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thedrifter
04-26-08, 07:44 AM
Marine ordnancemen celebrate with icon

April 25, 2008 - 10:57PM
BY JAMES GILBERT, SUN STAFF WRITER

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma's nine ordnance units celebrated their 86th birthday Friday with one of its most legendary figures.

Attending the ceremony was retired Navy Lt. John William Finn, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient and the only living Pearl Harbor Day Medal of Honor recipient.

"I can honestly say I speak for all of us here today, Mr. Finn, when I say we are humbled by your strength of will," said Cpl. Antonio Rodriguez, who introduced Finn at the celebration. "We as ordnance men and women strive each day to live up to your embodiment of the warrior spirit."

Finn, now 98, is also the only ordnanceman to be awarded the nation's highest honor.

"I'm really honored to be here with you guys," said Finn, who now lives in Pine Valley, Calif., about 70 miles east of San Diego. "I think it's important that ordnance remember its past."

Chief Warrant Officer Jim Inglis of Marines Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, said there could be no better guest to have for the celebration.

"You don't usually get to meet a Medal of Honor recipient, but to meet one who actually did the same job you do is truly amazing," Inglis said. "The lineage and legacy of today's Marines meeting with a hero of the past is an awesome situation for all of us."

Aviation ordnance Marines are proud of the job they do, and are the only military occupational field that celebrates the birthday of its founding, April 25, 1922.

The backbone of any squadron - the bombs, bullets, missiles, rockets, flares and anything else that shoots or drops from all the aircraft in the Marine Corps - are their tools of the trade. Ordnance personnel are responsible for loading the weapons on a squadron's aircraft.

Finn received the Medal of Honor for heroism and distinguished service during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

"The words on his Medal of Honor citation speak for themselves, deeds written in his sweat and blood," Rodriguez said. "On Dec. 7 our nation gained a hero that day, and we were represented by our most legendary icon."

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Finn's decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal.

Finn was stationed in Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii with VP-41 squadron. On the morning the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he took a 50-caliber machine gun from one of the planes, mounted it on a stand and began returning fire on Japanese planes.

"In a completely exposed area he traded fire with strafing Japanese fighters, taking a toll each time they passed," Rodriguez said during Finn's introduction, which Rodriguez wrote.

Finn, who was wounded during the 15-minute attack, was credited with singlehandedly shooting down one Japanese aircraft, killing the pilot.

Finn, who was a chief petty officer at the time, said he was awarded the medal nine months later in a ceremony on board the USS Enterprise by Adm. Chester Nimitz.

"I was proud my citation was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and that 25 other men were presented with one also during the same ceremony," Finn said.

Also in attendance was Adm. William "Bull" Halsey, according to Finn. But those weren't the only legendary figures from World War II Finn knew. He counted Marine fighter pilots Joe Foss and Greg "Pappy" Boyington as friends.

Finn said when he joined the Navy in 1926 there were no ordnance units. He was the 43rd person in the history of the Navy and Marines to become an aviation ordnanceman.

Finn added that despite only having a grammar school education, not only did he become an aviation ordnanceman, he was able to work his way though the enlisted ranks, finally being promoted to chief petty officer in nine years.

"Everybody thought I was a boy wonder," Finn said. "It was unheard of at the time."

Inglis, like others of the Marine ordnance personnel who attended the ceremony held at a park on base, spent several moments speaking with Finn.

Inglis said he was humbled when Finn told him that he was jealous of him.

"He told me he wanted to be a ordnance warrant officer but they made him an ensign, so he never got to be one."


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James Gilbert can be reached at
jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.

Ellie