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Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh,
Commanding Officer, USS Arizona, USN

Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh, USN, (1888-1941)

Franklin Van Valkenburgh was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 5 April 1888. Appointed a Midshipman in 1905, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1909.

His initial service was in battleships, punctuated by a tour with the Asiatic Squadron in 1911-14. He received postgraduate education in the field of steam engineering and was Engineering Officer of the battleship Rhode Island during the First World War.

Van Valkenburgh was twice an instructor at the Naval Academy during the late 'Teens and in the 'Twenties, and also served in the battleships Minnesota and Maryland during that time.

Following promotion to the rank of Commander, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, in Washington, D.C., during 1928-31.

In the early 1930s, Commander Van Valkenburgh commanded the destroyer Talbot and Destroyer Squadron Five. He was a student at the Naval War College and inspector of naval material at the New York Navy Yard before again serving at sea as Commanding Officer of the destroyer tender Melville in 1936-38.

Captain Van Valkenburg then spent a tour ashore with the Third Naval District and, in February 1941 became Commanding Officer of the battleship Arizona.

He was killed in action when his ship exploded and sank during the 7 December 1941 Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor.

For his "conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage" at that time, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The destroyer USS Van Valkenburgh (DD-656), 1944-1967, was named in honor of Captain Van Valkenburgh.

Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh, USN

Who was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for devotion to duty and courage while serving as Commanding Officer of USS Arizona (BB-39) during the 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

Halftone reproduction, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1948, The Navy", page 272.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Naval Historical Center

U.S. Navy Medal of Honor

Photograph taken during World War II, showing the Medal of Honor with its anchor suspension device clipped to the outside of the ribbon.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

The Medal of Honor -- The Navy Medal of Honor,
1942 to the Present

The Medal of Honor is the highest-ranking United States' combat award, with different patterns used by the Navy, the Army and the Air Force. Authorized in December 1861 as an award for enlisted men, the Navy Medal of Honor originally served to "further promote the efficiency of the Navy".

Its award criteria subsequently included "deeds of gallantry and heroism in times of War and of Peace" on the part of officers and enlisted personnel, but in 1942 were restricted to acts of extraordinary heroism in armed combat.

The design of the medal and its associated ribbon have also varied, with the pattern presently used having been adopted in 1942.

U.S. Navy Medal of Honor

Photograph taken during the 1940s or early 1950s, showing the Medal of Honor, its ribbons and rosette.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

The Medal of Honor -- The Navy Medal of Honor, 1942 to the Present

Lieutenant Commander Samuel G. Fuqua,
USS Arizona, USN

Rear Admiral Samuel G. Fuqua, USN, (1899-1987)

Samuel Glenn Fuqua was born in Laddonia, Missouri, on 15 October 1899. After a year at the University of Missouri and World War I service in the Army, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy in July 1919.

Following graduation and commissioning in June 1923, he served in the battleship Arizona, destroyer McDonough and battleship Mississippi before receiving shore duty at San Francisco, California, in 1930-32.

Lieutenant Fuqua served in other ships and shore stations during the mid-1930s, and was Commanding Officer of the minesweeper Bittern in the Asiatic Fleet in 1937-39.

After service at the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois, in 1939-41, Lieutenant Commander Fuqua returned to USS Arizona as the ship's Damage Control Officer and First Lieutenant, and was on board her during Japan's 7 December 1941 raid on Pearl Harbor.

Though knocked unconscious by a bomb that hit the ship's stern early in the attack, he subsequently directed fire fighting and rescue efforts.

After the ship's forward magazines exploded, he was her senior surviving officer and was responsible for saving her remaining crewmen. For his distinguished conduct and heroism at that time, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

During most of 1942, Fuqua was an officer of the cruiser Tuscaloosa. In 1943-44, he was assigned to duty at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and attended the Naval War College.

Captain Fuqua was Operations Officer for Commander Seventh Fleet in January-August 1945, helping to plan and execute several amphibious operations in the Philippines and Borneo area.

Following the War, he served in other staff positions, and in 1949-50 commanded the destroyer tender Dixie. After service as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Naval District, he retired from active duty in July 1953, receiving at that time the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of his combat awards.

Rear Admiral Samuel G. Fuqua died at Decatur, Georgia, on 27 January 1987.

Commander Samuel Glenn Fuqua, USN

Who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism and distinguished conduct in action while serving on board USS Arizona (BB-39) during the 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

He was a Lieutenant Commander at that time.

Halftone reproduction, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1948, The Navy", page 189.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Medal of Honor citation of Captain Samuel Glenn Fuqua

(as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 189):

"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, Lieutenant Commander Fuqua rushed to the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Arizona to which he was attached where he was stunned and knocked down by the explosion of a large bomb which hit the quarterdeck, 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, Lieutenant Commander 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 judgement, that it inspired everyone who saw him and undoubtedly resulted in the saving of many lives.

After realizing that the ship could not be saved and that he was the senior surviving officer aboard, he directed that it 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 the ship with the (last) boatload.

The conduct of Lieutenant Commander Fuqua was not only in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service but characterizes him as an outstanding leader of men."