Wayne C. Smith

GENERAL ORDERS: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 57 (February 25, 1955)

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 Major General Wayne Carleton Smith (ASN: 0-16207), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding General of the 7th Infantry Division. Major General Smith distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Kumhwa, Korea, during the period 14 through 17 October 1952. When the Seventh Infantry Division was committed to wrest the strongly defended Hill 598 from a numerically superior hostile force, General Smith assumed the position at an extremely vulnerable observation post in order to closely direct the attack upon the enemy, and remained at this vantage point throughout the first morning's operations despite dangerously accurate shelling of the area by Communist forces. Realizing that the assault echelons were halted short of their objective by devastating fires, heavy casualties, and adverse terrain, he immediately left the comparative safety of the observation post to personally reorganize his command for renewed attack and instill in the troops the will to win. Exposing himself to intense hostile fire, he traveled throughout the battle area, sharing the hazards and discomforts of his men, encouraging them to maximum effort, and supervising critical supply and evaluation activities. As a result of his presence in forward areas and sincere concern for the welfare of his troops, morale surged upward, enemy defenses were overrun, and highly strategic terrain was secured by the Seventh Infantry Division. Throughout the remainder of the action, he was constantly in the danger area, employing sound military tactics and forceful leadership to inspire his men to successfully repulse large-scale enemy counteroffensives, enable rapid relief of combat-weary battalions, and insure expeditious organization and consolidating of the newly-adjusted main line of resistance. Dominating and controlling the vital situation through sheer force of his heroic example, General Smith's valorous conduct and demonstrated courage under fire contributed significantly to the United Nations' first armed bid for world peace.