How a Korean War helicopter pilot made Medal of Honor history

During the Korean War, Lt. j.g. John Koelsch, equipped with a promising new helicopter, dedicated his service to rescuing downed pilots. Koelsch’s most notable sortie ultimately cost him his life, but through his actions, the pilot he risked his life to save survived.

Koelsch was born on Dec. 22, 1923, in Chelsea, England, where his father worked as an international banker in London. In 1924, Koelsch and his parents returned to New York and settled in Briarcliff Manor in 1928.

After enrolling at Princeton University in September 1941, Koelsch enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve on Sept. 14, 1942, and qualified as an airman with an ensign’s commission on Oct. 16, 1944.
Koelsch served as a torpedo bomber pilot in the last months of World War II and was promoted to lieutenant junior grade on Aug. 1, 1946. He then returned to Princeton to complete his education in 1949.