Louis J. Sebille | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Lou" |
| Born | November 21, 1915 Harbor Beach, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | August 5, 1950 (aged 34) near Hamchang-eup, Pusan Perimeter, Korea |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 1946–1950 |
| Rank | Major |
| Service number | |
| Unit | 450th Bombardment Squadron |
| Commands held | 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Purple Heart Air Medal (12) |
Louis Joseph "Lou" Sebille (November 21, 1915 – August 5, 1950) was a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and later the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He rose to the rank of major and posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on August 5, 1950, in South Korea during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter.
Born in Michigan, Sebille worked as a master of ceremonies in Chicago, Illinois, before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Sebille flew B-26 Marauder bombers over Europe from 1943 to 1945. He flew 68 combat missions and accrued more than 3,000 hours of flying time. Sebille briefly became a commercial airline pilot after the war before he was offered a commission as a first lieutenant and reentered the service in July 1946.
Sebille commanded the 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at the outbreak of the Korean War, flying P-51 Mustangs in close air support and 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Korean War Honor Roll listing: Louis J. Sebille entry, American Battle Monuments Commission, retrieved August 7, 2011