This week, simple and to the point.
Longtime San Diegan Lt. John Finn, who was the first man to receive a Medal of Honor in World War II, has died.His citation,
Finn passed away before 6 a.m. Thursday in San Diego, where he'd been living for more than 50 years.
"We lost a national treasure and a national hero today," said Capt. David Lepard with the U.S. Navy. "It's really touching his death occurred on Memorial Day Weekend and he'll never be forgotten."
Finn was not only the first but also for many years the oldest Medal of Honor recipient from WWII.
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Finn will be buried on the Campo Indian Reservation, where his wife is buried, with full military honors. Funeral plans will likely be released sometime next week.
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, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 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's 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 United States Naval Service.Fullbore.