Medal of Honor recipient William Edward Shuck Jr. (August 16, 1926–July 3, 1952) was a native of Ridgeley, Mineral County, where he served as an altar boy at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Following his graduation from Ridgeley High School in 1944, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 21 of that year. Assigned to the submarine service during the final year of World War II, Shuck served honorably until his discharge on July 19, 1946.

Upon returning home, Shuck briefly worked at the Kelly-Springfield Tire plant in nearby Cumberland, Maryland, and became an active member of the Ridgeley and Knobley Mountain American Legion Post 136, where he served as post historian. On November 14, 1947, he reenlisted, this time joining the U.S. Marine Corps. After completing training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he spent the next several years stationed at Marine bases across the United States.

In 1952, Shuck was deployed to Korea, serving as a staff sergeant and squad leader with Company G, 3^rd Battalion, 7^th Marines, 1^st Marine Division. On July 3, during a fierce assault on heavily defended enemy positions, his unit came under intense machine-gun, grenade, artillery, and mortar fire. Although seriously wounded early in the battle, Shuck refused medical treatment and continued to direct his squad. When the leader of an adjacent rifle squad was wounded, Shuck assumed command of both units, courageously leading them in two additional attacks against enemy strongholds.

Even after suffering a second severe wound, Shuck refused to leave the battlefield. Under unrelenting enemy fire, he remained at his post until he was certain that all dead and wounded Marines had been evacuated. While personally helping to carry the last wounded Marine to safety, Shuck was struck and killed by enemy sniper fire.

The fallen Marine left behind a grieving family. Seven months prior to his death, Shuck had married Victoria “Vicki” Rodi. On September 3, 1953, Vice President Richard Nixon posthumously presented the Medal of Honor to his widow at a ceremony at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C.

With this award, Shuck became the second Mineral County veteran in seven years to receive the nation’s highest military decoration, following World War II hero Jonah E. Kelley. Shuck was buried at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Cumberland, Maryland. A mess hall at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, was later dedicated in his honor.