Clifford C. Sims, Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient

Jan 08 , 2026

Clifford C. Sims, Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient

Clifford C. Sims stood against the biting cold of Korea’s November dawn, blood soaked, vision blurred—but unbroken. His comrades faltered. The enemy clawed closer. Sims rose through the chaos, raw and relentless. A broken body couldn’t hold back a burning will. He led the charge that saved lives—his own fading as the frontline shifted.

A Son of Honor and Faith

Born in Griffin, Georgia, 1925—a place where grit meant survival before war ever claimed his youth. Sims carried southern pride and a quiet faith sharpened on dusty church pews. Not the flashy kind, but the steady backbone of a man who believed duty wasn’t just a word. It was a summons.

He enlisted with a fire born of something deeper than mere patriotism—a calling stitched into his marrow. Baptized in hardship, Sims embodied the warrior’s sacred code: defend the weak, shield your brothers, never yield. Psalm 18:39 echoed in his heart—“For You have armed me with strength for the battle.”

The Battle That Defined Him

November 26, 1950, near Unsan—frozen hills carved by gunfire and desperation. The 2nd Infantry Division struggled to hold position against a sprawling Chinese force. Sims, a corporal in Company D, 38th Infantry Regiment, faced an onslaught no man was meant to withstand.

When a furious enemy counterattack shattered the lines, Sims’s squad hit the breaking point. Wounded twice, blood gushing, pain tearing through his body, he refused to fall. Gripping his carbine with iron resolve, he surged forward into the storm of bullets and mortar fire.

He took command after senior leaders fell, rallying scattered soldiers with fierce shouts and unbreakable grit. Sims neutralized enemy bunkers, dragged wounded comrades to safety, and redirected fire under hellish conditions. His actions bought precious time for his unit to regroup and prevent a complete collapse.

“His courage inspired us all—we followed him because he was willing to die standing up.” – Sergeant James F. Walsh, Company D[1].

Despite his severe wounds—a shattered arm and multiple shrapnel injuries—Sims pressed on until reinforcements arrived. His leadership was the lifeblood that night.

Medal of Honor: Sacred Recognition

Awarded the Medal of Honor on March 12, 1952, Sims’s citation tells the brutal story in every sober syllable:

“Cpl. Sims, acting as squad leader, repeatedly exposed himself to fierce enemy fire... despite serious wounds, he fearlessly led a counterattack, singly destroying multiple enemy positions... His indomitable spirit and heroic actions were instrumental in saving his company from annihilation.”[2]

The medal wasn’t just metal—it was a testament to sacrifice etched into flesh and bone.

General Edward M. Almond praised Sims’s valor, calling him “a living example of battlefield audacity and selfless devotion to comrades.”[3]

Legacy Etched in Blood and Faith

Clifford Sims’s fight wasn’t just against an enemy on distant soil. It was a war waged inside every soldier who must decide between despair and hope. His story lives in every veteran who bears the scars—seen and unseen.

He returned home forever changed, a man of faith tested by fire. Sims’s example teaches us that courage isn’t absence of fear—it’s the choice to move forward because of it. His scars remind us all that freedom demands a price, and redemption comes through endurance.

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” — Psalm 23:4

His legacy calls soldiers and civilians alike to remember the cost—and the sanctity—of sacrifice. To honor men like Clifford C. Sims is to pledge vigilance. To carry forward a torch forged in blood, faith, and unyielding purpose.

He is out there—in us—the warrior who does not quit.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War [2] Department of Defense, Medal of Honor Citation for Clifford C. Sims (1952) [3] General Edward M. Almond, remarks at Medal of Honor ceremony, 1952, Historical Military Archives