enemy, Sergeant First Class BRITTIN ordered his squad to give him support and, in the face of withering fire and bursting shells, he tossed a grenade at the nearest enemy position. On returning to his squad, he was knocked down and wounded by an enemy grenade. Refusing medical attention, he replenished his supply of grenades and returned, hurling grenades into hostile positions and shooting the enemy as they fled. When his weapon jammed, he leaped without hesitation into a foxhole and killed the occupants with his bayonet and the butt of his rifle. He continued to wipe out foxholes and, noting that his squad had been pinned down, he rushed to the rear of a machinegun position, threw a grenade into the nest, and ran around to its front, where he killed all three occupants with his rifle. Less than 100 yards up the hill, his squad again came under vicious fire from another camouflaged, sandbagged, machinegun nest well-flanked by supporting riflemen. Sergeant First Class BRITTIN again charged this new position in an aggressive endeavor to silence this remaining obstacle and ran direct into a burst of automatic fire which killed him instantly. In his sustained and driving action, he had killed 20 enemy soldiers and destroyed four automatic weapons. The conspicuous courage, consummate valor, and noble self-sacrifice displayed by Sergeant First Class BRITTIN enabled his inspired company to attain its objective and reflect the highest glory on himself and the heroic traditions of the military service.

Awards and decorations Brittin's military awards include: alt=A metal device depicting a blue bar with a rifle, in front of a wreath of silver leaves.

Legacy and honors Named in his honor:

MV Nelson V. Brittin (ESB-4), formerly USNS Brittin (T-AKR-305), a Bob Hope-class roll-on/roll-off vehicle cargo ship built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, New Orleans.