Nelson V. Brittin was a soldier

Soldier

A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...

 in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 during 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...

. He received the Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 dated February 1, 1952, for his actions on March 7, 1951.

Brittin is buried in Beverly National Cemetery

Beverly National Cemetery

Beverly National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Beverly, in Burlington County, New Jersey. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2008, had 49,080 interments.-History:...

 in Beverly, New Jersey

Beverly, New Jersey

Beverly is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,577.Beverly was originally incorporated as a borough on March 5, 1850, within Willingboro Township...

.

Awards and decorations

Britton's awards include:

•   Medal of Honor
  Medal of Honor
  The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
  
  

•   Purple Heart
  Purple Heart
  The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
  
  

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class

Sergeant First Class

Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...

U.S. Army, Company I, 19th Infantry Regiment

Place and date: Vicinity of Yonggong-ni, Korea, March 7, 1951

Entered service at: Audubon, NJ

Audubon, New Jersey

Audubon is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,819.On March 13, 1905, through an act of the New Jersey Legislature, Audubon was created a borough from portions of Haddon Township. It was named after John James...

 Birth: Audubon, NJ

Audubon, New Jersey

Audubon is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,819.On March 13, 1905, through an act of the New Jersey Legislature, Audubon was created a borough from portions of Haddon Township. It was named after John James...

G.O. No.: 12, February 1, 1952.

Citation:

Sfc. Brittin, a member of Company I, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. Volunteering to lead his squad up a hill, with meager cover against murderous fire from the enemy, he ordered his squad to give him support and, in the face of withering fire and bursting shells, he tossed a grenade at the nearest enemy position. On returning to his squad, he was knocked down and wounded by an enemy grenade. Refusing medical attention, he replenished his supply of grenades and returned, hurling grenades into hostile positions and shooting the enemy as they fled. When his weapon jammed, he leaped without hesitation into a foxhole and killed the occupants with his bayonet and the butt of his rifle. He continued to wipe out foxholes and, noting that his squad had been pinned down, he rushed to the rear of a machine gun position, threw a grenade into the nest, and ran around to its front, where he killed all 3 occupants with his rifle. Less than 100 yards up the hill, his squad again came under vicious fire from another camouflaged, sandbagged, machine gun nest well-flanked by supporting riflemen. Sfc. Brittin again charged this new position in an aggressive endeavor to silence this remaining obstacle and ran direct into a burst of automatic fire which killed him instantly. In his sustained and driving action, he had killed 20 enemy soldiers and destroyed 4 automatic weapons. The conspicuous courage, consummate valor, and noble self-sacrifice displayed by Sfc. Brittin enabled his inspired company to attain its objective and reflect the highest glory on himself and the heroic traditions of the military service.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients