View source for John Kelvin Koelsch

{{Short description|US Navy Medal of Honor recipient (1923–1951)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = John Kelvin Koelsch
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1923|12|22}}
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1951|10|16|1923|12|22}}
| birth_place   = [[London]], England
| death_place   = [[Korea]]
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| placeofburial_label = Place of burial
| image         = John K Koelsch.jpg
| caption       = Lt(jg) John K. Koelsch
| nickname      = "Jack"
| allegiance    = [[United States of America]]
| branch        = [[File:United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg|25px]] [[United States Navy]]
| serviceyears  = 1942 — 1951
| rank          = [[Lieutenant (Junior Grade)]]
| commands      = 
| unit          = Composite Squadron 15<br>Torpedo Squadron 97<br> [[VA-75 (U.S. Navy)|Torpedo Squadron 18]]<br>[[HC-1|Helicopter Squadron 1 (HU-1)]]<br>[[HC-2 (1948-1977)|Helicopter Squadron 2]] (HU-2)
| battles       = '''[[Korean War]]''' {{POW}} {{DOW}}
| awards        = [[Medal of Honor]]<br>[[Purple Heart]]
| alma_mater    = {{plainlist|
* [[Princeton University]]
* [[Choate School]]
}}
| laterwork     = 
}}
'''John Kelvin Koelsch''' (December 22, 1923 &ndash; October 16, 1951) was a [[United States Navy]] officer and a recipient of America's highest military decoration — the [[Medal of Honor]] — for his actions in the [[Korean War]]. He was the first [[helicopter]] pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

==Biography==
John Kelvin Koelsch was born in London and was educated at [[Choate Rosemary Hall|the Choate School]] and [[Princeton University]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2016-01-21 |title=The Medal of Honor |url=https://paw.princeton.edu/article/medal-honor |access-date=2022-03-29 |website=Princeton Alumni Weekly |language=en}}</ref> He served in the British [[RAF]] and fought in [[The Blitz]] before he joined the [[United States Navy Reserve|U.S. Naval Reserve]] as an [[Flight cadet|aviation cadet]] on September 14, 1942, and was commissioned as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] on October 23, 1944, after completing flight training he served in the [[Pacific War]]. During the next few years, he served at Naval Air Stations at [[Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport|Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], and [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk, Virginia]], and subsequently flew with Composite Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadrons 97 and [[VA-75 (U.S. Navy)|18]]. He became an accomplished [[torpedo bomber]] pilot, and was promoted to [[lieutenant (junior grade)]] on August 1, 1946. Despite first entering Princeton in September 1941, he returned to the university after the war, and finally graduated in 1949.<ref name=":0" />

After the outbreak of the [[Korean War]], he joined [[HC-1|Helicopter Squadron 1]] (HU-1) at [[Miramar, San Diego, California|Miramar, California]], in August 1950. As Officer in Charge of a helicopter detachment, he joined {{USS|Princeton|CV-37|6}} in October for pilot rescue duty off the eastern coast of Korea. He served in ''Princeton'' until June 1951, when he joined [[HC-2 (1948-1977)|Helicopter Squadron 2]] (HU-2) for pilot rescue duty off [[Wonsan]], Korea, then under [[Blockade of Wonsan|naval blockade]]. He provided lifeguard duty for pilots who were downed either in coastal waters or over enemy-held territory. On June 22, he rescued a naval aviator from the waters of Wonsan Harbor, southeast of [[Ryŏdo|Yo Do Island]].

Late in the afternoon of July 3, 1951, Koelsch responded to a distress call from a [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] aviator, Captain James V. Wilkins, whose [[Vought F4U Corsair|F4U Corsair]] had been hit by enemy fire during an armed reconnaissance mission about {{convert|35|mi}} southwest of Wonsan. Wilkins parachuted from his burning plane at low altitude and survived, despite being severely burned about the legs. Despite approaching darkness, worsening weather, and enemy ground fire, Koelsch located the downed aviator in the [[Anbyon Valley]] and began his pickup. Thick fog prevented the air cover from protecting the unarmed [[Sikorsky H-5|HO3S]] helicopter, and intense enemy fire downed the craft as crewman George M. Neal, AM3, hoisted the injured pilot toward the helicopter. All three men survived the crash; and, after hiding in the mountains from enemy patrols for three days, they began a slow march to the coast. After six more days, they reached a coastal village where they were captured the following day while hiding in a hut. During his captivity, though beaten and abused, Koelsch refused to aid his captors or submit to interrogation. His fortitude and personal bravery inspired his fellow prisoners. 
[[File:ANCExplorer John Kelvin Koelsch grave.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Grave at Arlington National Cemetery]]
Koelsch died of [[malnutrition]] and [[dysentery]] on October 16, 1951, while a [[prisoner of war]]. On August 3, 1955, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Korea.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/emuwebdoncoms/pages/doncoms/Display.php?irn=16010250&QueryPage=%2FDtlQuery.php | title=HO3S-1G | publisher=National Museum of Naval Aviation | accessdate=2007-12-16}}</ref>

He is buried at [[Arlington National Cemetery]], [[Arlington, Virginia]]. His grave can be found in section 30, grave 1123-RH.<ref>[https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/Cgdrb2Vsc2NoEgRqb2hu/ Arlington National Cemetery]</ref>

==Awards and honors==
{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"
|-
| colspan="3" | [[File:Naval Aviator Badge.jpg|200px|center]]
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Medal of Honor ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=A light blue military ribbon with five white stars with five points each.}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Purple_Heart_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=|type=award-star|ribbon=Prisoner_of_War_Medal.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
| {{ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean_Service_Medal_-_Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Presidential Unit Citation (Korea).svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"
|-
!Badge
| colspan="3" | [[United States Aviator Badge|Naval Aviator Badge]]
|-
!1st row
| [[Medal of Honor]]
| [[Purple Heart]]
| [[Navy Presidential Unit Citation]]
|-
!2nd row
| [[Prisoner of War Medal]]
| [[American Campaign Medal]]
| [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]]
|-
!3rd row
| [[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
| [[National Defense Service Medal]] 
| [[Korean Service Medal]] with [[campaign star]]
|-
!4th row
| [[Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)|Korean Presidential Unit Citation]]
| [[United Nations Korea Medal]]
| [[Korean War Service Medal]]
|}

===Medal of Honor citation===
[[File:Moh right.gif|upright|right|alt=A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon.]]
[[File:John Kelvin Koelsch memorial.png|thumb|Memorial to Koelsch, [[Briarcliff Manor, New York]]]]
Lieutenant (jg) Koelsch's official citation reads:
<blockquote>
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with a Navy helicopter rescue unit in North Korea on 3 July 1951. Although darkness was rapidly approaching when information was received that a Marine aviator had been shot down and was trapped by the enemy in mountainous terrain deep in hostile territory, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch voluntarily flew a helicopter to the reported position of the downed airman in an attempt to effect a rescue. With an almost solid overcast concealing everything below the mountain peaks, he descended in his unarmed and vulnerable aircraft without the accompanying fighter escort to an extremely low altitude beneath the cloud level and began a systematic search. Despite the increasingly intense enemy fire, which struck his helicopter on one occasion, he persisted in his mission until he succeeded in locating the downed pilot, who was suffering from serious burns on the arms and legs. While the victim was being hoisted into the aircraft, it was struck again by an accurate burst of hostile fire and crashed on the side of the mountain. Quickly extricating his crewmen and the aviator from the wreckage, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch led them from the vicinity in an effort to escape from hostile troops, evading the enemy forces for 9 days and rendering such medical attention as possible to his severely burned companion until all were captured. Up to the time of his death while still a captive of the enemy, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Koelsch steadfastly refused to aid his captors in any manner and served to inspire his fellow prisoners by his fortitude and consideration for others. His great personal valor and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice throughout sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the United States naval service.
</blockquote>

===Namesake===
The [[destroyer escort]] {{USS|Koelsch|DE-1049}} (later reclassified as a [[frigate]]) was named in his honor.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[[List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients]]

==References==
'''Inline'''
{{Reflist}}

'''General'''
:{{NHC}}
*{{Cite web
 |publisher = [[Naval History & Heritage Command]]
 |title = Koelsch, John Kelvin
 |work = Online Library
 |date = 2000-09-01
 |url = https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/us-people/k/koelsch-john-kelvin.html
 |accessdate = 2024-10-22}}
*{{Cite web
 |publisher = [[Naval History & Heritage Command]]
 |title = Koelsch
 |work = Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
 |date = 
 |url = http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/k5/koelsch.htm
 |accessdate = 2006-10-14}}
*{{cite magazine
 |magazine = Time
 |title = Chopper Pilot
 |date = August 15, 1955
 |url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,807473,00.html
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081215050606/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,807473,00.html
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-date = December 15, 2008
 |accessdate = 2006-10-14}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koelsch, John Kelvin}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:American military personnel killed in the Korean War]]
[[Category:American Korean War pilots]]
[[Category:American prisoners of war in the Korean War]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:British emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:English-born Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:Helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor]]
[[Category:People from Briarcliff Manor, New York]]
[[Category:United States Navy officers]]
[[Category:United States Naval Aviators]]
[[Category:United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:Shot-down aviators]]
[[Category:Military personnel from London]]
[[Category:Deaths from dysentery]]
[[Category:Infectious disease deaths in North Korea]]
[[Category:American torture victims]]