Edward Ansel White
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

Edward Ansel White is the son of Major General Charles Henry White, USA, and Mary Riddle Trapp White. Edward attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY. Upon his graduation with the Class of 1948, White was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army.

In August 1950, First Lieutenant White was serving with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division, in Korea.

On 2 August, 1LT White's Company F was engaged with enemy forces near Kumchon, South Korea, and he was in command of an outpost with eleven men when an enemy force of two platoons launched a predawn attack. 1LT White withheld the order to fire until the enemy got within twenty-five yards and then his men delivered such devastating fire with small arms and grenades that thirty enemy troops were killed. During this action the outpost used most of its ammunition and 1LT White drove a jeep to the rear for more ammunition, down a road swept by machine-gun fire. After obtaining the ammunition, he started back through the heavy enemy fire and was killed. 1LT White's courageous actions 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
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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Edward Ansel White (ASN: 0-57152), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. First Lieutenant White distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Kumchon, Korea, on 2 August 1950. On that date, Lieutenant White was in command of an outpost comprising eleven men when an enemy force of two platoons launched a pre-dawn attack. In the face of overwhelming odds, Lieutenant White calmly withheld the order to fire until the enemy approached within twenty-five yards, then his outpost delivered such devastating fire from small arms and grenades that thirty of the enemy were killed. During this action the outpost expended nearly all of its ammunition and Lieutenant White, although the road was swept with machine-gun fire, drove a jeep to the rear for more ammunition. Obtaining the ammunition, he started back through the concentrated enemy fire. During the return trip First Lieutenant White was killed.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 55 (September 7, 1950)

Burial

First Lieutenant Edward Ansel White is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Arlington County, VA, in Section 3, Site 1793-B.

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