Worth Henley Barber
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army

In December 1951, Second Lieutenant Worth Henley Barber was serving as a Platoon Leader with Company I, 3d Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 24 December, 2LT Barber was leading his men in an assault against a series of heavily fortified hostile emplacements in the vicinity of Pangmang-ni, Korea. During the mission, although he was painfully wounded, 2LT Barber charged forward in a single-handed attack and, with his rifle and grenades, succeeded in neutralizing the position and enabling his men to resume their assault. He later received instructions to break contact with the enemy and, after leading his men to safety, 2LT Barber returned to the fire-swept area to make sure that all of his men had fallen back. While making his search he was killed by an exploding artillery shell. His extraordinary heroic actions, combined with his inspiring leadership, 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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Worth H. Barber (ASN: 0-946114), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company I, 3d Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Second Lieutenant Barber distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Pangmang-ni, Korea, on 25 December 1951. On that date, Lieutenant Barber was leading his men in an assault against a series of heavily fortified hostile emplacements. As the friendly troops approached their objective, a heavy volume of small-arms, automatic weapons, mortar, and artillery fire poured down from the enemy positions. Continuously exposing himself to enemy fire, Lieutenant Barber did not allow his men to falter. Instead he led them forward, inspiring them by his own courageous actions. Observing one of his men fall wounded on the exposed terrain, Lieutenant Barber raced through the enemy fire and carried the man to cover and then moved to the forefront of his troops to continue directing the attack. At this time, he was hit by fragments of an exploding mortar shell, but upon discovering the position of an enemy machine-gun which was pouring intense fire into the ranks of the friendly troops, he disregarded his painfully wound and charged forward in a single-handed attack. With his rifle and grenades, he succeeded in neutralizing the position, thus enabling his men to resume their assault. Finally, when the deeply entrenched hostile force threatened the friendly troops with annihilation, Lieutenant Barber received instructions to break contact with the enemy. After leading his men to safety, Lieutenant Barber voluntarily returned to the fire-swept area to assure himself that all of his men had fallen back. It was while searching the terrain that he was killed by an exploding artillery shell.

General Orders: Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 276 (May 29, 1952)

Death and Burial