Ernest E. West


Ernest Edison West is a former United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Korean War.

Early life

Born on September 2, 1931, in Russell, Kentucky, West was raised in an orphanage at the Methodist Children's Home in Versailles, Kentucky. He returned to visit the home a few years after receiving the Medal of Honor.

Korean War

West was drafted from Wurtland in 1950. By October 12, 1952, he was serving in Korea as a private first class with Company L, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. After his unit was ambushed near Sataeri on that day, he ran through heavy fire to rescue his wounded commander, Captain George Gividen. As he was pulling the man to safety, three hostile soldiers attacked. West shielded the commander with his body and killed the attackers with his rifle, suffering a wound which resulted in the loss of his eye in the process. Despite this injury, he remained on the field and assisted in the evacuation of other wounded men, at one point killing three more hostile soldiers. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor just over a year later, on January 29, 1954.
West currently lives in Wurtland, Kentucky.

Medal of Honor citation

West's official Medal of Honor citation reads: