The Graybeards - Korean War Veterans Association

Congressman Ehrlich replaces stolen Medal of Honor
By Vincent A. Krepps
News From the Office of Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
Second Congressional District of Maryland,
315 Cannon House Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20515
Washington, D.C. - On December 2,
Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. presented
the Congressional Medal of Honor
in Sergeant Donn Porter’s memory to his
alma mater, Saint James School near
Hagerstown, MD.
In attendance was Admiral James
Holloway, U.S.N. Ret., former Chief of
Naval Operations, Students of St. James
School in Hagerstown at the Chapel at
Saint James School. 17641 College Road,
St. James, MD (near Hagerstown)
Congressman Ehrlich stated, “It is a
tremendous honor to have the opportunity
to remember a Maryland hero, Sergeant
Donn Porter, by presenting his alma mater
with his Congressional Medal of Honor.”
Originally, Sergeant Porter was awarded
the nation’s highest decoration posthumously
for his “incredible display of
valor” in Korea during September, 1952.
While under intense fire, the young sergeant
killed six enemy soldiers in bayonet
fighting and forced his opponents to flee
before being killed. Porter’s “gallant selfsacrifice
and consummate devotion to
duty” saved his comrades.
Subsequently, Porter’s mother, Mrs.
Edith Shaner of Ruxton, MD, donated the
Medal of Honor to St. James School for
display. Unfortunately, the award was
stolen, and initial efforts by the family and
school to replace it were unsuccessful.
Congressman Ehrlich stated, “My staff
and I finally secured this medal after
months of work and a lot of bureaucracy!
This medal ceremony will be a proud
moment for us all.”
By recognizing these and many other
brave men and women, we pay tribute to
all who died and those in our Armed
Forces who are carrying forward the spirit
of courage and patriotism.
This ceremony will be an inspiration to
the students of Saint James School and an
example of honor and courage by a true
hero. Today, we live in freedom and prosperity
because of these Americans.”
U.S. Rep Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr, and Adm. James L.
Holloway III. Photo: RIC DUGAN / staff photographer
The following article was in The
Morning Herald Hagerstown, MD
Friday December 3, 1999
The Return of Valor
Stolen Medal of Honor replaced at St.
James School
By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer
ST. JAMES - The nation’s highest military
decoration, a Medal of Honor, was handed
over to St. James School on Thursday,
replacing a medal that was stolen from the
school about 20 years ago.
The original medal had been awarded,
posthumously, to Donn Porter, a 1949 Saint
James School graduate who was an Army
sergeant during the Korean War.
Porter, of Ruxton, Md., was awarded the
medal for his actions on Sept. 7, 1952, when
two enemy platoons attacked an outpost
under his command. Porter repelled two
enemy attacks on his position that day. In the
second attack, Porter “jumped from his
position with bayonet fixed and, meeting the
onslaught and in close combat, killed six
hostile soldiers and routed the attack,”
according to the citation. Porter was killed
by an artillery burst while returning to his
outpost. In 1953, Congress awarded the
medal to Porter and Porter’s family donated
it to the school. Then around 1982 the medal
was stolen, said school headmaster Father
Stuart Dunnan.
The replacement medal was acquired
with the help of U.S. Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich
Jr., R-Md. John Worthington, a 1969 Saint
James School graduate and friend and constituent
of Ehrlich’s, asked the congressman
to help get the replacement medal.
Ehrlich put a staff member on the task.
Eventually, Ehrlich met with a general, who
he pulled from a Capitol Hill office party, and
the general was able to help.
Ehrlich presented the medal to the school
Thursday afternoon during a ceremony in
the school chapel. The ceremony was
attended by Saint James students and some
alumni, including about a dozen of Porter’s
classmates.
Tim Grier, who graduated with Porter,
said it was good the school was getting a
replacement medal. “It’s very good for the
young boys to have something to look up to.
He was a genuine hero,” said Grier, of
Annapolis.
Another of Porter’s classmates, Robin
Glattly, of Rockville, Md., said, “It brings
back memories of a wonderful person.”
Porter was captain of the school football and
basketball teams and was popular, Glattly
said. “When you read the account (of his
fighting in the war) it didn’t surprise any of
us,” Glattly said.
Donn F. Porter
Love sent Sgt. Donn F. Porter to Korea.
The twenty-one-year-old from Ruxton,
Maryland, was madly in love with a girl
from home and longed to return to her.
Since he’d enlisted in the army in
February 1951, Porter had written his girl
just about every day. Even while attending
airborne and ranger school after basic
training, Porter kept up a steady stream of
letters to her. Whenever he could he called
her, planning for their wedding as soon
after his discharge as possible.
In November 1951 Porter reported to
the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat
Team, then in garrison in Japan. Porter
was well liked by the members of his platoon.
They knew him as a tall and slender
youngster, quiet, and very loyal. One former
platoon mate said, “You couldn’t ask
for a better friend.” He spent a good deal
of his off-duty time helping Porter shop
for fine Japanese porcelain and dishes to
send back to his girl.
Normally, Porter would have spent
eighteen months in Japan, the standard
tour of duty, before rotating back to the
States. In Korea, however, a GI with a
front line outfit could complete a tour of
duty in as little as nine months. Porter
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