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Cannon, George Ham

Date of birth:
November 5th, 1915 (Webster Groves/Minnesota, United States)
Date of death:
December 7th, 1941 (Sand Island, Midway)
Buried on:
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Plot: C. Grave: 1644.
Nationality:
American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
First Lieutenant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
H-Battery, 6th Defence Battalion, Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPAC), U.S. Marine Corps
"For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own condition during the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. 1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire. He refused to be evacuated from his post until after his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated, and directed the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed. As a result of his utter disregard of his own condition he died from loss of blood."

Awarded posthumously, date of citation unknown.
Medal of Honor - Navy/Marine Corps (MoH)

Sources