'He took that explosion himself to save his men' - Harvard Gazette

Sherrod Skinner, a Harvard ROTC alumnus, was killed in October 1952 during the Korean War after rolling onto a live grenade to save fellow Marines. Commissioned as a second lieutenant only months after completing Harvard ROTC, he demonstrated composure while twice wounded and helped his unit hold an outpost under attack. When ammunition ran out, he ordered remaining forces in a bunker to feign death, delaying enemy action until a grenade was thrown that landed between him and another Marine. His actions earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Clark presented Skinner’s example to newly commissioned officers as a model of leadership and honor.

"“He took that explosion himself to save his men. Lt. Skinner knew what it meant to hold the line. He knew what it meant to commit to something greater than himself,” Clark said, holding up Skinner as an example of the leadership traditions of Harvard and the military for the 19 graduating seniors commissioned as second lieutenants and ensigns."

"“Skinner’s leadership and cool head despite being twice wounded helped his Marines hold off enemy forces attempting to overrun their outpost. When they ran out of ammunition, he ordered his remaining forces, which had fallen back into a bunker, to feign death. The ploy worked until an enemy soldier tossed in a grenade, which landed between Skinner and another Marine.”"

"“Skinner, a second lieutenant, was a junior officer thrust into the Korean War just months after his commissioning in Harvard's ROTC program. On Wednesday, Skinner's memory was offered as an example of the leadership traditions of two important American institutions, Harvard and the military.”"

Read at Harvard Gazette