There are six values represented in the Medal of Honor: Courage, Sacrifice, Integrity, Commitment, Citizenship, and Patriotism. These values can be seen in Recipients’ actions, though at times one may rise above the others. The story of Lieutenant (junior grade) John Kelvin Koelsch exemplifies the value of sacrifice.
Born in 1923 in London, England, to American parents, Koelsch spent a childhood that was split between London and the small village of Briarcliff Manor, New York. After the outbreak of World War II, Koelsch left Princeton University, where he was a student, and joined the US Naval Reserve as an air cadet. He earned his naval aviator wings in 1944 and was commissioned ensign. An accomplished torpedo bomber pilot, Koelsch served in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to Princeton and completed a degree in English in 1949.
By the time of his graduation, the likelihood of US involvement in Korea was increasing and military obligations forced Koelsch to delay entry to law school. As a pilot, he had taken on a developing technology—the helicopter. What was to become a pivotal tool in future US military operations was still in its infancy when Koelsch joined the ranks of helicopter pilots. In 1950, he was made Officer in Charge of Helicopter Squadron 1 (HU-1), which was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Princeton (CV-37). Aboard Princeton, Koelsch’s unit flew Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopters, conducting downed aviator rescues. In June 1951, Koelsch requested transfer to another rescue unit instead of rotating back to the United States. He believed the work he was doing was important and that his skills and experience in rescuing downed pilots were urgently needed.
On July 3, 1951, Koelsch’s unit received information that a pilot, US Marine Corps Captain James Wilkins, had been shot down over North Korea and was trapped by the enemy. It was getting dark, escalating the danger of an already risky operation. Koelsch volunteered to rescue Wilkins and set out with Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class George Neal. As Koelsch’s Sikorsky reached Wilkins’s reported location, he was forced to descend through a heavy bank of clouds to an extremely low altitude. Intense enemy fire made an already dangerous situation worse, but Koelsch and Neal were committed to rescuing Wilkins.
Despite taking direct hits, Koelsch continued flying low until Wilkins was spotted. The Marine Corps pilot had bailed out of his Corsair and although suffering from severe burns, was able to make contact with the rescue helicopter. With no air support due to the weather conditions, the lone Sikorsky continued to come under fire from North Korean forces as it hovered at a low altitude. Wilkins was later quoted as saying Koelsch’s determination in the face of enemy fire “was the greatest display of guts I ever saw.” As Koelsch hovered in the midst of the firestorm, Neal lowered the rescue sling and hoisted Wilkins up to what they believed to be safety. Suddenly, a direct hit disabled the helicopter, and despite Koelsch’s best efforts, the aircraft crashed.
Wilkins survived his second disaster of the day, as Koelsch pulled him and Neal free from the wreckage. But their ordeal was far from over. Deep behind enemy lines, Koelsch led the men in an attempt to escape capture. Koelsch provided what little care he could to Wilkins as they evaded enemy forces for nine days. Finally captured by North Korean forces, the three men were sent to a prisoner of war camp.
Accounts of their time in prison include brutal beatings, abuse, starvation, and lack of medical care. Koelsch refused to submit to any of his captors’ demands, though the refusals often ended in beatings. Food was scarce, but Koelsch routinely shared his rations with other men. He demanded their captors provide medical care for those in need. Koelsch’s courage and commitment to his men and his country made him a natural leader among the prisoners. But none of those things were enough. Lieutenant Koelsch died of malnutrition and dysentery in October 1951.
Back home, his mother and two brothers awaited news of Koelsch’s fate. They had been informed he was missing in action, but not that he was a prisoner of war. Sadly, the first news they received was in the late summer of 1953, when North Korea finally released a list of prisoners who had died in camps. Neal and Wilkins survived the prison camp, and their accounts were a testimony to Koelsch’s selfless leadership both as an aviator and a fellow prisoner. Though he was only twenty-eight years old, Koelsch was willing to sacrifice so that his fellow men could survive.
In 1955, Koelsch’s mother, Beulah, accepted the Medal of Honor on behalf of her son. Koelsch was awarded the Medal for his actions in the rescue of Wilkins, and for his fortitude and care for others as a prisoner of war. Presented by Secretary of the Navy Charles Thomas in a ceremony at the Pentagon, Koelsch’s Medal was the first to be awarded to a helicopter pilot. His willingness to put his life at risk and to put others’ needs before his own is representative of the sacrifices so often made by those who are awarded the Medal of Honor.
Kali Schick is Senior Historian for the National Medal of Honor Museum
