Palmetto Medal of Honor Recipients

• Beaufort-Middleton Elliot (Mexican Campaign)- On April 21,1914, during the intervention at Vera Cruz, Middleton established a base hospital and supervised the removal of the wounded and  field station operations until the city was captured the next day.  The elementary school at the Marine Corps Base in Beaufort, SC is named in his honor.
• Charleston- Ralph Johnson (Vietnam War)- When the enemy threw a grenade into his fox hole, he hurled his body over the grenade and took the full impact of the explosion.  He was killed instantly, but the lives of the other men in the fox hole were saved.  The Veterans hospital in Charleston, SC is named in his honor.
• Folly Island- William Henry Walling (Civil War)- On December 25, 1864, the Union Navy was bombing Fort Fisher in NC.  During the bombardment, Captain Walling captured and brought back the enemy flag to the fleet. 
• Greenville- Robert Sidney Kennemore (Korean War)-During the Chosen Reservoir Campaign in November of 1950, SSgt. Kennemore, deliberately covered a grenade with his foot to keep his men from being killed or wounded.  He lost both of his legs due to this unselfish sacrifice and became the 23rd marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in Korea.
• Hendersonville- John Thomas Kennedy (Philippines)- While serving during the Philippine-American war, 2nd Lt. Kennedy lead an attack into a cave that was occupied by hostile Moro insurgents. He was wounded during this attack.
• Sandy Springs- Freddie Stowers (WWI)- After his commanding officers were all taken out by the Germans, Corporal Stowers began crawling toward a German machine gun with his men following.  They successfully reached the first German line and continued to the next.  Corporal Stowers was shot twice and collapsed on the way to the next German line.  He urged his men to continue without him.  He died on that hill, but his men kept going and forced the Germans off the hill and into the plains below.
•  Six Mile- Furman L. Smith (WWII)- During a battle near Lanuvio, Italy, Private Smith's group came under intense attack by the Germans causing them to withdraw.  Private Smith volunteered to stay behind with the wounded and protect them.  He was eventually overrun by the Germans and killed.

• Batesburg- William Kyle Carpenter (War on Terrorism)-While manning a rooftop security position with a fellow marine,the enemy initiated a daylight attack with hand grenades.  One of the grenades landed inside of their sandbagged position. Lance Corporal Carpenter moved toward the grenade to shield his fellow marine.  When the grenade exploded, Carpenter's body absorbed the brunt of the explosion, which severely wounded him and saved the life of his fellow marine.  Carpenter, as of July 28, 2015, is the youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor.