World War II Honoree

Richard N. Antrim

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Peru, Indiana

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. SERVED AS COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY. PLACE AND DATE; MAKASSAR, CELEBES, NETHERLANDS, EAST INDIES, APRIL 1942. ENTERED SERVICE AT INDIANA. BORN ON DECEMBER 17, 1907 IN PERU, INDIANA. RECEIVED CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY WHILE INTERNED AS A PRISONER OF WAR OF THE ENEMY JAPANESE IN THE CITY OF MAKASSAR, CELEBES, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES IN APRIL 1942. ACTING INSTANTLY ON BEHALF OF A NAVAL OFFICER WHO WAS SUBJECTED TO A VICIOUS CLUBBING BY A FRENZIED JAPANESE GUARD. BOLDLY INTERVENED, ATTEMPTING TO QUIET THE GUARD AND FINALLY PERSUADING HIM TO DISCUSS THE CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICER, WITH THE ENTIRE JAPANESE FORCE ASSEMBLED AND MAKING EXTRAORDINARY PREPARATIONS FOR THE THREATENED BEATING, AND WITH THE TENSION HEIGHTENED BY 2,700 ALLIED PRISONERS RAPIDLY CLOSING IN, APPEALED TO THE FANATIC ENEMY, RISKING HIS OWN LIFE IN A DESPERATE EFFORT TO MITIGATE THE PUNISHMENT. WHEN THE OTHER HAD BEEN BEATEN UNCONSCIOUS BY 15 BLOWS OF A HAWSER AND WAS REPEATEDLY KICKED BY 3 SOLDIERS TO A POINT BEYOND WHICH HE COULD NOT SURVIVE, HE STEPPED FORWARD AND INDICATED TO THE PERPLEXED GUARDS THAT HE WOULD TAKE THE REMAINDER OF THE PUNISHMENT. THROWING THE JAPANESE COMPLETELY OFF BALANCE IN THEIR AMAZEMENT AND ELICITING A ROAR OF ACCLAIM FROM THE SUDDENLY INSPIRED ALLIED PRISONERS. BY HIS FEARLESS LEADERSHIP AND VALIANT CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF ANOTHER, HE NOT ONLY SAVED THE LIFE OF A FELLOW OFFICER AND STUNNED THE JAPANESE INTO SPARING HIS OWN LIFE, BUT ALSO BROUGHT ABOUT A NEW RESPECT FOR AMERICAN OFFICERS, MEN AND A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN CAMP LIVING CONDITIONS. HIS HEROIC CONDUCT REFLECTS THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON HIM AND THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.