Yesterday, March 25th
Was Medal of Honor Day
A Day to Honor Our Heroes
Who Gave For Us, All The Way
At Arlington National Cemetery, Yesterday
Stood a Ninety Nine-Year Old, Man of Honor
He’s The Oldest Living Recipient of This Medal
He Received It For His Heroism, at Pearl Harbor
John William Finn is This Very Honorable Man’s Name
Back on December 7, 1941, He Manned a Machine Gun
And Despite Being Hit by Enemy Fire, Numerous Times
He Did Not Leave His Post, Until The Attack Was Done
He is The Only Remaining Medal of Honor Recipient
From The Attack on Pearl Harbor, That Infamous Day
Retired Naval Officer John William Finn, Will Be 100
On July 23rd, Most Certainly a Very Honorable Birthday
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Mr. Finn’s many decorations include the Purple Heart; 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.
Today, Mr. Finn lives alone in California; his wife Alice died in 1998.
And yesterday, with the aid of two walking sticks, Retired Naval Officer John W. Finn stood beside President Obama during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier.
Later in the day, he was a guest at the White House. It was his first visit, and his first time meeting with a sitting President. Back in 1942, President Roosevelt had been unable to present Finn with his Medal of Honor in person; he had been presented the medal aboard the USS Enterprise, by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
From The Official Medal of Honor Record Book
Finn, John William:
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 December 7, 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machinegun 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.
Yesterday, March 25th
Was Medal of Honor Day
A Day to Honor Our Heroes
Who Gave For Us, All The Way
©2009, Mr. Ed
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