Hospitalman John E. Kilmer served as a medical corpsman with the U.S. Marines in 1952, during the Korean War. On 13 August 1952, while in combat with a 1st Marine Division rifle company, he exhibited great heroism in administering aid to wounded Marines and was ultimately mortally wounded while using his own body to shield an injured man from enemy fire. For his "gallantry and intrepidity" at that time, Hospitalman Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
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Photo #: 80-G-708891 John E. Kilmer, Hospitalman, USN Awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for heroism in combat on 13 August 1952, while serving as a medical corpsman with the First Marine Division in Korea. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 56KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Medal of Honor citation of Hospitalman John E. Kilmer (as printed in the 1964 Congressional publication "Medal of Honor Recipients --1863-1963", page 763): |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 1 September 2000
Text corrected 11 October 2006