04SEPT1950: Taking place in the critical Battle of the Pusan Perimeter, PFC Melvin Brown moved with his team to take Hill 755 where they prepared for an enemy counterattack. Leading with heavy machine gun fire, the counterattack quickly materialized with Brown and his men doing their best to hold on. Brown moved atop a wall where he could identify enemy soldiers moving to attack. From there, he laid down deadly fire and began lobbing grenades into the advancing foe. As he was in the most forward position, Brown's fellow Soldiers began bringing grenades close to his position as a resupply. Out of ammunition and having just thrown his last grenade, PFC Brown picked up his entrenching tool and waited. As the next 10+ enemy Soldiers attempted to scale the wall at his position, Brown killed each in deadly hand to hand combat. His valiant effort so inspired his men that they held the line, starting what would eventually turn the tide of the war. In the deadly close quarters combat of these few days, PFC Melvin Brown was declared missing and later, killed in action during the battle. In recognition of his brave sacrifice, PFC Melvin Brown, killed at the age of 19, would be awarded posthumously, the Medal of Honor.

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