Re: Pearl Harbor
Here is a short summary of some of the Congressional Medals of Honor<br />awarded for heroism on Dec 7, 1941. There were many heroes that day!<br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor, Heroes of Pearl Harbor<br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />MERVYN SHARP BENNION<br />Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: During the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by<br />Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. <br /><br />As Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. West Virginia, after being mortally<br />wounded, Capt. Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in fighting and<br />saving his ship, and strongly protested against being carried from the<br />bridge. <br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />JOHN WILLIAM FINN<br />Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, 7<br />December 1941. <br /><br />During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station,<br />Kaneohe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a<br />.50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely<br />exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine<br />gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued<br />to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with<br />telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and<br />with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by<br />specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical<br />attention. Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering<br />much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron<br />area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His<br />extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with<br />the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />FRANCIS C. FLAHERTY<br />Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve. <br />Place and date: During the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by<br />Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. <br /><br />When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the<br />order was given to abandon ship, Ens. Flaherty remained in a turret,<br />holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to<br />escape, thereby sacrificing his own life. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />SAMUEL GLENN FUQUA<br />Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Arizona. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />Upon the commencement of the attack, Lt. Comdr. Fuqua rushed to the<br />quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Arizona to which he was attached where he was<br />stunned and knocked down by the explosion of a large bomb which hit the<br />guarterdeck, penetrated several decks, and started a severe fire. Upon<br />regaining consciousness, he began to direct the fighting of the fire and<br />the rescue of wounded and injured personnel. Almost immediately there<br />was a tremendous explosion forward, which made the ship appear to rise<br />out of the water, shudder, and settle down by the bow rapidly. The whole<br />forward part of the ship was enveloped in flames which were spreading<br />rapidly, and wounded and burned men were pouring out of the ship to the<br />quarterdeck. Despite these conditions, his harrowing experience, and<br />severe enemy bombing and strafing, at the time, Lt. Comdr. Fuqua<br />continued to direct the fighting of fires in order to check them while<br />the wounded and burned could be taken from the ship and supervised the<br />rescue of these men in such an amazingly calm and cool manner and with<br />such excellent judgment that it inspired everyone who saw him and<br />undoubtedly resulted in the saving of many lives. After realizing the<br />ship could not be saved and that he was the senior surviving officer<br />aboard, he directed it to be abandoned, but continued to remain on the<br />quarterdeck and directed abandoning ship and rescue of personnel until<br />satisfied that all personnel that could be had been saved, after which<br />he left his ship with the boatload. The conduct of Lt. Comdr. Fuqua was<br />not only in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service but<br />characterizes him as an outstanding leader of men. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />EDWIN JOSEPH HILL<br />Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />During the height of the strafing and bombing, Chief Boatswain Hill led<br />his men of the line handling details of the U.S.S. Nevada to the quays,<br />cast off the lines and swam back to his ship. Later, while on the<br />forecastle, attempting to let go the anchors, he was blown overboard and<br />killed by the explosion of several bombs.<br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />HERBERT CHARPOIT JONES<br />Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />Ens. Jones organized and led a party, which was supplying ammunition to<br />the antiaircraft battery of the U.S.S. California after the mechanical<br />hoists were put out of action when he was fatally wounded by a bomb<br />explosion. When two men attempted to take him from the area which was on<br />fire, he refused to let them do so, saying in words to the effect,<br />"Leave me alone! I am done for. Get out of here before the magazines go<br />off." <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />ISAAC CAMPBELL KIDD<br />Rank and organization: Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />Rear Adm. Kidd immediately went to the bridge and, as Commander<br />Battleship Division One, courageously discharged his duties as Senior<br />Officer Present Afloat until the U.S.S. Arizona, his Flagship, blew up<br />from magazine explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which<br />resulted in the loss of his life. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />JACKSON CHARLES PHARRIS<br />Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. California. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />In charge of the ordnance repair party on the third deck when the first<br />Japanese torpedo struck almost directly under his station, Lt. (then<br />Gunner) Pharris was stunned and severely injured by the concussion which<br />hurled him to the overhead and back to the deck. Quickly recovering, he<br />acted on his own initiative to set up a hand-supply ammunition train for<br />the antiaircraft guns. With water and oil rushing in where the port<br />bulkhead had been torn up from the deck, with many of the remaining<br />crewmembers overcome by oil fumes, and the ship without power and<br />listing heavily to port as a result of a second torpedo hit, Lt. Pharris<br />ordered the shipfitters to counterflood. Twice rendered unconscious by<br />the nauseous fumes and handicapped by his painful injuries, he persisted<br />in his desperate efforts to speed up the supply of ammunition and at the<br />same time repeatedly risked his life to enter flooding compartments and<br />drag to safety unconscious shipmates who were gradually being submerged<br />in oil. By his inspiring leadership, his valiant efforts and his extreme<br />loyalty to his ship and her crew, he saved many of his shipmates from<br />death and was largely responsible for keeping the California in action<br />during the attack. His heroic conduct throughout this first eventful<br />engagement of World War 11 reflects the highest credit upon Lt. Pharris<br />and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />THOMAS JAMES REEVES<br />Rank and organization: Radio Electrician (Warrant Officer) U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />After the mechanized ammunition hoists were put out of action in the<br />U.S.S. California, Reeves, on his own initiative, in a burning<br />passageway, assisted in the maintenance of an ammunition supply by hand<br />to the antiaircraft guns until he was overcome by smoke and fire, which<br />resulted in his death. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />DONALD KIRBY ROSS<br />Rank and organization: Machinist, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Nevada. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />When his station in the forward dynamo room of the U.S.S. Nevada became<br />almost untenable due to smoke, steam, and heat, Machinist Ross forced<br />his men to leave that station and performed all the duties himself until<br />blinded and unconscious. Upon being rescued and resuscitated, he<br />returned and secured the forward dynamo room and proceeded to the after<br />dynamo room where he was later again rendered unconscious by exhaustion.<br />Again recovering consciousness he returned to his station where he<br />remained until directed to abandon it. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />ROBERT R. SCOTT<br />Rank and organization: Machinist's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />The air compressor compartment in the U.S.S. California, to which Scott<br />was assigned as his battle station, was flooded as the result of a<br />torpedo hit. The remainder of the personnel evacuated that compartment<br />but Scott refused to leave, saying words to the effect "This is my<br />station and I will stay and give them air as long as the guns are<br />going." <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />PETER TOMICH<br />Rank and organization: Chief Watertender, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />Although realizing that the ship was capsizing as a result of enemy<br />bombing and torpedoing, Tomich remained at his post in the engineering<br />plant of the U.S.S. Utah, until he saw that all boilers were secured and<br />all fireroom personnel had left their stations, and by so doing lost his<br />own life. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />FRANKLIN VAN VALKENBURGH<br />Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />As commanding officer of the U.S.S. Arizona, Capt. Van Valkenburgh<br />gallantly fought his ship until the U.S.S. Arizona blew up from magazine<br />explosions and a direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the<br />loss of his life. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />Awarded Posthumously<br />JAMES RICHARD WARD<br />Rank and organization: Seaman First Class, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br /><br />When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the<br />order was given to abandon ship, Ward remained in a turret holding a<br />flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape,<br />thereby sacrificing his own life. <br /><br /><br />Congressional Medal of Honor<br />CASSIN YOUNG<br />Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. <br />Place and date: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941. <br />Born: 6 March 1894, Washington, D.C. <br /><br />Comdr. Young proceeded to the bridge and later took personal command of<br />the 3-inch antiaircraft gun. When blown overboard by the blast of the<br />forward magazine explosion of the U.S.S. Arizona, to which the U.S.S.<br />Vestal was moored, he swam back to his ship. The entire forward part of<br />the U.S.S. Arizona was a blazing inferno with oil afire on the water<br />between the 2 ships; as a result of several bomb hits, the U.S.S. Vestal<br />was afire in several places, was settling and taking on a list. Despite<br />severe enemy bombing and strafing at the time, and his shocking<br />experience of having been blown overboard, Comdr. Young, with extreme<br />coolness and calmness, moved his ship to an anchorage distant from the<br />U.S.S. Arizona, and subsequently beached the U.S.S. Vestal upon<br />determining that such action was required to save his ship.
