Marine Corporal Charles Gene Abrell, 19, of Terre Haute, Indiana, won the Medal of Honor in Korea for sacrificing his life while leading an assault on enemy positions.

The nation’s highest decoration for valor was awarded to the youthful Marine for extraordinary heroism on June 10, 1951 at Hangnyong, where he hurled himself bodily into an enemy bunker with a live hand grenade, killing himself and the enemy gun crew in the explosion.

Corporal Abrell was the 14th Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for Korean fighting. Born August 12, 1931 at Terre Haute, he attended public schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, before enlisting in the Marine Corps August 17, 1948 at the age of 17.

Following recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and also served aboard the USS Noble before going to Korea with the First Marine Division.

He was in action at Inchon, Seoul, Wonsan, Chosin Reservoir, and Hanghum, before the assault on a hill near Hwachon in which he was killed.