World War II Honoree

John W. Finn

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Belle Vernon Acres, California

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. LIEUTENANT IN THE U.S. NAVY. PLACE AND DATE: NAVAL AIR STATION, KANEOHE BAY, TERRITORY OF HAWAII DECEMBER 7, 1941. ENTERED SERVICE AT: CALIFORNIA. BORN: JULY 23, 1909 IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. CITATION: '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 AT KANEOHE BAY ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 LIEUTENANT FINN PROMPTLY SECURED AND MANNED A 50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN 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 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'.