Fayetteville resident Col. Ben Malcom has been awarded the Daughters of American Revolution Medal of Honor, the group’s highest award, by the Cherokee Chapter, National Society DAR.

Malcom, a guest speaker for the chapter in the fall of 2006, spoke about his experiences working behind enemy lines during the Korean War. His book, “White Tigers, My Secret War in North Korea,” vividly details his activities in a Top Secret unit conducting combat operations with North Korean partisans behind enemy lines. The book could not be written until all information relating to his activities had been declassified. Finally, in 1996, his book was published. The memoir goes behind-the-scenes of the Korean War and connects the OSS (WWII), and Special Forces (1952). Malcom has received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Aviation Badge, Airborne Badge and four awards of the Legion of Merit.

Impressed by his service in the Korean War as well as his continued activities following it, Cherokee Chapter began the process of obtaining all necessary information needed to fulfill the requirements for the DAR Medal of Honor.

Included were letters of recommendation from six men – Joe Avery, James Matthews, Larry Langford, Kenneth Woods, Brigadier General Josiah Blasingame and Gerald Lord – who know of Malcom’s outstanding military career. With the exception of Lord, these men attended the presentation ceremony.

Malcom continues to be active in both military affairs and his community. He teaches four classes a year at the John F. Kennedy Special Forces School, Fort Bragg, N.C. and one class a year at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Laura McCrillis Kessler, Americanism Committee’s National Chairman wrote, “We recognize Colonel Benjamin Studdard Malcom USA (Retired) as an outstanding American citizen who has served his country and his community with distinction. We commend him for his leadership, trustworthiness and patriotism, and salute him for his outstanding service to the United States. We are privileged to honor Colonel Malcom with our highest award, the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor.”

The members of Cherokee Chapter, NSDAR have expressed that they are honored to have met Malcom and his wife Joyce and were delighted to bestow this honor upon him.

Malcom is a native son, born in Monroe and a now a resident of Fayetteville, Ga.

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