Finn, John William

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Date of birth:: July 23rd, 1909 (Compton/California, United States)
Date of death:: May 27th, 2010 (San Diego/California, United States)
Nationality:: American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

John William Finn was born in Compton, California on July 23rd, 1909. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July 1926 and was stationed in San Diego for training.

His first assignment was with a Ceremonial Guard Unit, after which he attended General Aviation Utilities Training at Naval Station Great Lakes. Here he graduated in December 1926. By April 1927 he was assigned tothe Naval Air Station North Island. Following was service on the ships U.S.S. Lexington (CV-2), U.S.S. Houston (CA-30), U.S.S. Jason (AC-12), U.S.S. Saratoga (CV-3), and U.S.S. Cincinnati (CL-6). After a promotion to Chief Petty Officer (1936) he was assigned to squadrons in San Diego, Washington, and Panama.

When the Japanese Forces attacked on December 7th, 1941, John William Finn was assigned to the Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu in Hawaii as a Chief Aviation Ordnanceman.
By 1942 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, and finally became lieutenant with Bombing Squadron VB-102 aboard the U.S.S. Hancock (CV-19). He retired from the Navy as a lieutenant in September 1956.

Finn resided his later life in Live Oak Springs, California. He and his wife did much work for the Native Americans and was embraced by the Campo Band of Diegueño Mission Indians, a tribe of Kumeyaay people in San Diego. After he died on May 27th, 2010 he was buried at the Camp Indian Reservation Cemetery.

Career:
?: Chief Aviation Ordnanceman, Navy Patrol Squadron 14 (VP-14), Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii;
?: Limited Duty Officer, Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102), U.S.S Hancock (CV-19).

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Medal of Honor - Navy/Marine Corps (MoH)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Navy Patrol Bombing Squadron 14 (VP-14), Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Naval Air Stations, U.S. Navy
Awarded on:: September 14th, 1942
Awarded for:: Operation Z (1941)

"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, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machinegun 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 were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service."