American Hero Navy Lt. John W. Finn dead at 100
.
.
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Retired Navy Lt. John Finn –
the first American to receive
the nation’s highest military
award for defending sailors
under a torrent of gunfire
during the Japanese attack
on Pearl Harbor —
died Thursday at
age 100,
The Fort Worth Texas
Star-Telegram reports
May 28th, 2010.
Mr. Finn was the oldest of 97
Medal of Honor recipients from
World War II still living.
.
.
He died at a nursing home for
veterans in Chula Vista, Calif.
Despite injuries,
Mr. Finn,
the chief of ordnance
for an air squadron,
continuously fired a .50-caliber
machine gun from an exposed
position as bullets and bombs
pounded the Naval Air Station
at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu.
Mr. Finn retired in 1956
after three decades of service.
.
John W. Finn,
Medal of Honor winner,
and his wife Alice
.
Do you have a link for donations?
And,
why the heck was he in a nursing home,
wasn’t there even single living
member of the family to help out?
johninfloridaa - May 28, 2010 at 8:22 am |
In lieu of flowers,
the family requests donations
be made in memory of John W. Finn to
The Association of Aviation Ordnancemen.
C/O Dave Lepard, National President.
Dennis I. McAllister - May 28, 2010 at 8:14 pm |
i don’t know where
people could send donations,
great question.
I heard on Fox News tonight,
when this hero was shooting
at the Japanese planes,
he stood in an open position
for two hours.
His body took 27 pieces of shrapnel
and he was also shot in the left foot.
His right arm went numb but
he kept firing the 50 caliber.
This hero is what
America is all about!
Someone made a movie
about his life when he
was 91 years old,
and he did get to see it.
(I don’t know the title)
Thank You for your comment John and
Thank You for reading 22MOON!
Rash
rashmanly - May 28, 2010 at 8:56 am |
I love your post,
and I love recognition to our vets,
especially the older vets.
My beloved neighbor fought in the war
and his ship was sunk two times before
he was deployed to another ship.
He spent his time in the Navy evading sharks
and seeing his fellow comrades killed left and right.
Tribute for these vets is long over-due.
johninfloridaa - May 28, 2010 at 9:05 am |
If you ever run across a link for direct contributions,
post it and I’ll see what we can do.
Thanks again. 🙂
johninfloridaa - May 28, 2010 at 9:08 am
Will do John.
We can not do enough
for our combat veterans.
God Bless America!
Rash
rashmanly - May 28, 2010 at 6:20 pm |
Thank You for sending
that link Dennis!
Rash
rashmanly - May 28, 2010 at 9:55 pm |
There is an online petition
requesting that the US Navy
name a ship in LT Finn’s honor
http://www.petitiononline.com/USSLTJWF/petition.html
I don’t think there was
a movie of Finn’s life specifically,
but he and other Pearl Harbor vets
were invited to a special showing of
Ben Affleck’s “Pearl Harbor” when LT Finn was 91.
Maggie - May 30, 2010 at 10:27 pm |
Thank you for the correction Maggie,
the news report I heard was incorrect.
I encourage all readers to correct
stories when I get things wrong,
I want MOON to be accurate.
(Someone should make a movie of
Lt. Finn’s story, wow, it would be awesome!)
BIG THANK YOU for posting that link
about naming a ship in Lt. Finn’s honor.
And Thank You for reading 22MOON Maggie!
Rash
rashmanly - May 30, 2010 at 11:04 pm |
Thursday June 3rd 2010,
The family of John W Finn laid to rest
as a true American hero with full
military honors and a Native American
burial ceremony as well.
It was a very moving tribute
to one of my favorite family members
and true icon in American Naval History.
He will be missed but never forgotten.
John in Florida.
John Finn was only at the veteran’s
nursing home for 1 week because he
was not able to receive the medical attention
he needed at his home in San Diego County
Johninsandiego - June 4, 2010 at 8:44 pm |
Wow,
great information John,
Thank You so much for posting that and
Thank You for reading 22MOON!
Rash
rashmanly - June 5, 2010 at 7:26 am |