Mausert and his rifle squad led the rifle platoon of his company in a bayonet attack on a hill heavily fortified by bunkers and defended by North Korean soldiers and machine guns. Although wounded twice in his company and battalion's attack for the hill, he refused to be evacuated twice, and continued to lead his squad and platoon under fire in destroying enemy emplacements until he himself was killed as he personally destroyed his second enemy machine gun position. He was the 20th Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism during the war.