In the mountains of North Korea, it was so cold that soldiers had to urinate on their rifles to thaw them out. U.S. troops clung to icy roads as Chinese forces launched devastating attacks near the Chosin Reservoir.
    On November 28, 1950, General [Edward] Almond visited a battalion that survived the attack in those frozen mountains. The battalion was led by Lieutenant Colonel Don Carlos Faith, Jr. Almond boasted, "We're still...going all the way to the Yalu." Then he pinned a Silver Star medal on Faith for gallantry (bravery) in action.
    Faith knew his group would never make it to the Yalu River. As soon as Almond left, Faith ripped off the medal and flung it into the snow. Faith, his men, and a regiment whose leader was missing, formed Task Force Faith. They ignored Almond's boast and began to fight their way back to the relative safety of Hagaru, twelve miles away.
    Faith found a route across the frozen reservoir. He stayed back until his entire task force crossed, including vehicles carrying wounded soldiers. Then he ran forward and led his men through one deadly roadblock after another. On December 1, Faith was killed only about four miles from Hagaru. But 670 men made it to safety. The Army later awarded Faith the Medal of Honor.