BENNION, Mervyn Sharp

Medal of Honor Winner

Captain Bennion won The Medal of Honor for his service on USS West Virginia during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was mortally wounded when a large piece of metal struck his abdomen after an explosion on USS Tennessee.

While wounded, Captain Bennion, remained in a cot in under the conning tower. Although he was in great pain, he continually asked about the ship and his men. He asked the men not to move him, but to leave him and go below.

He was moved anyway by Lieutenant Commander Harper, Doris Miller and other men on deck. Even as he was bleeding to death, Captain Bennion showed great concern for his ship and crew.