Charles George


Charles George was a U.S. Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat on November 30, 1952, during the Korean War. He was fatally wounded when he threw himself on a grenade to protect other soldiers in his company and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Biography

George was born in Cherokee, North Carolina and was a Cherokee Native American. He entered service at Whittier, North Carolina. At the time of George's death in battle he held the rank of Private First Class in Company C of the 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. The action for which he received the Medal of Honor was near Songnae-dong, Korea.

Medal of Honor citation

The Medal of Honor was awarded on March 18, 1954. The citation read:

Charles George VA Medical Center

The VA Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina is named in honor of Charles George and thus is officially known as the .
Several boys recovered George's Purple Heart, Bronze Star and GCM in an antique shop. The owner donated the medals on the condition the boys find the family and return them, which they did.