| John William Finn | |
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John William Finn wearing his Medal of Honor |
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| Born | July 23, 1909 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | May 27, 2010 (aged 100) Chula Vista, California |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1926–1956 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II • Attack on Pearl Harbor |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
John William Finn (July 23, 1909 – May 27, 2010) was a sailor in the United States Navy who, as a chief petty officer, received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. As a chief aviation ordnanceman stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, he earned the medal by manning a machine gun from an exposed position throughout the attack, despite being repeatedly wounded. He continued to serve in the Navy and in 1942 was commissioned an ensign. In 1947 he was reverted back to chief petty officer, eventually rising to the commissioned officer rank of lieutenant, until his 1956 retirement. In his later years he made many appearances at events celebrating veterans. At the time of his death, Finn was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient and the last living recipient from the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Born on July 23, 1909, in Compton, California, Finn dropped out of school after the seventh grade.[1] He enlisted in the Navy in July 1926, shortly before his seventeenth birthday, and received recruit training in San Diego.[1][2] After a brief stint with a ceremonial guard company, he attended General Aviation Utilities Training at Naval Station Great Lakes, graduating in December. By April 1927 he was back in the San Diego area, having been assigned to Naval Air Station North Island. He initially worked in aircraft repair before becoming an aviation ordnanceman and working on anti-aircraft guns. He then served on a series of ships: the USS Lexington (CV-2), the USS Houston (CA-30), the USS Jason (AC-12), the USS Saratoga (CV-3), and the USS Cincinnati (CL-6). After being promoted to Chief Petty Officer in about 1936, he served with patrol squadrons in San Diego, Washington, and Panama.[2][3]
By December 1941, Finn was stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. As a chief aviation ordnanceman, he was in charge of twenty men whose primary task was to maintain the weapons of a PBY Catalina flying boat squadron. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Finn was at his home, about a mile from the aircraft hangars, when he heard the sound of gunfire. Finn recalled how a neighbor was the first to alert him, when she knocked on his door saying, "They want you down at the squadron right away!", he drove to the hangars (seeing Japanese planes in the sky on the way) and found that the airbase was being attacked, with most of the PBYs already on fire.[1][3][4]
His men were trying to fight back by using the machine guns mounted in the PBYs, either by firing from inside the flaming planes or by detaching the guns and mounting them on improvised stands. In 2009 Finn explained one of the first things he did was take control of a machine gun from his squadron's painter. "I said, 'Alex, let me take that gun'...knew that I had more experience firing a machine gun than a painter."[3][4]
Finn then found a movable tripod platform used for gunnery training, attached the .50 caliber machine gun, and pushed the platform into an open area, from which he had a clear view of the attacking aircraft. He fired on the Japanese planes for the next two hours, even after being seriously wounded, until the attack had ended. In total, he received 21 distinct wounds, including a bullet through his right foot and an injury to his left shoulder which caused him to lose feeling in his left arm.[1]
"I got that gun and I started shooting at Jap planes," Finn said in a 2009 interview. "I was out there shooting the Jap planes and just every so often I was a target for some," he said, "In some cases, I could see their [the Japanese pilots'] faces."[4]
Despite his wounds, he returned to the hangars later that day. After receiving medical treatment, he helped arm the surviving American planes.[1][3]
For these actions, Finn was formally presented with the Medal of Honor on September 14, 1942, by Admiral Chester Nimitz for courage and valor beyond the call of duty. The ceremony occurred in Pearl Harbor on board the USS Enterprise (CV-6).[1][3]
In 1942 he was commissioned, and he served as a Limited Duty Officer with the rank of ensign. In 1947 he was reverted back to his enlisted rank of chief petty officer, eventually becoming a lieutenant with Bombing Squadron VB-102 and aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19). He retired from the Navy as a lieutenant in September 1956.[3]
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Finn's decorations include the Purple Heart; Navy Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and the Navy Occupation Service Medal.
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From 1956 until shortly before his death, Finn resided on a 90-acre (0.36 km2) ranch in Live Oak Springs, near Pine Valley, California. He and his wife became foster parents to five Native American children, causing him to be embraced by the Campo Band of Diegueño Mission Indians, a tribe of Kumeyaay people in San Diego. After his death he was buried at the Campo Indian Reservation cemetery.[5] John Finn was a member of the John Birch Society.[6]
In his retirement he made many appearances at events honoring veterans.[7] On March 25, 2009, he attended National Medal of Honor Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. With the aid of walking sticks, he stood beside U.S. President Barack Obama during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Later that day, Finn was a guest at the White House. It was his first visit to the White House, and his first time meeting a sitting President.[3] In celebration of Finn's 100th birthday, The Association of Aviation Ordnancemen presented him with an American flag which had flown on each of the 11 aircraft carriers then in active service.[8]
When called a hero during a 2009 interview Finn responded:
"That damned hero stuff is a bunch crap, I guess. [...] You gotta understand that there's all kinds of heroes, but they never get a chance to be in a hero's position."[4]
Finn died at age 100 on the morning of May 27, 2010, at the Chula Vista Veterans Home.[7] His wife, Alice Finn, died in 1998.[9] He was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the attack on Pearl Harbor, the oldest living recipient, and the only aviation ordnanceman to have ever received the medal.[10] Upon his death, fellow World War II veteran Barney F. Hajiro became the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient.[3][7]
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, Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, he promptly secured and manned a .50 calibre 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 are con- sidered to be in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.