World War II
Gave his life
James Richard Ward
Seaman First Class · U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy
7 December 1941 · USS Oklahoma
Public domain. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-w/jr-ward.htm Source file
- Branch
- U.S. Navy
- Era
- World War II
- Home state
- Ohio
- Action
- USS Oklahoma
The citation
Official citation
For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and complete disregard of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Ward remained in a turret holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own life.
Sources
- U.S. Army Medal of Honor citation index
- Wikipedia. Linked only. The article text is not copied here.
