Walter C. Monegan Jr.

United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient

Walter Carleton Monegan Jr. (December 25, 1930 – September 20, 1950) was a United States Marine in the Korean War. On September 20, 1950, he was killed in action near Sosa ri during the Battle of Inchon in South Korea. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions above and beyond the call of duty on September 17 and 20, which helped to repulse a six tank enemy attack on his battalion's position and then an overwhelming tank infantry attack threatening to destroy his company at their position. He was killed after he proceeded to methodically knock out two of the three remaining enemy tanks at close range with his bazooka while under enemy fire. The Medal of Honor was presented to his widow by Secretary of the Navy Dan A. Kimball, during ceremonies on February 8, 1952, in Washington, D. C.

Walter Carleton Monegan Jr. was born on December 25, 1930, in Melrose, Massachusetts. He attended schools in Malden, Reading, and Walpole, Massachusetts, and in November 1947 (before his seventeenth birthday), enlisted in the Army. He was discharged in January 1948, when his age was discovered, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on March 22, 1948, in Baltimore, Maryland. After completing his recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina, in June 1948, Monegan was ordered to San Francisco, where he sailed for duty in China with the 3rd Marines at Qingdao. He returned to the United States in June 1949 and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, until June 1950, when he was ordered to the Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Seattle. While in Seattle, Monegan married. His son is Walt Monegan. He re enlisted on July 20, 1950, and the following month returned to Camp Pendleton, where he joined the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division.

Monegan shipped out to Korea where he participated in the Inchon Landing on September 15, 1950. His unit then moved on toward Seoul. Five days later, outside of Seoul near Sosa ri, he was killed in action as he stopped an enemy three tank attack, with infantry. He was originally buried in Inchon, Korea, but was reinterred on July 19, 1951, in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.