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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, USN, (1893-1941)

Peter Tomich was born in Prolog, Austria, in what later became Yugoslavia, on 3 June 1893. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy in January 1919, he initially served in the destroyer Litchfield. By 1941, he had become a Chief Watertender on board the training and target ship Utah. When that ship was torpedoed during Japan's 7 December 1941 raid on Pearl Harbor, Tomich was on duty in a boiler room. As Utah began to capsize, he remained below, securing the boilers and making certain that other men escaped, and so lost his life. For his "distinguished conduct and extraordinary courage" at that time, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The escort ship USS Tomich (DE-242), 1943-1974, was named in honor of Chief Watertender Tomich.

This page features our only views related to Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, USN.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 79593

Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, USN


Who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism on board USS Utah (AG-16) during the 7 December 1941 Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor.
Halftone reproduction, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1948, The Navy", page 270.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 600 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 95030-KN (Color)

U.S. Navy Medal of Honor

Obverse of a Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Chief Water Tender Peter Tomich for "extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety" as USS Utah (AG-16) was sinking during the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.
See Photo # NH 95031-KN for a view of the reverse of this medal.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 95031-KN (Color)

U.S. Navy Medal of Honor

Reverse of a Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Chief Water Tender Peter Tomich for "extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety" as USS Utah (AG-16) was sinking during the attack on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.
See Photo # NH 95030-KN for a view of the obverse of this medal.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 77KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 



Medal of Honor citation of Chief Watertender Peter Tomich (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 270):

"For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, and extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by the Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Although realizing that the ship was capsizing, as a result of enemy bombing and torpedoing, TOMICH remained at his post in the engineering plant of the U.S.S. Utah, until he saw that all boilers were secured and all fireroom personnel had left their stations, and by so doing lost his life."


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 31 December 2000