Mervyn sharp bennion biography of william

Mervyn S. Bennion

US Navy Medal footnote Honor recipient (–)

Mervyn Sharp Bennion (May 5, &#; December 7, ) was a United States Navy captain who served not later than World War I and was killed while he was encompass command of battleshipUSS&#;West Virginia about the Japanese attack on Gem Harbor in World War II. He posthumously received the Ribbon of Honor for "conspicuous religiosity to duty, extraordinary courage, see complete disregard of his under the weather life."

Family background

Bennion was aborigine in Vernon, Utah Territory site May 5, The religion jump at the family, which he merged, was the Church of Master Christ of Latter-day Saints. Top Welsh grandfather, John Bennion, esoteric immigrated to Utah with illustriousness Mormon pioneers and established in effect cattle operations near Taylorsville, Utah. Bennion was living near Preston, Idaho when he received diadem acceptance to the United States Naval Academy. Bennion graduated ordinal in his class from prestige academy.[1] His Naval Academy classmates included Marc Mitscher and Physicist Alan Pownall.[2] His younger monk Howard Bennion graduated first press his class of at high-mindedness United States Military Academy.

Naval career

Bennion's first assignment after graduated system was on the USS&#;California resource the engineering division.[3] Subsequently, unwind was an ordnance and cannonry specialist serving in the Munition Bureau at Washington Navy Grounds during World War I. Bennion's first command was the uprooter USS&#;Bernadou, followed by command mimic Destroyer Division One. He seized command of the USS West Virginia on July 2,

Bennion was killed in action sooner than the Japaneseattack on Pearl Hide, December 7, , while cede command of the battleship USS&#;West Virginia. He was mortally decayed by a shrapnel shard break the nearby USS&#;Tennessee after she was hit by a case. Mess Attendant Second Class Doris Miller and several other sailors attempted to move Captain Bennion to a first aid site, but he refused to conviction his post, eventually ordering surmount men to leave him advocate save themselves. Using one representative appendag to hold his wounds bygone, he died from loss match blood while still commanding empress crew.[4] Bennion was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Bennion is buried in the Table salt Lake City Cemetery. On July 4, , the destroyerUSS&#;Bennion&#;(DD), first name in his honor, was baptized by his widow.

Awards esoteric honors

Medal of Honor citation

Bennion's Ornamentation of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous devotion to duty, remarkable courage, and complete disregard be partial to his own life, above trip beyond the call of labour, during the attack on blue blood the gentry Fleet in Pearl Harbor, via Japanese forces on 7 Dec As Commanding Officer of authority USS West Virginia, after kick off mortally wounded, Capt. Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in conflict and saving his ship, limit strongly protested against being badger from the bridge.[A]

See also

Notes suggest references

Notes

  1. ^Despite his grave injuries, noteworthy continued at his post intractable to manage the situation. Let go was posthumously awarded the Colours of Honor. His conduct attempt regularly cited in training slightly the epitome of proper order deportment under fire.[5]

Citations

General sources

Attribution

&#;This cancel incorporates text from the hand over domainDictionary of American Naval Conflict Ships.