Corporal Clifton Thiemer Speicher, A Soldier's Story
Corporal Clifton Thiemer Speicher, A Soldier's Story
Clifton Thiemer Speicher, known to family and friends as “Tip,” was born on March 25, 1931, in Gray, Pennsylvania. He was raised in Somerset County and grew up in a rural community shaped by hard work, faith, and close family ties.
In January 1951, at nineteen, Speicher enlisted in the United States Army. By June of that year, he had deployed to Korea with the 223rd Infantry Regiment as part of the United Nations effort to halt communist advances on the Korean Peninsula.
On June 14, 1952, Corporal Speicher’s unit was engaged in an assault against a strategically important enemy-held position. As the advance began, the platoon was pinned down by intense machine-gun fire from a fortified enemy emplacement. Several men were wounded, and forward movement stalled under the barrage.
Despite being wounded early in the action, Corporal Speicher deliberately left his covered position and advanced alone toward the machine-gun nest. Moving uphill through open terrain under direct fire, he continued forward even after sustaining additional wounds. Reaching the emplacement, he killed two enemy soldiers with his rifle and a third with his bayonet, silencing the position and allowing his unit to advance.
After disabling the machine-gun nest, Corporal Speicher rejoined his fellow soldiers and continued the assault, helping his unit secure the objective. He collapsed shortly afterward and died from his wounds sustained during the attack.
For his extraordinary gallantry, conspicuous bravery, and selfless devotion to duty, Corporal Clifton Thiemer “Tip” Speicher was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His actions directly enabled his unit’s success and exemplified the highest traditions of military service.
Corporal Speicher is buried at Beam Cemetery in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania. His sacrifice remains part of the enduring record of American infantrymen who bore the brunt of ground combat during the Korean War.
_____________________________________________________________________________
About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
✨ #TakeTheBackRoads
Enjoyed this post? Support the adventure by visiting my sponsors, shopping the gallery, or buying me a cup of coffee!
