How Clifford C. Sims Earned the Medal of Honor in Korea

Dec 30 , 2025

How Clifford C. Sims Earned the Medal of Honor in Korea

Clifford C. Sims bled beneath a merciless sky, bullets clawing through the air like death itself was raining down. His unit pinned by enemy fire, surrounded, desperate—he stood, raw and broken, a scar running from cheek to jaw. And still, he charged forward, dragging his men from the jaws of annihilation.

This is no tale of flawless heroism—this is the blood and grit behind a Medal of Honor.

The Ground That Forged a Soldier

Clifford Sims hailed from California, born in 1925, a farm boy shaped by hard work and honest grit. A man who carried the weight of his small-town values into the chaos of war. Raised Christian, his faith was not hollow words but a backbone—one that saw pain as part of a larger purpose.

Long before the Korean snows, Sims understood sacrifice. “Greater love hath no man than this,” he lived by those words, etched in John 15:13, because every wound he bore was a covenant—his pledge to those beside him.

Drafted in 1945 but not seeing the end of WWII, Sims found himself in a new fight less than a decade later. The Korean War was a brutal conflict with little glory, only the cold, biting reality of survival.

The Battle That Defined Him

September 7, 1950. Near Waegwan, Korea. The 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment fought on the rocky ridges that spit death like a furnace. Sims, a Sergeant then, led a small squad over treacherous terrain, deep in hostile lines.

Enemy machine guns and mortars crippled their advance. His unit faltered under withering fire. Horribly wounded—yet unbowed—Sims seized the initiative.

Despite a shattered left hand and multiple bullet wounds, he grabbed a rifle with his right hand, raised it high, and bellowed for his men to follow.

“With one hand, Sims pressed the attack. He led his men forward, clearing enemy bunkers and sowing confusion among the foe.” — Army Medal of Honor Citation, 1951¹

His furious charge didn’t just push back the enemy—it saved dozens of lives. The squad rallied; the line held. Sims refused evacuation. His determination was a shield stronger than any armor.

Recognition Carved in Valor

For his relentless courage, Clifford C. Sims was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 2, 1951. The citation chronicled his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty,” words heavy with truth.

Generals praised him. Comrades described him as “inspirational beyond description,”—a warrior who did not let wounds decide his fate.

Sims’ burns, bullet scars, and a shattered hand were less than the price he paid in spirit. But those scars—visible and invisible—remained badges of honor, reminders that valor thrives in the darkest moments.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Faith

Clifford Sims died in 2006, but his legacy is immortal. His stand at Waegwan teaches veterans and civilians alike that courage is forged in the furnace of sacrifice, not convenience. That leadership, true and raw, means stepping forward when every instinct screams to retreat.

In a world eager to gloss over the grit, Sims’ story demands we remember.

“We must endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as sons.” — Hebrews 12:7

His scars tell of suffering. His faith tells of redemption. His life tells of purpose beyond the gun smoke and blood.

To honor Clifford C. Sims is to honor the millions who carry their wars within. Those broken warriors who rise—not because they're unscarred—but because they find meaning in sacrifice. That is the warrior’s true victory.

The field was bloodied. The soldier was broken. But the spirit? That endures forever.

Sources

¹ U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients – Korean War” ² Richard C. Knott, _Echoes of Heroes: Korean War Medal of Honor Stories_, University Press ³ Department of Defense Archives, Korean War Unit After-Action Reports