thedrifter
12-09-03, 05:00 PM
12-09-2003
Medal of Honor Recipients on Dec. 7, 1941
Editor’s Note: On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor with a massive carrier air raid that crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet, destroyed three-fourths of the 231 military aircraft at hand, killed 2,403 people and injured another 1,104 others. But during the horror and bloodshed that day there were many instances of American bravery and valor above and beyond the call of duty.
Of the 16 U.S. military personnel who received the Medal of Honor for actions on Dec. 7, 1941, 11 were awarded it posthumously. Two of the recipients were not at Pearl Harbor itself: One was serving at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, and the other at Midway Island, which were also attacked. Their ranks ranged from seaman 1st class to rear admiral.
Note: An asterisk (*) before the recipient’s name indicates that he received the Medal of Honor posthumously.
*Bennion, Mervyn Sharp
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy.
Born: 5 May 1887, Vernon, Utah. Appointed from: Utah.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. As Commanding Officer of the USS West Virginia, after being mortally wounded, Capt. Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in fighting and saving his ship, and strongly protested against being carried from the bridge.
*Cannon, George Ham
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Born: S November 1915, Webster Groves, Mo. Entered service at: Michigan.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own condition during the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. 1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire.
He refused to be evacuated from his post until after his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated, and directed the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed. As a result of his utter disregard of his own condition he died from loss of blood.
Finn, John William
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.
Place and date: Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: California. Born: 23 July 1909, Los Angeles, Calif.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine gun strafing fire.
Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy’s fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention.
Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*Flaherty, Francis C.
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Born: 15 March 1919, Charlotte, Mich. Accredited to: Michigan.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When it was seen that the USS Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ens. Flaherty remained in a turret, holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.
Fuqua, Samuel Glenn
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy, USS Arizona.
Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: Laddonia, Mo. Born: 15 October 1899, Laddonia Mo.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in action, outstanding heroism, and utter disregard of his own safety above and beyond the call of duty during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Upon the commencement of the attack, Lt. Comdr. Fuqua rushed to the quarterdeck of the USS Arizona to which he was attached where he was stunned and knocked down by the explosion of a large bomb which hit the guarterdeck, penetrated several decks, and started a severe fire.
Upon regaining consciousness, he began to direct the fighting of the fire and the rescue of wounded and injured personnel. Almost immediately there was a tremendous explosion forward, which made the ship appear to rise out of the water, shudder, and settle down by the bow rapidly. The whole forward part of the ship was enveloped in flames which were spreading rapidly, and wounded and burned men were pouring out of the ship to the quarterdeck.
Despite these conditions, his harrowing experience, and severe enemy bombing and strafing, at the time, Lt. Cmdr. Fuqua continued to direct the fighting of fires in order to check them while the wounded and burned could be taken from the ship and supervised the rescue of these men in such an amazingly calm and cool manner and with such excellent judgment that it inspired everyone who saw him and undoubtedly resulted in the saving of many lives.
After realizing the ship could not be saved and that he was the senior surviving officer aboard, he directed it to be abandoned, but continued to remain on the quarterdeck and directed abandoning ship and rescue of personnel until satisfied that all personnel that could be had been saved, after which he left his ship with the boatload. The conduct of Lt. Cmdr. Fuqua was not only in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service but characterizes him as an outstanding leader of men.
*Hill, Edwin Joseph
Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain, U.S. Navy.
Born: 4 October 1894, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage, and disregard of his own safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. During the height of the strafing and bombing, Chief Boatswain Hill led his men of the linehandling details of the USS Nevada to the quays, cast off the lines and swam back to his ship.
Later, while on the forecastle, attempting to let go the anchors, he was blown overboard and killed by the explosion of several bombs.
*Jones, Herbert Charpoit
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Born: 1 December 1918, Los Angeles, Calif. Accredited to: California.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Ens. Jones organized and led a party, which was supplying ammunition to the antiaircraft battery of the USS California after the mechanical hoists were put out of action when he was fatally wounded by a bomb explosion. When two men attempted to take him from the area which was on fire, he refused to let them do so, saying in words to the effect, “Leave me alone! I am done for. Get out of here before the magazines go off.”
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Medal of Honor Recipients on Dec. 7, 1941
Editor’s Note: On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor with a massive carrier air raid that crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet, destroyed three-fourths of the 231 military aircraft at hand, killed 2,403 people and injured another 1,104 others. But during the horror and bloodshed that day there were many instances of American bravery and valor above and beyond the call of duty.
Of the 16 U.S. military personnel who received the Medal of Honor for actions on Dec. 7, 1941, 11 were awarded it posthumously. Two of the recipients were not at Pearl Harbor itself: One was serving at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, and the other at Midway Island, which were also attacked. Their ranks ranged from seaman 1st class to rear admiral.
Note: An asterisk (*) before the recipient’s name indicates that he received the Medal of Honor posthumously.
*Bennion, Mervyn Sharp
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy.
Born: 5 May 1887, Vernon, Utah. Appointed from: Utah.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. As Commanding Officer of the USS West Virginia, after being mortally wounded, Capt. Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in fighting and saving his ship, and strongly protested against being carried from the bridge.
*Cannon, George Ham
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Born: S November 1915, Webster Groves, Mo. Entered service at: Michigan.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own condition during the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. 1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire.
He refused to be evacuated from his post until after his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated, and directed the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed. As a result of his utter disregard of his own condition he died from loss of blood.
Finn, John William
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.
Place and date: Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: California. Born: 23 July 1909, Los Angeles, Calif.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine gun strafing fire.
Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy’s fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention.
Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*Flaherty, Francis C.
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Born: 15 March 1919, Charlotte, Mich. Accredited to: Michigan.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When it was seen that the USS Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ens. Flaherty remained in a turret, holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.
Fuqua, Samuel Glenn
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy, USS Arizona.
Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: Laddonia, Mo. Born: 15 October 1899, Laddonia Mo.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in action, outstanding heroism, and utter disregard of his own safety above and beyond the call of duty during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Upon the commencement of the attack, Lt. Comdr. Fuqua rushed to the quarterdeck of the USS Arizona to which he was attached where he was stunned and knocked down by the explosion of a large bomb which hit the guarterdeck, penetrated several decks, and started a severe fire.
Upon regaining consciousness, he began to direct the fighting of the fire and the rescue of wounded and injured personnel. Almost immediately there was a tremendous explosion forward, which made the ship appear to rise out of the water, shudder, and settle down by the bow rapidly. The whole forward part of the ship was enveloped in flames which were spreading rapidly, and wounded and burned men were pouring out of the ship to the quarterdeck.
Despite these conditions, his harrowing experience, and severe enemy bombing and strafing, at the time, Lt. Cmdr. Fuqua continued to direct the fighting of fires in order to check them while the wounded and burned could be taken from the ship and supervised the rescue of these men in such an amazingly calm and cool manner and with such excellent judgment that it inspired everyone who saw him and undoubtedly resulted in the saving of many lives.
After realizing the ship could not be saved and that he was the senior surviving officer aboard, he directed it to be abandoned, but continued to remain on the quarterdeck and directed abandoning ship and rescue of personnel until satisfied that all personnel that could be had been saved, after which he left his ship with the boatload. The conduct of Lt. Cmdr. Fuqua was not only in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service but characterizes him as an outstanding leader of men.
*Hill, Edwin Joseph
Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain, U.S. Navy.
Born: 4 October 1894, Philadelphia, Pa. Accredited to: Pennsylvania.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage, and disregard of his own safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. During the height of the strafing and bombing, Chief Boatswain Hill led his men of the linehandling details of the USS Nevada to the quays, cast off the lines and swam back to his ship.
Later, while on the forecastle, attempting to let go the anchors, he was blown overboard and killed by the explosion of several bombs.
*Jones, Herbert Charpoit
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve.
Born: 1 December 1918, Los Angeles, Calif. Accredited to: California.
Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Ens. Jones organized and led a party, which was supplying ammunition to the antiaircraft battery of the USS California after the mechanical hoists were put out of action when he was fatally wounded by a bomb explosion. When two men attempted to take him from the area which was on fire, he refused to let them do so, saying in words to the effect, “Leave me alone! I am done for. Get out of here before the magazines go off.”
continued......