Mervyn S. Bennion Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

CAPTAIN

MERVYN SHARP BENNION

NAVY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Captain Mervyn Sharp Bennion, United States Navy, for conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. As Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48), after being mortally wounded, Captain Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in fighting and saving his ship, and strongly protested against being carried from the bridge.

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Born: May 5, 1887, Vernon, Utah Territory… Graduated third in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1910… Commanded gun batteries aboard USS North Dakota (BB-29) during World War I… Commanded USS Bernadou (DD-153) and later Destroyer Division One before taking command of the USS West Virginia