Leonard Bennett was attached to E-Company and was KIA on Hill 290
Phillip Gonzales, another Medic was SWA and separated from the service
Gonzales was hit by 120mm mortar along with Lewis Guess in the same action.

Records are not available for awards made to individuals. The listing are from copies of the 45th Division News. The Purple Heart listing is from the Korean Casuality List as well as E Company Morning Reports. It is not known if a Purple Heart was awarded for each, as some may not have qualified as a combat inflicted.

SFC Robert Shore, left, Awarded the Silver Star, 1st Lt Robert Bates receiving
the Bronze Star from LTC Ellis B. Ritchie, CO 180th Inf.
Photo courtisy of Robert Bates

HEADQUARTERS 45^TH INFANTRY DIVISION

APO 86

GENERAL ORDERS 15 March 1952

NUMBER 26

AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR

By direction of the President, under the provision of the Act of Congress, approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul 43, 1918), and pursuant to authority in AR 600-45, the Silver Star for gallantry in action is awarded to the following-named enlisted man:

Corporal ROBERT W HEIDER, US 55050854 (then Private First Class), Infantry, United States Army, Company E, 180^th Infantry Regiment, 45^thInfantry Division, distinguished himself by gallantry in action against an armed enemy, near Haugae, Korea. On 12 January 1952, Corporal HEIDER was an automatic rifleman serving with his company in an attack on well-fortified enemy hill emplacements. As the assault progressed, Corporal HEIDER'S squad was delayed by Chinese ground weapons. Ignoring the enemy fire falling all around him,Corporal HEIDER calmly set up his automatic rifle and fired at the most troublesome hostile emplacement, thus enabling his squad to move to more tenable positions. During this action Corporal HEIDER was wounded in the knee by a shell fragment. Nevertheless, when the order to withdraw came, Corporal HEIDER remained on the barren slope and offered cover-fire for his whole platoon until it had reached safety. Then he shifted to another point and provided protection for another friendly platoon while it evacuated its wounded and withdrew from the hill. Only after Corporal HEIDER had walked back to the company assembly area did he reveal that he had been wounded. The gallantry and determination displayed by Corporal HEIDER reflect the highest credit on himself and the miltary service. Entered the Federal Service from Nebraska.

BY ORDER OF MAJOR GENERAL STYRON:

                                           WILLIAM VAN STUCK
                                           Lt Col, GS w/Troops
                                           Chief of Staff

EDWARD A. JOHNSON
Lt Col, AGC
Adjutant General

Robert Heider
CIB/Silver Star/Purple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster

HEADQUARTERS 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION
APO 86

GENERAL ORDERS 27 July 1952
NUMBER 318

Section I

AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act
of Congress, approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul 43,1918), and Pursuant to
authority in AR 600-45, the Silver Star for gallantry in action is
awarded to the following-named enlisted man:

Master Sergeant ALLAN R. JONES, US 55 052 118, Infantry, United
States Army, Company E, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division
is cited for gallantry in action against an armed enemy, near Tumyong-
dong, Korea. On the morning of 12 June 1952, Company E attacked a dis-
organized but well-entrenched enemy on the crest of battle-razed Hill
191. As the third platoon began assaulting its designated sector, it
was held up by a den of Chinese troops who were delivering accurate
small-arms fire and hurling grenades on the friendly positions from the
right flank. Seeing that immediate action was necessary, Sergeant
JONES and three others volunteered to try to flank the enemy while the
remainder of the platoon gave supporting fire to the mission. The four
men waited until the rest of the platoon crawled into covered positions
from where they could most effectively fire on the enemy, and then began
advancing cautiously toward the hostile entrenchments. Suddenly, a
Chinese soldier apperared only twenty five yards away, wielding a rocket
launcher, and the four-man patrol dived for shelter. Sergeant Jones
waited only a short time before he began a one-man assault on the
viciously armed enemy. Circling the hostile emplacement, he patiently
crawled through the still intense mortar fire toward the den of Chinese.
When he was within ten yards of the hostile position, Sergeant JONES
leaped to his feet and, hurling grenades into the well-entrenched fort,
completely silenced the enemy position. During this daring maneuver,
Sergeant JONES was wounded several times by shell fragments, but he
doggedly continued his mission until the Chinese were killed and the
platoon was free to continue its attack. This gallantry displayed by
Sergeant JONES reflects the highest credit on himself and the United
States Army. Entered the Federal Service from Michigan.

BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL RUFFNER:

OFFICIAL:                              STEWART YEO
                                       Col      GS
                                       Chief of Staff
    B.B. SHARPE
    Major   AGC
    Acting AG

Allan R. Jones
CIB / Silver Star / Purple Heart

Silver Star For Fighting While Wounded
WITH THE U.S. 45^TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA

            PFC Lowell Mann, Wayne Neb., has been awarded the Silver Star Medal for continuing to fight the enemy after he had been injured by grenade shrapnel.
           Mann, an automatic rifleman was on patrol with his company, Company E, 180^th Infantry regiment of the 45^th "Thunderbird" division, when they attacked a heavily fortified Communist hill in Korea.
            During the attack, Mann was hit in the right leg by a grenade fragment. He refused to stop for medical treatment.
            As the attack continued the enemy poured a concentrated barrage of rifle, automatic weapon, grenade and mortar fire into the advancing ranks. The order came to withdraw.
            " When Private Mann heard this command, he immediately volunteered to cover his platoon's withdrawal and the evacuation of the wounded, again ignoring the fact that he himself had been wounded. After moving his weapon as close as possible to the Chinese emplacements, Private Mann directed a withering fire into them, effectively covering the withdrawal of his platoon and enabling litter bearers to remove the casualties." The citation read.

Clipping supplied by Al Hekkema

HEADQUARTERS 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION
APO 86

GENERAL ORDERS 12 FEBRUARY 1952

NUMBER 8

Section I

AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR ( POSTHUMOUS )

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress, approved 9 July 1918 ( WD Bul 43, 1918 ), and prusuant to authority in AR 600-45, the Silver Star for gallantry in action is awarded posthumously to the following enlisted man:

Private ROBERT V. CHEEK, US53058215, Infantry, United States Army, Company E, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division, distinguished himself by gallantry in action against an armed enemy near Sungyangi-ni, Korea. On 12 January 1952 Company E received intense enemy mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire as it assaulted violently defended Communist hill positions. Under the severe enemy fire the attack faltered, until Private CHEEK, point man of the first platoon, reached the crest of the hill and single-handedly rushed the Chinese positions, intermittently blasting with his rifle and hurling grenades into their bunkers. Maintaining his assault in the face of withering fire and kicking enemy grenades aside with his feet, Private CHEEK continued his one-man attack until he was finally felled by maching gun fire at the very brink of the enemy trenches. The valiant and determined charge made by Private CHEEK was inspirational to his fellow soldiers and paved the way for a vigorous continuation of the attack.
Private CHEEK's gallant and devoted actions reflect the highest credit on himself and perpetuate the great traditions of the military service.
Engered the Federal service from Georgia.

BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL STYRON:

OFFICIAL:                                                                                              WILLIAM VAN STUCK
                                                                                                              Lt. Col GS w/Troops
                                                                                                              Chief of Staff

EDWARD A. JOHNDROW
Major AGC
Adjutant General

Private Robert V. Cheek
CIB / Silver Star/ Purple Heart

AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR WITH " V " FOR VALOR

3 March 1952

This Information was supplied by Eddie Garrett from a News Paper Clipping from Hamilton Journal-News,
Hamilton, Ohio

PFC EDDIE K. GARRETT, 20 of Hamilton has been awarded the Bronze Star w / V for valor while serving with the 45th Thunderbird Division in Korea. A member of Company E, 180th Infantry Regiment, Garrett was on a patrol with the 3rd Platoon of the Company on January 12th 1952. They were withdrawing along a canal in the Korean No Man's Land under fire from the enemy after a raid on a nearby hill. During this operation Garrett saw a wounded United Nations soldier lying in a ravine about 100 yards south of the canal the citation reads. Heedless of his own safety, Private Garrett braved the severe fire from enemy mortar and machine gun emplacements to the north and southwest as he raced across the open ground to where the casualty lay. He then succedded in carrying the wounded man to the safety of the canal. The heroism and devotion to duty displayed by Private Garrett in rescuing his fallen comrade reflect great credit on himself and service. The citation reads.

Eddie Garrett joined E Company 9 Dec 51 from E Co 5th Cav. He was a Squad Leader, Sgt (1745) when he rotated out of Korea. His award was received for his action on Hill 290, T-Bone.

Eddie Garrett, 3rd Platoon
CIB, Bronze Star for Valor

RECOMMENDATION FOR BRONZE STAR FOR HEROISM
TO PVT. ADOLFO MELLO 31 Jan 1952

Transcribed from Form DA 639 by Frank Vanderbilt, information in ( ) added for clarification

Submitted by: 1^st Lt George H. Parrish, Company Commander, E Company, 180^th Infantry.

Location of Action:
(Hill 290), Haugue (CT 296378 ) North Korea Time: 12 Jan 1952 - 0800

Terrain & Weather:
The road leading to the base of the objective was deeply rutted and impassable for any vehicles other than full track. The objective area is extremely steep and rough. In order to ascend the hill it was necessary to take advantage of footholds and handholds to pull up. Snow covered the entire route. Temperature near zero degrees.

Enemy Conditions:
Morale Good; proximity 0-300 yards; automatic weapons fire, light and heavy mortar fire; actually counted 25 KIA, estimated KIA 50; estimated WIA 60. Estimated one reinforced company situated in well prepared defensive positions. Actions of enemy indicated a network of honeycombed positions along the top ridge line. The attack against the hill was launched with two platoons abreast. (1^st & 2^nd). The assisting platoons ( 3^rd & Wpns ) received small arms fire and automatic weapons fire from the top of the hill and 82mm mortar fire from a nearby hill. Heavy grenade fire and accuracy of mortars forced a limited withdrawal by the 1^st and 2^nd Platoons. After regrouping, friendly forces again fought their way up to the crest of Hill 290 only to be forced to withdraw again. At 1000 hours Company E was ordered to withdraw from their objective and return to the MLR.

Morale, Casualties and Mission:
Morale good; 6 KIA, including one Aid Man and 14 WIA; Mission was to raid the East end of Hill 290. Unit was attacking Hill 290 aggressively, members of the first two platoons reached the crest of the hill were engaged in hand to hand combat with the well entrenched enemy. The Chinese were firing into their own lines in an attempt to break up the attack.

Description of action:
“Pvt. Mello, an assistant machine gunner, was helping lay down a base of fire to cover the advance of the of the 1^st platoon. During the action, Pvt. Mello’s machine gun was knocked out by enemy fire. When his gun was rendered useless, Pvt. Mello volunteered to go to the aid of his wounded comrades on the hill. Armed with only a 45 pistol, Pvt. Mello advanced through intense mortar and automatic weapons fire and successfully aided in the evacuation of the wounded men from the hill. His unselfish act speeded the evacuation of the wounded from the hill and out of further danger from the enemy weapons.”

Witnesses:
Euil Neese, CPL, 1^st Platoon.
Leonard Massengale, SFC, 1^st Platoon.

Information courtesy Don & Betty Mello Good, who have been looking after Adolfo since his residence in the Brockton, MA V.A. Hospital in 1952, and the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol, RI to present. Contact was made by Dr. John DeMello, his cousin.

Adolfo Mello
CIB, Bronze Star w/V, Purple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster

1^st Lt John D. Scandling joined E Company from F Company 16 May 1952. He was promoted from Executive Officer to Company Commander 8 Jun 1952. He was transferred to 2^nd Bn Hq 180^th Inf, 1 Jul 1952. Lt Scandling was the CO during the 12-17 June action in the vicinity of Tumyong-Dong, North Korea.

This information is from http://www.usma1950.com/memorials/ScandlingJD.htm

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RECOMMENDATION FOR BRONZE STAR FOR HEROISM TO PVT. ADOLFO MELLO 31 Jan 1952

RECOMMENDATION FOR BRONZE STAR FOR HEROISM
TO PVT. ADOLFO MELLO 31 Jan 1952