Korean War hero Michael is honoured for bravery

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

Veterans of the Korean War from all over Ireland gathered in a Galway hotel last week to pay tribute to a brave Irishman, now 83, who risked his life to rescue two wounded colleagues at the height of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century.

Michael ‘Cyril’ Kelly, who has been living in Claregalway for the past 40 years, was presented with a Korean War Service Medal by the Ambassador of South Korea, whose representative travelled to the Claregalway Hotel to make the presentation to the former US Army Medical Sergeant.

Michael had previously been awarded a Bronze Star for “bravery in action” following his heroics in returning to a valley alone – despite the reservations of his company commander – to rescue two Irish-American colleagues who had been wounded when the 8th Cavalry Regiment came under fire from North Korean forces.

“We weren’t in the valley very long when we got slaughtered, with half a dozen dead and 11 wounded,” he recalled. “I had become great pals with these two Irish-American lads, they both got shot in the legs and they’d been left behind when we got orders to withdraw.

“Then I heard their voices calling my name. I volunteered to go back and get them. My company commander said I was out of my head, but I said that was my job and these fellows were friends of mine. He told me I wouldn’t come back.

“I don’t know where I got the strength, but I came back with one in each arm. I managed to get over the top of the hill when some other soldiers came to help me. We managed to evacuate the two of them to a hospital ship and they survived.”

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.