Rep. Pat Ryan urges President Biden to honor fallen Korean War hero from Dutchess County
Private First Class Charles Johnson was severely injured on June 11, 1953, while he and his fellow soldiers came under heavy fire serving near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, according to Congressman Pat Ryan.
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There’s a new push to award a fallen Korean War hero and Arlington High School graduate with the Medal of Honor for his selfless actions credited with saving the lives of at least eight Americans overseas in 1953.
Private First Class Charles Johnson was severely injured on June 11, 1953, while he and his fellow soldiers came under heavy fire serving near the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, according to Congressman Pat Ryan.
Ryan recently wrote a letter to President Joe Biden calling for Johnson’s Silver Star, the third-highest military award for gallantry in combat, to be upgraded.
Johnson disregarded his safety in a trench where the soldiers were taking cover to help his comrades, according to Ryan. The representative says the soldiers were surrounded without ammunition, and that Johnson left to find weapons, single-handedly holding off the enemy front until reinforcements could arrive.
Johnson was killed in action the following day.
“PFC Johnson is an absolute American hero – allowing another day to go by without awarding him the Medal of Honor that he deserves is flat out wrong,” said Congressman Ryan. “His actions of profound bravery were derived from a life firmly grounded in service to his country, and his Millbrook community, as well as an unwavering commitment and sense of duty to his brothers in uniform. His life merits and elevated place in American history – for his family, for his community, and for every American, who can draw inspiration from his selfless sacrifice.”
