Sergeant Charlton posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions near Chipo-ri, South Korea on June 2, 1951.

Born to a coal mining family in West Virginia, Charlton enlisted in the Army out of high school in 1946.

In the following years, Charlton was honored numerous times, but was controversially not given a spot in Arlington National Cemetery, which his family claimed was due to racial discrimination.

[2] In 1950, Charlton was assigned to the Occupation of Japan, and was given an administrative job on Okinawa[2] with an engineering group of the Eighth United States Army.

[3] However, Charlton indicated a desire to fight in the Korean War, and so he requested transfer to a front line unit in South Korea.

The regiment was one of the de facto segregated units, made up almost entirely of African American men led by white officers.

Division commander Major General William B. Kean had requested the unit be disbanded, finding the regiment "untrustworthy.

"[2] Charlton arrived at C Company of the regiment's 1st Battalion in early 1951, and at first was regarded with suspicion by officers and leaders in his unit.

[5] Three times, Charlton led the platoon up the hill in the face of intense Chinese mortar and infantry fire.

[5] Subsequent accounts noted Charlton continued the advance "holding his chest wound with one hand and an M1 carbine with the other.

[5] In one final action, Charlton advanced alone to the top of the hill and the location of the Chinese mortars, firing repeatedly on the emplacement there.

The Chinese troops wounded Charlton one final time with a grenade, but he continued firing until the position was destroyed.

[8] In 1952, the US Army renamed its New York-based Ferryboat 84, a ferry boat that traveled to Governors Island in the Upper New York Bay, for Charlton.

These gardens are the site of annual Memorial Day gatherings of the local neighborhood where Charlton and other Bronx residents killed in the Korean War are honored.

[5] On November 12, 2008, following efforts of other Medal of Honor recipients, Charlton was finally reburied at Arlington National Cemetery, where his remains currently reside.

Charlton, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy.

Personally eliminating 2 hostile positions and killing 6 of the enemy with his rifle fire and grenades, he continued up the slope until the unit suffered heavy casualties and became pinned down.

Observing that the remaining emplacement which had retarded the advance was situated on the reverse slope, he charged it alone, was again hit by a grenade but raked the position with a devastating fire which eliminated it and routed the defenders.

The wounds received during his daring exploits resulted in his death but his indomitable courage, superb leadership, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself the infantry, and the military service.