John C. Shumate was an Army Medical Services Corps pharmacist

Pharmacist

Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...

 who transferred to the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 and joined the fledgling Air Rescue Services, becoming commandant of the Pararescue

Air Force Pararescue

Pararescuemen are United States Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments...

 and Survival School at MacDill AFB, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 in 1949. He was an early hero of the new Air Force Pararescue

Air Force Pararescue

Pararescuemen are United States Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments...

 community, earning a Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

 in the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

. Captain Shumate was also awarded the British Military Cross

Military Cross

The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

 for his actions. He retired from the Air Force as a full colonel

Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...

in 1969.

Silver Star Citation

On September 19, 1950, Capt. Shumate was awarded the Silver Star with the following citation:

Captain John C. Shumate, United States Air Force, distinguished himself by gallantry in action against the enemy on 10 October 1950, by rescueing an injured British fighter pilot from his downed aircraft, deep in enemy territory north of Seoul, Korea. Captain Shumate, in the capacity of para-doctor as part of a helicopter team, left the helicopter upon landing near the crashed aircraft, and rushed to the aid of the pilot. Enemy forces from a nearby farm house opened fire with small arms in an attempt to prevent any aid by Captain Shumate. At the risk of his life, Captain Shumate leaped to the wing of the aircraft and attempted to lift the pilot out of the cockpit. The pilot, paralyzed from the waist down and unable to help, was pinned to the wreckage by his flying suit. Still under enemy small arms fire, Captain Shumate lifted and held the pilot with one arm and with his free hand cut away the pilot's flight suit, freeing the pilot. Practically exhausted, Captain Shumate managed to carry and drag the pilot to safety from the small arms fire. Assisted by the helicopter pilot, the injured British fighter pilot was placed aboard the helicopter and flown to a hospital. The gallantry under enemy fire and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Shumate on this occasion are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.