Rawland N. Otterstrom
Corporal, U.S. Army

In October 1951, Corporal Rawland N. Otterstrom was serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 24th Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 4 October, CPL Otterstrom's unit was engaged with enemy forces in the vicinity of Sangyang, North Korea. Company C was engaged in an assault against a series of heavily fortified and well-concealed enemy positions. As the Company advanced, the troops were subjected to heavy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire that increased in intensity until they were forced to seek cover. The company commander was severely wounded by an exploding mortar shell and fell helpless on the fire-swept terrain. Seeing that his leader was completely exposed to the fire of a hidden enemy machine-gun, CPL Otterstrom tried to reach the stricken man. He worked his way through the heavy enemy fire until he was hit and instantly killed by a burst from the machine-gun. His action, however, had forced the hidden automatic-weapons crew to reveal their location and the friendly forces immediately converged their entire firepower on the emplacement. With the enemy positions destroyed, the troops of Company C were able to renew their assault and evacuate their leader. CPL Otterstrom's extraordinary heroism earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal Rawland N. Otterstrom (ASN: US-56059056), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 24th Infantry Division. Corporal Otterstrom distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Sangyang, Korea, on 13 October 1951. On that date, the company of which Corporal Otterstrom was a member was engaged in an assault against a series of heavily fortified and well-concealed enemy positions. As the friendly troops advanced, they were subjected to heavy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire which increased in intensity until they were forced to seek cover. At this point in the assault, the company commander was severely wounded by an exploding mortar shell and fell helpless on the fire-swept terrain. Observing that his leader was completely exposed to the fire of a hidden enemy machine-gun, Corporal Otterstrom left his position of cover and attempted to reach the stricken man. With utter fearlessness, he worked his way through the heavy enemy fire being concentrated on him until he was hit and instantly killed by a burst from the machine-gun. His heroic action, however, had forced the hidden automatic-weapons crew to reveal their location and the friendly forces immediately converged their entire firepower on the emplacement. With the enemy positions destroyed, the friendly troops were able to renew their assault and evacuate their leader.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 192 (April 12, 1952)

Burial

Corporal Rawland N. Otterstrom is buried at Cleveland Cemetery in Cleveland, Emery County, UT, in Plot: C-2-2.

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