Edward Clyde Benfold
| Edward Clyde Benfold | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 15, 1931 Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 5, 1952 (aged 21) Korea |
| Buried at | Beverly National Cemetery New Jersey, U,S, |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1949-1952 |
| Rank |
 Hospital Corpsman Third Class
|
| Unit | E Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Purple Heart Medal |
Edward Clyde Benfold (January 15, 1931 – September 5, 1952) was a United States Navy hospital corpsman third class who was killed in action while attached to a Marine Corps rifle company during the Korean War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty on September 5, 1952.
Benfold was born in Staten Island, the son of Edward and Glenys Benfold. His father served as a Merchant Marine Officer (1st engineer) during World War II and was killed in action serving on the Honduran ship Castilla on June 7, 1942 when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-107 near Cuba.
Benfold grew up in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, and lived in nearby Audubon, where he graduated from Audubon High School in 1949.
Benfold enlisted in the United States Navy on June 27, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed Navy recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, in December and was selected for "A" school training there at the Naval Hospital Corps School. He was promoted to hospital apprentice in 1949. In April 1950, he was transferred to the Naval Hospital at Newport, Rhode Island.
He was promoted to hospital corpsman third class on August 12, 1950. On June 9, 1951, he was married to Dorothy Groff. In July 1951, he was transferred to the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Field Medical Service School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for combat field training, graduating in September as a Field Medical Service Technician (HM-8404). He was then assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division (was the 3rd Marine Brigade until January 1952), Fleet Marine Force, as a FMF corpsman, at Camp Pendleton, California. In March 1952, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, at Camp Pendleton until July 1952. On July 21, he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division in Korea, where he was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
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