Clifford C. Sims' Medal of Honor at Hill 440, Korean War

Jan 08 , 2026

Clifford C. Sims' Medal of Honor at Hill 440, Korean War

Clifford C. Sims wasn’t just a soldier bleeding in the mud; he was a lifeline thrown into a storm of death. The moment his left leg shattered beneath him, Sims didn’t falter. He pulled himself up. Led a charge—not despite the pain, but through it. That kind of grit demands remembering.

Born of a Humble Soil, Raised by Conviction

Clifford Charles Sims came into this world on July 23, 1931, in Texas.[1] He grew up in the hard shadows of the Great Depression—a boy steeped in the quiet fortitude of rural America. His faith was never some Sunday ritual, but the bedrock that shaped his moral compass.

He carried Proverbs 3:5-6 like a shield: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart...". That trust was no abstract fire. It was the very flame that burned away fear in the bitter Korean winter.

He enlisted in the Army, joining the 2nd Infantry Division. Sims was a young man with purpose beyond duty—he remembered the fallen, the broken, the weight of what it means to stand and fight for those beside you.

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 440, Korea, July 1953

The heat of the Korean War had faded into a cold, unforgiving July. The hilltops became a chessboard drenched in blood and sweat. For Sims, July 19, 1953, was the day his life split before and after.

At Hill 440, under savage enemy bombardment and relentless assaults, Sims served with Company E, 17th Infantry Regiment. The Chinese forces surged with terrorizing ferocity, intent on overrunning their position.

During the chaos, Sims was hit twice—once in the side, then his left leg was shattered by a mortar round. Most men would have crawled to safety. Sims did something else. “Refusing medical aid,” his Medal of Honor citation says, he organized a counterattack. He pulled himself forward, rallying his comrades despite the severity of his wounds.[2]

With his unit faltering under fire, Sims crawled from foxhole to foxhole, distributing ammunition, coordinating defense, and directing fire. The hill was a furnace of death, and he was the one who refused to let it consume his men. His leadership turned the tide—it was those seconds of defiance that saved many lives.

Recognition Wrought in Blood and Valor

For Sims, the Medal of Honor came not as a prize, but a heavy testament. President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded it February 22, 1955.[3] The citation reads:

“Private First Class Sims distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Despite being severely wounded... he continued to lead, inspire, and fight.”

Leaders on the ground called Sims a living example of Samuel’s teaching: “Be strong and courageous” (1 Samuel 23:2). Colonel Edward R. L. Tyson praised Sims’ “unyielding spirit” under brutal conditions.

Few warriors anchor their valor in the faith that bore Sims forward. His courage wasn’t stunt—it was sacrificial purpose stitched in shrapnel and prayer.

The Legacy Etched in Blood and Hope

Years later, Clifford Sims’ tale refuses to fade. He embodies the warrior’s sacred truth: courage is not the absence of fear, but the command to press onward when the enemy sees weakness.

Veterans repeat his story not to glorify war, but to honor the redemptive power forged in its fires. Sims teaches that leadership is about sacrifice beyond self. It reminds civilians and soldiers alike: freedom demands those who will fight through brokenness.

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). Sims lived that promise—his wounds bled a message to the living.

Today, when we speak of heroism, let it be raw and real. Let it recognize that beyond medals, beyond speeches, there are men like Clifford C. Sims—haunted, scarred, yet unyielding. They fight the long battle for honor, faith, and the brother next to them.

That is the true cost. That is the enduring legacy.

Sources

1. Texas Birth Records + U.S. Army Enlistment Archives 2. U.S. Army Medal of Honor Citation, Clifford C. Sims, July 1953 3. Medal of Honor Recipients 1863-2013, U.S. Army Center of Military History