Jack W. Kelso

He embarked for Korea with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division as a rifleman. He earned the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action on August 13 to 15, 1952. Kelso made some 20 trips through enemy mortar and artillery fire to carry ammunition from his company to another unit defending an important hill. Although the heat and enemy fire forced most of the men to be relieved after three trips, he continued to carry up ammunition and return with casualties until he collapsed and had to be evacuated.

On the night of October 2, 1952, Kelso was serving at a vital outpost near Sokcho, Korea, when a numerically superior enemy attack, under cover of small arms, grenade and mortar fire, made casualties of both his platoon commander and platoon sergeant. After exposing himself to a hail of enemy fire to try to reorganize the unit, he was driven to cover with four other Marines in a nearby bunker, where an enemy grenade landed among them. He picked it up, ran into the open and threw it back at the enemy, receiving painful wounds as the grenade exploded on leaving his hand. He was again forced into the shelter by even more intense enemy fire, but refused to remain there. Moving out into the fire-swept area, he fired away at the enemy until he was mortally wounded, thereby covering the escape of the other Marines from the bunker. For his "conspicuous gallantry" in this final action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was also posthumously awarded two Purple Heart Medals.

Kelso completed his recruit training in San Diego, California, in July 1951 and that September was ordered from San Diego to Camp Pendleton, California. In January 1952, he left for Hawaii, where he served until April 1952.

Jack William Kelso (January 23, 1934 – October 2, 1952) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on the night of October 2, 1952, during the First Battle of the Hook in the Korean War. He was killed while covering the escape of fellow Marines from a besieged bunker. He was the 31st Marine to receive the United States's highest military decoration for valor during the Korean War.

Jack William Kelso was born on January 23, 1934, in Madera, California, and attended grade and high school in Caruthers, California. He worked on his father's farm until he enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 15, 1951, at age 17.