Joseph C. Rodriguez
Encyclopedia
Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez (November 14, 1928 – November 1, 2005) born in San Bernardino, California
, was a United States Army
soldier who received the Medal of Honor
- the United States' highest military decoration for his actions near Munye-ri, Korea during the Korean War
.
and ordered to report for induction in his hometown.
He received his basic training at Camp Carson in Colorado
. There he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion of the 196th Regimental Combat Team. Private Rodriguez completed his basic training in February 1951 and volunteered for duty in Korea. He was promoted to Private First Class
and sent overseas and assigned to Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division.
decided on an amphibious invasion of North Korea
's west coast, entrusting the 1st Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division for the mission. The division landed in Pusan and continued to drive toward the southeast to seize key terrain, and also to cut off possible enemy escape routes. On November 27, the terrain gained by the division came under heavy attack from the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) who had intervened in the war. The enemy attack caught the 7th strung out, with some elements as far as 250 miles apart.
On May 21, 1951, Company F was assigned the mission of occupying some high ground near the Korean village of Munye-ri. The high ground was firmly entrenched with Communist Forces, who were unwilling to give up the ground. Three times Company F attacked the ridge and three times they were thrown back.
PFC Joseph C. Rodriguez was the assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon. His squad's advance was halted by enemy hostile fire coming from 5 different emplacements. Rodriguez then took it upon himself the mission of destroying these emplacements. He charged the emplacements and hurled grenades
in each one of the foxholes. Rodriguez destroyed the emplacements and annihilated a total of 15 enemy soldiers. As a result the enemy was routed and the strategic strongpoint secured. PFC. Rodriguez was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and nominated for the Medal of Honor.
On February 5, 1952, President Harry S. Truman
bestowed Sgt. Rodriguez with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony held in the Rose Garden
in the White House
.
On April 24, 1952, Rodriguez and his fiancée Miss Rose Aranda were the invited guest on “You Bet Your Life”, a 1950s television
gameshow hosted by Groucho Marx
. The following is part of the conversation between Rodriguez and Marx in the show:
In 1953, Rodriguez married Rose and together they had three children. He subsequently became a commissioned officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers, serving more than 30 years in the U.S., through four Latin America
n assignments, and unaccompanied tours in Korea and Vietnam
. In 1980, Rodriguez retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel.
Rodriguez was residing with his wife, Rose, in El Paso, Texas, at the time of his retirement. He spent the next ten years as Facilities Director at the University of Texas. He dedicated much of his time of his last fifteen years to national speech engagements addressing young people and soldiers, encouraging them to pursue their education.
Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez died on November 1, 2005 in El Paso and was buried with full military honors at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, California. Rodriguez is survived by his wife Rose; his son, Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, Lawrence R. Rodriguez; daughter, Karen Sharp; 11 grandchildren; 10 sisters and 2 brothers.
JOSEPH C. RODRIGUEZ
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment
, 7th Infantry Division.
Place and date:Near Munye-ri, Korea, May 21, 1951.
Entered service at:California
Born: November 14, 1928, San Bernardino, Calif.
G.O. No.: 22, February 5, 1952.
Citation:
Badges:
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, was a 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...
soldier who 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...
- the United States' highest military decoration for his actions near Munye-ri, Korea 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...
.
Early years
Rodriguez, a Mexican-American, was raised in the town of San Bernardino where he also received his primary and secondary education. On October 1950, Rodriguez was drafted into the United States ArmyUnited 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...
and ordered to report for induction in his hometown.
He received his basic training at Camp Carson in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. There he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion of the 196th Regimental Combat Team. Private Rodriguez completed his basic training in February 1951 and volunteered for duty in Korea. He was promoted to Private First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
and sent overseas and assigned to Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division.
Korean War
On June 1950, General Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
decided on an amphibious invasion of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's west coast, entrusting the 1st Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division for the mission. The division landed in Pusan and continued to drive toward the southeast to seize key terrain, and also to cut off possible enemy escape routes. On November 27, the terrain gained by the division came under heavy attack from the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) who had intervened in the war. The enemy attack caught the 7th strung out, with some elements as far as 250 miles apart.
On May 21, 1951, Company F was assigned the mission of occupying some high ground near the Korean village of Munye-ri. The high ground was firmly entrenched with Communist Forces, who were unwilling to give up the ground. Three times Company F attacked the ridge and three times they were thrown back.
PFC Joseph C. Rodriguez was the assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon. His squad's advance was halted by enemy hostile fire coming from 5 different emplacements. Rodriguez then took it upon himself the mission of destroying these emplacements. He charged the emplacements and hurled grenades
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
in each one of the foxholes. Rodriguez destroyed the emplacements and annihilated a total of 15 enemy soldiers. As a result the enemy was routed and the strategic strongpoint secured. PFC. Rodriguez was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and nominated for the Medal of Honor.
On February 5, 1952, President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
bestowed Sgt. Rodriguez with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony held in the Rose Garden
White House Rose Garden
The White House Rose Garden is a garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House. The garden is approximately 125 feet long and 60 feet wide...
in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
Later years
After the Korean War, Rodriguez decided to make the military his career. He was assigned to the administrative staff at the ORC headquarters in San Bernardino.On April 24, 1952, Rodriguez and his fiancée Miss Rose Aranda were the invited guest on “You Bet Your Life”, a 1950s television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
gameshow hosted by Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
. The following is part of the conversation between Rodriguez and Marx in the show:
- Groucho: If you don’t win any money here tonight it won’t be my fault, son! Well, Joe, that’s the most amazing thing I ever heard. There’s just one thing I’d like to know – when you were running through all that lead, what were you thinking about?
- Joe: Well, I wasn’t thinking – I was just mad, I guess.
- Groucho: You wiped out a whole army just because you got mad? Joe...if I said anything here tonight that you resent, I was just being facetious.
- Groucho: What are your plans for the future, Joe?
- Joe: I hope to make a career in the Army.
- Groucho: Well, I’m sure glad you’re on our side. Rose, take good care of this fella. My advice is, don’t ever make him mad – he’s liable to wipe out Los Angeles! Well, you’re a fine couple, and I’m sure you’re going to have many happy, handsome, bright, and brave children.
In 1953, Rodriguez married Rose and together they had three children. He subsequently became a commissioned officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers, serving more than 30 years in the U.S., through four Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n assignments, and unaccompanied tours in Korea and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. In 1980, Rodriguez retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel.
Rodriguez was residing with his wife, Rose, in El Paso, Texas, at the time of his retirement. He spent the next ten years as Facilities Director at the University of Texas. He dedicated much of his time of his last fifteen years to national speech engagements addressing young people and soldiers, encouraging them to pursue their education.
Colonel Joseph C. Rodriguez died on November 1, 2005 in El Paso and was buried with full military honors at Mountain View Cemetery in San Bernardino, California. Rodriguez is survived by his wife Rose; his son, Lt. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, Lawrence R. Rodriguez; daughter, Karen Sharp; 11 grandchildren; 10 sisters and 2 brothers.
Medal of Honor citation
17th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 17th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. While the 17th Infantry Regiment was organized on January 11, 1812, it was consolidated with the 3rd Infantry due to extremely heavy losses at Frenchtown, and lost its identity two years later until May 3, 1861, when it was...
, 7th Infantry Division.
Sgt. Rodriguez, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sgt. Rodriguez, an assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon, was participating in an attack against a fanatical hostile force occupying well-fortified positions on rugged commanding terrain, when his squad's advance was halted within approximately 60 yards by a withering barrage of automatic weapons and small-arms fire from 5 emplacements directly to the front and right and left flanks, together with grenades which the enemy rolled down the hill toward the advancing troops. Fully aware of the odds against him, Sgt. Rodriguez leaped to his feet, dashed 60 yards up the fire-swept slope, and, after lobbing grenades into the first foxhole with deadly accuracy, ran around the left flank, silenced an automatic weapon with 2 grenades and continued his whirlwind assault to the top of the peak, wiping out 2 more foxholes and then, reaching the right flank, he tossed grenades into the remaining emplacement, destroying the gun and annihilating its crew. Sgt. Rodriguez' intrepid actions exacted a toll of 15 enemy dead and, as a result of his incredible display of valor, the defense of the opposition was broken, and the enemy routed, and the strategic strongpoint secured. His unflinching courage under fire and inspirational devotion to duty reflect highest credit on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.
Awards and recognitions
Among Joseph C. Rodriguez's decorations and medals were the following:| 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... |
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| National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
Korean Service Medal Korean Service Medal The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who... with two bronze stars |
United Nations Service Medal United Nations Service Medal The United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950... |
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Badges:
Combat Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients
- Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients