Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Bloomington, Illinois, he served as a Sergeant in the 13th Infantry Battalion, US Marine Corps. On November 4, 1950, Sergeant Poynter was a squad leader of Company A, while defending Hill 532, south of Sudong, Korea. During hand to hand combat he noticed three machine guns setting up only 25 yards away when he was wounded. In spite of his wounds, he charged the enemy position with hand grenades, killing the crew of two and putting the third out of action before he fell, mortally wounded. Due to his actions, his outnumbered platoon beat off the enemy assault and moved to more defensible positions. For extreme courage in the face of the enemy, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Bloomington, Illinois, he served as a Sergeant in the 13th Infantry Battalion, US Marine Corps. On November 4, 1950, Sergeant Poynter was a squad leader of Company A, while defending Hill 532, south of Sudong, Korea. During hand to hand combat he noticed three machine guns setting up only 25 yards away when he was wounded. In spite of his wounds, he charged the enemy position with hand grenades, killing the crew of two and putting the third out of action before he fell, mortally wounded. Due to his actions, his outnumbered platoon beat off the enemy assault and moved to more defensible positions. For extreme courage in the face of the enemy, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Poynter memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
