Webb D. Sawyer (1918 – 1995), a son of the State of Ohio, graduated from the University of Toledo and received his Marine Corps commission in 1941. During World War II, he served in the 24th Marines and participated in the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan, and Tinian as the Third Battalion’s operations officer. When the battalion executive officer was wounded in action, Captain Sawyer assumed that role. He received the Bronze Star Medal for valor during the Battle of Saipan. Upon promotion to major, he assumed the duties as Regimental Operations Officer during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
When the Korean War broke out, Major Sawyer assumed command of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. In that capacity, he took part in the landing at Inchon and the Battle of Seoul in September 1950.
On the night of 3 November, during the regiment’s advance into North Korea from Wonsan, enemy forces fiercely assaulted Sawyer’s battalion, but under his leadership and direction, the men resisted and then defeated their attackers. Two weeks later, sub-zero temperatures arrived in the area of the Chosin Reservoir — accompanied by thirteen Chinese infantry divisions (compromising the Ninth Chinese Army) — all in time for the celebration of Thanksgiving, 1950. The Chinese would receive a warm welcome from the 1st Marine Division and what remained alive of the U.S. Army’s Task Force Faith. Thus began a fighting withdrawal lasting eleven days over the most inhospitable terrain in North Korea. The American’s withdrawal cost the Chinese ten of their infantry divisions.
On 6 December 1950, Sawyer’s Battalion encountered a heavily reinforced Chinese roadblock position. Sawyer led the battalion in its assault, defeated the roadblock, and continued directing close combat for the next twenty-two hours. Despite a painful wound to his foot from enemy shrapnel, Sawyer continued fighting his rapidly depleting battalion.
During the continued withdrawal, Sawyer’s battalion was ordered to provide flanking security on Hill 1304 for the Division’s main body. Note: Marines providing flanking security along the surrounding hills of the main supply route (MSR) were constantly climbing or descending mountainous terrain, engaging the enemy wherever found. Hill 1304 indicated that the top of that hill measured 1,304 meters above sea level.
At one point, Sawyer noted an enemy rifle company attempting to outflank one of his companies. Again, Sawyer led the attack and routed the enemy from his position, inflicting heavy losses. After seizing the hill, he led his battalion four miles down the steep incline. Webb Sawyer was awarded three Silver Star medals during the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. In total, Sawyer earned the Navy Cross, Silver Star (3), Legion of Merit (2), Bronze Star with “V”, and the Purple Heart Medal. After service in the Vietnam War, Sawyer retired from active duty. By then, he was serving as a Brigadier General.
One of Sawyer’s men was Private First Class Hector A. Cafferata, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. PFC Cafferata was born in New York City in 1929; his father was a Peruvian migrant. In high school, Hector played football, moving to the semi-professional league in 1943. Following Cafferata’s enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 1948, the Marines assigned him to the 21st Infantry Battalion (Reserve) for service and training at Dover, New Jersey. In September 1950, Cafferata was ordered to active duty and pre-deployment training at Camp Pendleton, California. He embarked for Korea in October and, upon arrival, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
PFC Cafferata distinguished himself in combat during the Chosin Reservoir campaign. After all the men in his fireteam had been killed, Cafferata single-handedly held off the advanced element of a Chinese infantry regiment and personally annihilated two enemy rifle platoons. He and PFC Kenneth Benson were the only two Marines able to resist the enemy’s assault. After a fragmentation grenade temporarily blinded him, PFC Benson assumed responsibility for reloading Cafferata’s M-1 Rifle. Hector, a crack shot, fought the enemy without either his coat or boots — neither of which he could locate in the early morning darkness. Cafferata’s battle lasted well over five hours.
According to Hector’s testimony, “For the rest of the night, I was batting hand grenades away with my entrenching tool while firing my rifle at them. I must have whacked a dozen grenades that night with my e-tool.” When a grenade landed in the shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, he grabbed the grenade and lobbed it toward the enemy, thereby saving the lives of many Marines but also receiving several painful wounds. He was finally wounded and disabled by an enemy sniper, but by then, he was rescued by reinforcing Marines.
The Marines airlifted PFC Cafferata to Japan, and he returned to the United States in December 1950. On 1 September 1951, PFC Cafferata was ordered to the retired list. On 24 November 1952, President Harry S. Truman awarded PFC Cafferata the Medal of Honor. His citation reads as follows:
PRIVATE HECTOR A. CAFFERATA Jr.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
For service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 28 November 1950. When all the other members of his fire team became casualties, creating a gap in the lines, during the initial phase of a vicious attack launched by a fanatical enemy of regimental strength against his company’s hill position, Private CAFFERATA waged a lone battle with grenades and rifle fire as the attack gained momentum and the enemy threatened penetration through the gap and endangered the integrity of the entire defensive perimeter. Making a target of himself under the devastating fire from automatic weapons, rifles, grenades, and mortars, he maneuvered up and down the line. He delivered accurate and effective fire against the onrushing force, killing fifteen, wounding many more, and forcing the others to withdraw so that reinforcements could move up and consolidate the position. Again fighting desperately against a renewed onslaught later that same morning when a hostile grenade landed in a shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, Private CAFFERATA rushed into the gully under heavy fire, seized the deadly missile in his right hand, and hurled it free of his comrades before it detonated, severing part of one finger, and seriously wounding him in the right hand and arm. Courageously ignoring the intense pain, he staunchly fought on until he was struck by a sniper’s bullet and forced to submit to evacuation for medical treatment. Stouthearted and indomitable, Private CAFFERATA, by his fortitude, great personal valor, and dauntless perseverance in the face of almost certain death, saved the lives of several of his fellow Marines and contributed essentially to the success achieved by his company in maintaining its defensive position against tremendous odds. His extraordinary heroism throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN
In addition to his Medal of Honor, PFC Cafferata was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the United Nations Korean Service Medal. Note: The U.S. Presidential Unit Citation is equivalent to the Silver Star Medal (awarded to every man in the unit cited).
After his wartime service, Hector worked as a salesman, a game warden, and a tavern owner in Alpha, New Jersey. Upon learning that fellow Marine PFC Kenneth Benson (1932-2012) had not received any recognition for his part in the battle, Cafferata petitioned the Marine Corps to have Benson similarly recognized with the Medal of Honor. As a result of Cafferata’s efforts, PFC Benson was awarded the Silver Star Medal in 2000. Hector retired to Florida, where he passed away on 12 April 2016. He was survived by his wife, four children, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his brother.
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