Thank you, Lt. Finn, for your service to your country and protecting the freedom of all of us.
Rest in Peace!
Posted on 05/27/2010 3:16:15 PM PDT by stevie_d_64
SAN DIEGO – Retired Navy Lt. John Finn, the oldest Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, died Thursday at his Southern California ranch. He was 100.
Finn enlisted in the Navy just before his 17th birthday and went on to become the first man to receive the nation's highest military award for heroism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, according to a Navy statement.
He was the oldest of 97 Medal of Honor recipients still living.
Despite head wounds and other injuries, Finn, the chief of ordnance for an air squadron, continuously fired a .50-caliber machine gun from an exposed position as bullets and bombs pounded the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu. He then supervised the rearming of returning American planes.
"Here they're paying you for doing your duty, and that's what I did," Finn told The Associated Press before his 100th birthday. "I never intended to be a hero. But on Dec. 7, by God, we're in a war."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Thank god there were (and are) men like you, Mr. Finn. We owe you everything.
Thank you, Lt. Finn, for your service to your country and protecting the freedom of all of us.
Rest in Peace!
Finn was stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. As a chief aviation ordnanceman, he was in charge of twenty men whose primary task was to maintain the weapons of a PBY Catalina flying boat squadron. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Finn was at his home, about a mile from the aircraft hangars, when he heard the sound of gunfire. Finn recalled how a neighbor was the first to alert him, when she knocked on his door saying, “They want you down at the squadron right away!”. he drove to the hangars (seeing Japanese planes in the sky on the way) and found that the airbase was being attacked, with most of the PBYs already on fire.
His men were trying to fight back by using the machine guns mounted in the PBYs, either by firing from inside the flaming planes or by detaching the guns and mounting them on improvised stands. In 2009 Finn explained one of the first things he did was take control of a machine gun from his squadron’s painter. “I said, ‘Alex, let me take that gun’...knew that I had more experience firing a machine gun than a painter.”
Finn then found a movable platform used for gunnery training, attached the .50 caliber machine gun, and pushed the platform into an open area, from which he had a clear view of the attacking aircraft. He fired on the Japanese planes for the next two hours, even after being seriously wounded, until the attack had ended. In total, he received 21 distinct wounds, including a bullet through the foot and an injury which rendered his left arm numb.
“I got that gun and I started shooting at Jap planes,” Finn said in a 2009 interview.
“I was out there shooting the Jap planes and just every so often I was a target for some,” Finn said. “They were Japanese fighter plane pilots. I can remember seeing, in some cases, I could see their faces.”
Despite his injuries, he returned to the hangars later that day, after receiving medical treatment, and helped arm the surviving American planes.
For these actions, Finn was formally presented with the Medal of Honor on September 14, 1942, by Admiral Chester Nimitz. The ceremony occurred in Pearl Harbor on board the USS Enterprise (CV-6).
During the remainder of World War II, he served as a Limited Duty Officer Ensign and eventually as a Lieutenant with Bombing Squadron VB-102 and aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19). He retired from the Navy in the rank of Lieutenant in September 1956.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Finn
Good thing he didn’t get the medal for restraint.
Lieutenant, words can not convey the fullness of measure that you have earned. Never in your life could we show our true gratitude for the freedom we enjoy by your actions. God rest you in a high place, sir.
Deborah Leigh
former Army Sgt
God Bless, Lt. Finn, and thanks!
Godspeed!
In the olde days America gave out medals for shooting at the enemy. In those days we achieved total, unconditional, permanent victory over our enemy.
Now we are planning medals for NOT shooting back.
Since WWII the only war victory the US has achieved that stated won, was Grenada.
Korea, Vietnam, Iraq I, Iraq II, Afghanistan, cold war we didn’t push all the way to the finish, meaning we didn’t kill enough of the enemy, including civilians to teach them the necessary lesson.
Hand Salute.........................two
I wondered why there were flags at half staff this afternoon. Now I know. Rest in peace sir.
The current White House occupant has never been and never will be fit to shine this hero’s shoes.
Rest in Peace, LT John Flinn. This old Marine salutes you!
My first duty with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) was at Kaneohe.
I just happened to see this story on NBC news (my wife had it on and I was just passing through the den) and watched the story. At the end, Brian Williams said, “We’re going to miss you, John Finn.” I yelled at the TV, “Dude, up to this very moment in time you probably didn’t even know who John Finn was and probably could care less about him. F’n jerk.” Pi$$ed me off bigtime.
Mansions of the Lord
I feel bad...LT Finn.
Deepest condolences to his family and friends, and heartfelt thanksgiving for his service to our country.
God bless all our military people and their families, and God bless the United States of America.
Hey, all you Navy vets - notice Finn entered as enlisted in 1936-37 when he was 17 years old, and by December 7, 1941, he was a Chief!
That is making rate real fast!
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