Ron Rosser was a patriot and a hero. He was also a Medal of Honor recipient who reenlisted in the Army to avenge his brother. He died in August at the age of 90.

Army Master Sgt. Ron Rosser served for three years in the post-World War II Army in Japan and Germany. He then reenlisted in June 1951 with a single purpose in mind: avenge the death of his younger brother Richard, who was killed in action in Korea.

Rosser was first sent to Japan. He then volunteered for combat and fought with his command to get a place at the front. He eventually landed a spot with Company L, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

In an oral history recording for Arlington National Cemetery, Rosser said that Big Army couldn’t understand his motivation for demanding to go to Korea. “I made up my mind that you can’t kill my brother and get away with it,” Rosser said.

Company L participated in both Bloody Ridge and the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. Bloody Ridge lasted over three weeks and resulted in an estimated allied 2,7000 casualties. The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was a month-long battle and was one of several major engagements in the hills of North Korea, just a few miles north of the 38th Parallel.

In an engagement, Company L was ordered to take a hill occupied by the Red Army near the town of Ponggilli. Rosser had estimated that there were at least three battalions on the hill, all in heavily fortified positions. The battle began with only 170 men from Company L. Shortly after maneuvers began, the temperature dropped to 20 degrees below zero.

The Red Army was completely dug in and they had the advantage. Rosser gave his radio to another soldier and decided to charge alone to the Red Army’s front line. He stopped at an outcropping to assess the situation.

Rosser said that he considered how much trouble he’d been through to reach that point and that there was no use wasting the day. “I let out a war whoop and jumped in the trench. I just charged straight into them,” he said.