December 7

In remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day, five Medal of Honor winners who died 12/07/41:

• Mervyn S. Bennion, United States Navy Captain, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1887)
• Herbert C. Jones, United States Navy, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1918)
• Isaac C. Kidd, United States Navy Rear Admiral, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1884)
• Thomas J. Reeves, United States Navy, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1895)
• Franklin Van Valkenburgh, United States Navy, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1888)

In the citation for Ensign Jones' Medal of Honor:

Ens. Jones organized and led a party, which was supplying ammunition to the antiaircraft battery of the U.S.S. California after the mechanical hoists were put out of action when he was fatally wounded by a bomb explosion. When 2 men attempted to take him from the area which was on fire, he refused to let them do so, saying in words to the effect, "Leave me alone! I am done for. Get out of here before the magazines go off."

I wonder how many acts of bravery will never be known, because no one survived to report.

(courtesy Wikipedia)