Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
John Finn, a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu, recounts the events of December 7, 1941. When he heard the first attacking planes roar overhead, he raced to his hangar, dragged a machine gun out into the open, and began firing at the incoming Japanese aircraft. Despite being wounded multiple times—including being shot in his foot and shoulder—he refused to abandon his post and continued to return fire.
Even after the attack ended, John declined immediate medical treatment and went back to his squadron to help prepare the surviving aircraft for action. For his extraordinary courage and valor that day, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 14, 1942.
John Finn, a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions at Kaneohe Naval Air Station on Oahu, recounts the events of December 7, 1941. When he heard the first attacking planes roar overhead, he raced to his hangar, dragged a machine gun out into the open, and began firing at the incoming Japanese aircraft. Despite being wounded multiple times—including being shot in his foot and shoulder—he refused to abandon his post and continued to return fire.
Even after the attack ended, John declined immediate medical treatment and went back to his squadron to help prepare the surviving aircraft for action. For his extraordinary courage and valor that day, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 14, 1942.
