He was a Chief Petty Officer stationed at the Kaneohe Bay naval air station near Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese attacked, he manned a .50 cal MG in a totally exposed position, and proceeded to continue blasting away at attacking Japanese aircraft despite being wounded no less than five times by strafing a/c.

The Grim Reaper says he'll take CPO Finn whenever Finn decides he's ready, and until then will remain very far from his lawn.

/ John Finn = awesome

vossiewulf: The Grim Reaper says he'll take CPO Finn whenever Finn decides he's ready, and until then will remain very far from his lawn.

I'm not sure that's how it works.

Jimmy Patterson FTW

So, is this Chuck Norris' grandpa?

Some people just aren't interested in laying down and dying on schedule, not even if you strafe them with a squadron of aircraft.

Balls.

This is what people mean when they say "he has balls."

This.

100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

He doesn't even look that old really

"Do not fear death,
repeatedly jab him in the throat
as he drags you away."

vossiewulf: He was a Chief Petty Officer stationed at the Kaneohe Bay naval air station near Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese attacked, he manned a .50 cal MG in a totally exposed position, and proceeded to continue blasting away at attacking Japanese aircraft despite being wounded no less than five times by strafing a/c.

The Grim Reaper says he'll take CPO Finn whenever Finn decides he's ready, and until then will remain very far from his lawn.



And that is exactly why that article is shiat. This should have been in it. If he's a MOH I want to know what happened.

According to Wiki, he was in the service from 1926-1956.

83 years ago he was in the military. He retired more than 50 years ago.

Holy crap. That blows my mind.

+1 for absolutely correct use of the 'Hero' tag. Anyone who gets the MOH falls into that category. Those who live to receive it are amazing, considering that most MOH winners got theirs posthumously.

...nearly 68 years ago, and he was feted in March by President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.

I read that very very wrong the first time

John Finn's MOH citation:

For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Balls of titanium

Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

kaneohe bay is on the other side of the island. pearl harbor got the worst of the japanese attack, but other parts of oahu were bombed and strafed as well.

/was stationed at schofield barracks.

He doesn't look a day over 78.

I know Mr. Finn. We also share a birthday, but I'm a little younger :)

He's everything this article says and then some. It's amazing, considering everything he went through at Pearl Harbor, that he's still around with us today. And we are fortunate for that.

Despite his age, he is charismatic, has absolutely no memory problems, and can tell a story like no other. He has been rightly honored for his actions at Pearl Harbor, but he has done so much more for his community and society as a whole.

He's been honored so many times. In addition to the MOH, he was named to the East County (San Diego) Gallery of Honor, and has been a guest of the White House. Despite all this, he is a humble, generous man, who always thinks of others before himself.

I met John Levitow (new window) at NCO Leadership School back in the '80's and he was cool as hell. Most guys who live through the kind of stuff that earns a MOH are.

/Said he liked wearing the medal just to make the officers salute him.

Is it wrong that in order for one authentic hero to reach his 100th birthday this week, he had to drain the life force of two useless 50-year-olds?

Death is probably still trying to recouperate from the last MOH recipient he managed to grab:

George E. Wahlen (new window)

Like I have often said, I usually feel like a complete pussy when I talk to the WWII vets about my own experiences.

WaltzingMathilda: vossiewulf: The Grim Reaper says he'll take CPO Finn whenever Finn decides he's ready, and until then will remain very far from his lawn.

I'm not sure that's how it works.

In cases like this, I'm pretty sure that's EXACTLY how it works. Even Death is scared of guys like him.

Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

No, He was at Kaneohe on 07 December 1941. Several other installations were attacked that morning on Oahu.
Wow, daddy's sperm bucket from age three 'till now, read a history book.
I stand by my earlier post.

DerekSD: Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

kaneohe bay is on the other side of the island. pearl harbor got the worst of the japanese attack, but other parts of oahu were bombed and strafed as well.

/was stationed at schofield barracks.

I would not have responded to that farker had I seen your post.

vossiewulf: He was a Chief Petty Officer stationed at the Kaneohe Bay naval air station near Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese attacked, he manned a .50 cal MG in a totally exposed position, and proceeded to continue blasting away at attacking Japanese aircraft despite being wounded no less than five times by strafing a/c.

This is what I came in here for. Done in one. Thank you, vossiewulf.

These men and women suffered for our freedom (I'm Canadian) and every year we seem to lose more of them, but such is time. What I hope is that not only what they did but who they are/were as people will be forever praised. Years ago I was a chaplain in schools and on a Remembrance Day an old vet was at the school. The kids were restless and the teachers saw it as just another assembly. At the end the vet said to me, "... don't let this die with us, we're getting too old to come to the schools."

Though only a history buff, I now do as many free hours as I can in schools talking about WWI and WWII and why we have to care. One day I hope my son can take my place and talk of the sacrifice, as we are all children of war. Great story; great man!

OUT OF RESPECT I WILL HONOUR YOUR WISHES... FOR NOW.

America fark yeah!

Glad he's still with us to tell his tales.

His lawn. Stay the fark off it!

Medal of Honor citation
For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.


/image is as hot as a .50 cal barrel

ttc2301: +1 for absolutely correct use of the 'Hero' tag. Anyone who gets the MOH falls into that category. Those who live to receive it are amazing, considering that most MOH winners got theirs posthumously.

Not always true. 900 medals were rescinded by the Army after a horde of people were awarded the MOH following the Civil War. Buffalo Bill Cody was even stripped of one.

ultimate_loser: America fark yeah!

Glad he's still with us to tell his tales.

His lawn. Stay the fark off it!

Medal of Honor citation
For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.


/image is as hot as a .50 cal barrel

Not to thread jack but Joe Foss had to explain to the TSA what the MOH was that he was in possession of. The TSA thought it was some sort of Ninja Throwing Star or something.

Link (new window)

torquestripe: DerekSD: Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

kaneohe bay is on the other side of the island. pearl harbor got the worst of the japanese attack, but other parts of oahu were bombed and strafed as well.

/was stationed at schofield barracks.

I would not have responded to that farker had I seen your post.

oh? do tell.

/time to kill today...

There is less than one living MoH recipient for every 3 million Americans. If you ever get a chance to see one or meet one, take it.

In just the next three or four years, odds are that many of these heroes will die. The vast majority are over 70 years of age.

DerekSD: torquestripe: DerekSD: Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

kaneohe bay is on the other side of the island. pearl harbor got the worst of the japanese attack, but other parts of oahu were bombed and strafed as well.

/was stationed at schofield barracks.

I would not have responded to that farker had I seen your post.

oh? do tell.

/time to kill today...

Still in France are you?

devildog123: Death is probably still trying to recouperate from the last MOH recipient he managed to grab:

George E. Wahlen (new window)

Like I have often said, I usually feel like a complete pussy when I talk to the WWII vets about my own experiences.

If you're a marine, you ain't a pussy
If you've been shot at, you ain't a pussy.

// well, Custer was a pussy ^{(^)}

maddogdelta: well, Custer was a pussy (^)

Custer was a military savant who had one infamous farkup. We Were Soldiers kind of sucks.

torquestripe: DerekSD: torquestripe: DerekSD: Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

kaneohe bay is on the other side of the island. pearl harbor got the worst of the japanese attack, but other parts of oahu were bombed and strafed as well.

/was stationed at schofield barracks.

I would not have responded to that farker had I seen your post.

oh? do tell.

/time to kill today...

Still in France are you?

no. i find the tacos to be substandard.

Death is probably afraid of him.

tdpatriots12: maddogdelta: well, Custer was a pussy (^)

Custer was a military savant who had one infamous farkup. We Were Soldiers kind of sucks.

A lifetime of moderate genius can be quickly overshadowed by one moment of truly exceptional stupidity.

tdpatriots12: maddogdelta: well, Custer was a pussy (^)

Custer was a military savant who had one infamous farkup. We Were Soldiers kind of sucks.

Actually, among many Civil War historians, he was an Attention Whore who got too many of his troopers killed for no reason. The real geniuses behind the Union Cavalry were men like Buford and Pleasanton.

At Little Big Horn, Custer was just being Custer.

ODDwhun: A lifetime of moderate genius can be quickly overshadowed by one moment of truly exceptional stupidity.

The military terminology is "One 'Oh shiat' wipes out a hundred attaboys."

TeddyRooseveltsMustache 2009-06-28 07:41:26 PM He doesn't look a day over 78.
=================================

I was going to say he looks spectacular for 100, but um, I like yours better.

torquestripe

I'm all to familiar with Foss, one of the best aviators our country ever produced. If I was inline waiting on the TSA hacks and he was in front of me and saw them "inspecting" his Medal of Honor, I would drop everything and salute like a motherfarker! How the hell do people not know what a Medal of Honor looks like?!? I was taught about that in school before I even got into Navy life.

And on a totally other note, James Howard(pops). A man who's balls were made from Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf carcasses.

His kind is becoming obsolete, I'm afraid.

maddogdelta: he military terminology is "One 'Oh shiat' wipes out a hundred attaboys."

Good points, I stand corrected.

devildog123: Death is probably still trying to recouperate from the last MOH recipient he managed to grab:

George E. Wahlen (new window)

Like I have often said, I usually feel like a complete pussy when I talk to the WWII vets about my own experiences.

THIS +infinity

When I got back from my little jaunt in the Sandbox in 03, a bunch of old Marines from WWII showed up to thank us and all that. You're a Marine, so you know how we hero worship the ones that came before us. Moved me to tears when one grabbed my hand to shake it and thanked me.

Then they bought us all booze at the bar, and joined us in a drunken singing of the Marine Corps hymn.

Monique LaChappa, tribal chairwoman of the Campo Band of Mission Indians of the Kumeyaay Nation, lauded Finn as a devoted friend who became a foster parent, with his late wife, Alice, to five children from the reservation.



I think I like him.

And apparently Joe Foss had the same view as I do, regarding the matter of the Medal of Honor fiasco...

"I wasn't upset for me," he said. "I was upset for the Medal of Honor, that they just didn't know what it even was. It represents all of the guys who lost their lives - the guys who never came back. Everyone who put their live on the line for their country. You're supposed to know what the Medal of Honor is."

druidmama: His kind is becoming obsolete, I'm afraid.

But don't deny him his day in the sun! War sucks, but without his and his kind we would be living in a very different world.

Wow. I mean....wow.

I wonder if I'm related to him at all>

I wonder what convinced him not to kick Michael Bay's ass for that movie. Probably not worth it.

veedeevadeevoodee: / John Finn = awesome

This was him back in the the day:


and this was his citation:

For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[4]

In other words when his whole world went to hell, he Cowboy'ed up and fought back as hard as he could.

Jesus All The Beer Names Are Taken: torquestripe: 100 years old is a milestone, to earn the MOH at KBay on Oahu for action 0n 07 December 1941 and still be here to talk about it is really unbelievable.
FWAFS.

Just say Pearl Harbor dick wipe.

Magorn: veedeevadeevoodee: / John Finn = awesome

This was him back in the the day:


and this was his citation:

For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kanoehe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lieutenant Finn promptly secured and manned a 50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine-gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first-aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[4]

In other words when his whole world went to hell, he Cowboy'ed up and fought back as hard as he could.


HOTTIE

/but I seem to have a thing for Lieutenants
//congrats old man