36. “Get the Hell Out of Here While You Can!“
Despite heavy casualties, the communists kept coming, and eventually overwhelmed the unit to the left of Kravitz’s. As a result, the position of Kravitz’s unit became untenable, and American GIs were forced to beat a hasty retreat. Kravitz was an assistant machine gunner, but when the machine gunner was wounded, Kravitz took over and began mowing down the attackers.
When the order to withdraw was issued, Kravitz volunteered to stay behind. Ignoring his comrades’ pleadings to fall back with them, he continued manning the machinegun to buy them enough time to make it to safety. As he poured fire on the advancing enemy, he shouted to his buddies: “Get the hell out of here while you can!”