On September 17, 1951, 22 year old Herbert Pililaau found himself fighting his life against the North Korean army on what would become known as the Heartbreak ridge.

On September 17, 1951, 22 year old Herbert Pililaau found himself fighting his life against the North Korean army on what would become known as the Heartbreak ridge.

His squad was tasked with covering a retreat. When it was time, Pililaau ultimately volunteered to cover the retreat of his squad, telling his commanding officer to go on without him.

U.S soldiers watching from far above then witnessed Pililaau first exhausting his ammunition, then expending all his hand grenades, at which point rather than retreat, he began throwing rocks at the advancing North Korean soldiers.

Once the enemy soldiers reached him, he pulled out his trench knife and leapt upon them, stabbing with one arm and punching with the other.

The following day, U.S. soldiers found Pililaau's body surrounded by the bodies of forty North Korean Soldiers he managed to kill before he was stabbed to death.

For his action, Pililaau became the first Hawaiian to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

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