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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

Seaman First Class James Richard Ward, USN, (1921-1941)

James Richard Ward was born in Springfield, Ohio, on 10 September 1921. He enlisted in the Navy at Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1940. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Ward was serving in the battleship Oklahoma. As that ship was capsizing, and had been ordered abandoned, he remained in a turret holding a flashlight, thus sacrificing his own life to permit other members of the crew to escape. For his heroism at that time, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The escort ship USS J. Richard Ward (DE-243), 1943-1972, was named in honor of Seaman First Class Ward.

This page features our only view of Seaman First Class James Richard Ward, 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 92309

Seaman First Class James Richard Ward, USN


Who was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for conspicuous devotion to duty and extraordinary courage on board USS Oklahoma (BB-37) during the 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.
Halftone reproduction, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1948, The Navy", page 277.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 107KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 



Medal of Honor citation of Seaman First Class James Richard Ward (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 277):

"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. When it was seen that the U.S.S. Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, WARD remained in a turret holding a flashlight so the remainder of the turret crew could see to escape, thereby sacrificing his own 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