Louis J. Sebille

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Louis J. Sebille
Hamchang-eup, Pusan Perimeter, Korea
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
Years of service1942–1945
1946–1950
RankMajor
Service number
  • O-662678 (USAAF)[1]
  • 6663A (USAF)[2]
Unit
67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
Battles/warsWorld War II
  • European air campaign

Korean War

AwardsMedal of Honor
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Purple Heart
Air Medal (12)

Louis Joseph "Lou" Sebille (November 21, 1915 – August 5, 1950) was a

Battle of Pusan Perimeter
.

Born in

first lieutenant
and reentered the service in July 1946.

Sebille commanded the

air strike missions. On August 5, 1950, he attacked a North Korean armored column advancing on United Nations
military units. Though his aircraft was heavily damaged and he was wounded during the first pass on the column, he turned his plane around and deliberately crashed into the convoy at the cost of his life.

Early life and education

Sebille was born on November 21, 1915, in

Master of Ceremonies in several Chicago nightclubs under the nickname "Lou Reynolds." He was described as "a handsome glib master of ceremonies who used to wow the customers with his own parody of My Blue Heaven."[5] Sebille married and his wife gave birth to a son in December 1949.[6]

Career

World War II

Sebille enlisted in the

B-26 Marauder aircraft.[7]

Deployed to

Air Medals. His unit returned to the United States in March, 1945.[8]

After the end of the war, Sebille left active duty with the Air Force and began work as a commercial

Fifth United States Air Force stationed in Japan for post-World War II occupation duties.[7] In November 1949, the squadron began receiving new P-80's but continued to fly a mix of P-80 and P-51 aircraft.[10] Eventually, the squadron transitioned entirely to P-80s, then back to P-51s.[4] During this time, Sebille was known to spend time in his squadron's Quonset hut. He frequently discussed fighting and death, including sentiments supporting suicide attack, at one point saying "If you have to die, then take some of the enemy with you."[5] During this time Sebille worked mostly administrative duty as the squadron absorbed new aircraft and pilots in Japan.[4]

Korean War

A man in a flight suit standing next to an aircraft.
Louis Sebille in Korea.

With the outbreak of the

North Korean Army to prevent the country from collapsing. Sebille's unit was among those sent to assist the UN ground forces operating in Korea.[11] By the end of July, the US had shipped a large number of aircraft of all types to Korea. On July 30, the Far East Air Forces had 890 planes; 626 F-80s and 264 F-51s (previously designated P-51 until 1947) but only 525 of them were in units and available and ready for combat.[12]

Early in the war, these aircraft were used primarily to conduct raids and gather intelligence on North Korean ground targets, focused on disrupting North Korean supply to the front lines.

airstrikes against North Korean ground troops on the front.[14] These missions were significantly more risky and the aircraft suffered much higher losses due to North Korean ground fire.[15][16] On August 1, Sebille and his squadron moved to Ashiya Air Field and began conducting missions in support of the ground forces in Korea.[17] By August 5, Sebille had accrued over 3,000 hours of flying time over the course of his career.[7] During this time, the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron operated primarily out of Ashiya but also used airfields at Taegu and Pusan.[18]

Medal of Honor action and death

See also:
Battle of Pusan Perimeter

At the beginning of the

Armored Personnel Carrier, he hit the bomb release button on his control stick, and then made a sharp pull-up to the left to stay away from his bomb blast. However, only one of his bombs had released, and the 500 pounds (230 kg) of unbalanced weight under his left wing may have contributed to his near miss on the first run.[7]

North Korean

glycol coolant.[6] Sebille had intended to release his second bomb, but he radioed Johnson that he had been hit and injured, probably fatally. Johnson radioed back Sebille should try to head for a US emergency landing strip in Taegu a short distance away, but Sebille responded with his last known words, "No, I'll never make it. I'm going back and get that bastard (sic)".[5] He dove straight toward the APC that was his target. He fired his six rockets in salvo, but instead of pulling up to the regular 2,000 feet (610 m), he deliberately continued to dive his airplane and the remaining bomb straight into the target, firing his six machine guns. His plane sustained even heavier damage, and he crashed into the North Korean convoy destroying a large contingent of North Korean ground troops and vehicles though being killed instantly himself.[8][9]

Upon hearing reports of Sebille's death, commanders in Korea did not think highly of Sebille's act, likening it to a

Time Magazine after his death.[5] The United States Air Force Academy also created a memorial to Sebille in Harmon Hall, the academy's administration building.[7]

Awards and decorations

Sebille's military decorations and awards include:[7]

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Silver star
Bronze star
Bronze oak leaf cluster
USAF Senior Pilot Badge
Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross
w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster 		Purple Heart
Air Medal
w/ 2 silver and 1 bronze oak leaf clusters 		Air Force Presidential Unit Citation American Campaign Medal
campaign star
 World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal
w/ 'Japan' clasp
National Defense Service Medal
campaign star
Air Force Longevity Service Award

w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
United Nations Korea Medal
 Republic of Korea War Service Medal

Medal of Honor citation

Sebille was posthumously presented the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at

March Air Force Base in Riverside County, California, on August 24, 1951. Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg presented the medal for him to his widowed wife and their son, who was 19 months old at the time. The ceremony was also attended by his former wingman in Korea, Martin Johnson, who made a speech calling Sebille "a remarkable friend, a fine commander and a very brave man."[19]

Sebille was the first person in the U.S. Air Force to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the branch's beginning in 1947, and the 31st MOH recipient of the Korea War.[6] The four U.S. Air Force members including Sebrille who received the medal in that war were pilots who were killed in action.[20] They were the only USAF members to receive the Army version of the medal (the Air Force version was first awarded during the Vietnam War).

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Air Force, 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 5th Air Force.

Place and date: Near Hanchang, Korea, August 5, 1950.
Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: November 21, 1915, Harbor Beach. Mich.
Citation:
Maj. Sebille, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. During an attack on a camouflaged area containing a concentration of enemy troops, artillery, and armored vehicles, Maj. Sebille's F-51 aircraft was severely damaged by antiaircraft fire. Although fully cognizant of the short period he could remain airborne, he deliberately ignored the possibility of survival by abandoning the aircraft or by crash landing, and continued his attack against the enemy forces threatening the security of friendly ground troops. In his determination to inflict maximum damage upon the enemy, Maj. Sebille again exposed himself to the intense fire of enemy gun batteries and dived on the target to his death. The superior leadership, daring, and selfless devotion to duty which he displayed in the execution of an extremely dangerous mission were an inspiration to both his subordinates and superiors and reflect the highest credit upon himself, the U.S. Air Force, and the armed forces of the

United Nations.[21]

See also

Citations

Notes

References

  1. ^ Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America: Seventy-Ninth Congress, Second Session. Vol. LXXXVIII. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1946. p. 472. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Korean War Honor Roll listing: Louis J. Sebille entry, American Battle Monuments Commission, retrieved August 7, 2011
  3. ^ Tillman 2002, p. 197
  4. ^ a b c d e Tillman 2002, p. 198
  5. ^ a b c d e "War: If You Have to Die..." Time. September 4, 1950. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  6. ^
    Time Magazine, September 3, 1951, archived from the original
    on November 14, 2007, retrieved 2010-12-14
  7. ^
    US Air Force, archived from the original
    on 2012-10-21, retrieved 2010-12-13
  8. ^ a b c d e Tillman 2002, p. 199
  9. ^ a b c Dorr 2003, p. 25
  10. ^ Biteman 1998, p. 49
  11. ^ Appleman 1998, p. 264
  12. ^ Appleman 1998, p. 257
  13. ^ Bruning 1999, p. 28
  14. ^ Bruning 1999, p. 31
  15. ^ Ecker 2004, p. 6
  16. ^ Bruning 1999, p. 37
  17. ^ Biteman 1998, p. 50
  18. ^ Dorr 2003, p. 44
  19. ^ a b Tillman 2002, p. 200
  20. ^ Biteman 1998, p. 24
  21. ^ Ecker 2004, p. 7

Sources

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
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