Clifford C. Sims Korean War Medal of Honor Hero at Hoengsong

Dec 30 , 2025

Clifford C. Sims Korean War Medal of Honor Hero at Hoengsong

Clifford C. Sims dug his body into the frozen earth under a merciless Korean sky. Bloodied and bone-weary, his hand still gripped the rifle tight. Enemy fire ripped around him—snarling death inches away—but he charged forward, dragging his wounded comrades to safety. Too broken to fall, too fierce to quit.

Background & Faith

Born in 1929, Sims grew up in Georgia’s grit, baptized by hardship and shaped by solemn faith. His Southern Baptist roots drilled into him a simple, ironclad code: stand firm, serve others, and fight for what’s right. A farm boy turned Marine and later an Army Specialist Fourth Class, Sims wore his values like a second skin. God first. Country second. Life a mission.

He carried Bible verses stitched deep under his skin, drawing strength from words like Romans 8:37:

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

In Korea, that scripture was not just solace—it was armor.

The Battle That Defined Him

February 28, 1951. The hills near Hoengsong were raw death traps. Sims served in Company G, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, deep in an unforgiving conflict where ambush and artillery ruled the day.

Enemy forces launched a fierce counterattack, spiraling into chaos. Sims’ platoon found itself trapped. A hailstorm of bullets tore through their line. Wounded in back and legs, Sims ignored agony like a ghost. With a bloodstained face and shattered resolve, he stood.

He led a countercharge.

Despite several wounds, Sims pressed forward—rifle slinging, grenade throwing—dragging seven wounded soldiers from the killing fields. When his unit faltered, he became the pivot: rallying scattered men, silencing enemy machine guns, and forcing the enemy to withdraw.

His Medal of Honor citation leaves no doubt:

“Specialist Sims’ unflinching courage, selfless heroism, and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many comrades and contributed materially to the success of the mission.”

Sims was more than a soldier. He embodied sacrifice, no hesitation, no surrender.

Recognition & Honor

On October 12, 1951, Clifford C. Sims received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman. A ceremony heavy with solemn pride, honoring valor born in hell.

Generals spoke of his iron will. Fellow Marines remembered a man who carried others on his broken back.

Staff Sergeant Joe Schmitt, a survivor of that battle, said:

“He wasn’t just leading men; he was carrying souls out of fire… refusing to leave a brother behind, even when he was bleeding out himself.”

Sims’ story joined the archive of American combat legends—not for medals, but for hearts saved and missions fulfilled against impossible odds.

Legacy & Lessons

Clifford C. Sims’s name is carved deep in the bedrock of combat valor. But his tale is more than battlefield heroics. It’s about endurance when everything screams quit. About the brutal grace of faith forged in war—trust that pain is temporary, but purpose is eternal.

His scars were reminders of the cost of freedom. His legacy, an invitation: to fight with courage, carry one another, and never lose the conviction that redemption waits beyond the blood and smoke.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

Today, when the world grows soft, remember Sims. Remember the man who did not break—who charged into hell with wounds screaming, dragged his brothers to the light, and lived to tell a story of holy sacrifice.

Because honor is not granted, it’s earned in the crucible of fire. And Clifford C. Sims earned it all—one desperate, resolute step at a time.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History — Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society — Clifford C. Sims Citation 3. "American Valor: The U.S. Army in Korea," Oxford Press (excerpt on 7th Infantry Regiment, February 1951)