Jan. 22, 2019

A Portrait of HM2 Bobby Ray, Heroic "Doc" of Liberty Bridge

In the early morning of March 19, 1969, a Marine combat base at Phu Loc 6 near An Hoa, Vietnam, became the scene of a surprise enemy attack. As the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) infiltrated the camp's barbed wire perimeter, a 24-year old corpsman named Bobby Ray charged into the melee to render emergency aid to the mounting casualties. He would even

March 23, 2017

Navy Medal of Honor Recipients at Iwo Jima

The first Medals of Honor were presented on March 25, 1863. To commemorate this date, in 1990, Congress designated March 25 "National Medal of Honor Day" to recognize recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest and most prestigious military decoration awarded to U.S. service members who have distinguished themselves through acts of valor. In

Dec. 6, 2016

The Warrior of Kāne'ohe: Pearl Harbor's Only Medal of Honor Recipient for Combat Valor

More than seventy-five years ago, the tranquil wind-swept and sun-soaked skies over the then-U.S. territory of Hawaii were pierced by the whine of 353 Japanese aircraft, launched in a surprise attack from four Japanese aircraft carriers on the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet, based in Pearl Harbor, Oahu. On that day, December 7, 1941, thousands

Dec. 5, 2016

Stories of Valor on a Day of Infamy

Although Pearl Harbor was a devastating tactical defeat resulting in 2,335 U.S. military deaths, the vast majority of U.S. Sailors responded immediately and in many cases with extraordinary acts of bravery, many of which were unrecorded due to the deaths of so many witnesses. Even so, Navy personnel were awarded 15 Medals of Honor, 51 Navy Crosses,

Nov. 7, 2016

Honoring Our Veterans: Navy Sailors That Earned our Country's Highest Honor

The Navy and Marine Corps' Medal of Honor is our country's oldest continuously awarded decoration, originally created for enlisted men by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles on Dec. 16, 1861. Although originally awarded for both combat and non-combat heroism, the Medal of Honor today is presented for 'conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the

Oct. 21, 2016

Torpedoman 2nd Class Henry Breault

Editor's note: The following blog first appeared on the Submarine Force Library & Museum website. Long before seven submariners received the Medal of Honor in World War II for their the legendary bravery, an enlisted man, Torpedoman 2nd Class Henry Breault, distinguished himself as a hero of the Submarine Force. He is the only enlisted submariner

July 29, 2016

Honoring Harvey C. Barnum, Jr, Medal of Honor Recipient

 Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum, Jr, is a retired United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the Vietnam War. After graduation from high school, he entered college and joined the Marine Corps? Platoon Leaders Class program. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Marine Reserve second lieutenant. In October 1968,

Feb. 26, 2016

The Making of the Medal of Honor

Like a ship's crest, the symbolism behind a physical medal associated with an award in America's Navy isn't represented by a single element, but is instead the combination of many extraordinary components. Together with the multiple actions that combine to make the recipient worthy of recognition, the symbolism of the physical award becomes an

Dec. 2, 2015

Medal of Honor recipients for Pearl Harbor attack, Dec. 7, 1941 - Part III

(Editors Note: This is the final part of a three part series blog featuring John Finn and other Medal of Honor recipients following the Dec. 7, 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbor. Click here to read Part I and Part II of this blog series.)Listed below are images and the 15 citation for the Sailors who earned the Medal of Honor for actions taken during

Dec. 2, 2015

Pearl Harbor MOH Recipient Recalls "I Could See Their Faces" - Part II

(Editors Note: This is Part II of a three part series blog featuring John Finn and brief information of other Medal of Honor recipients following the Dec. 7, 1941 attacks on Pearl Harbor. Click here to read Part I) On Sept. 15, 1942, Finn received the first Medal of Honor for World War II out of the 15 Medal recipients from the Pearl Harbor attack.