1950: 1stLt Baldomero Lopez

When the Marines landed at Inchon, South Korea, First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez was ready to storm the shores; he began the attack and was the first man to scale the 10-ft. seawall. 
 
During the battle, he raised his arm to throw a grenade just as an enemy bullet hit his shoulder. Injured but determined, 1stLt Lopez smothered his grenade, shielding his fellow Marines from the blast. 
 
He gave his life for his Marines and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his exceptional courage. 
 
A famous photograph of the Inchon landing captured Lopez scaling the seawall moments before his death. Newspapers back home ran the story, describing Lopez as having "died with the courage that makes men great."