Mervyn S. Bennion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mervyn Sharp Bennion
Born	(1887-05-05)May 5, 1887 Vernon, Utah Territory
Died	December 7, 1941(1941-12-07) (aged 54) Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii
Place of burial	Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1910-1941
Rank	Captain
Commands held	USS Bernadou (DD-153) Destroyer Division One USS West Virginia (BB-48)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Attack on Pearl Harbor  †
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Mervyn Sharp Bennion (May 5, 1887 – December 7, 1941) was a United States Navy captain who served during World War I and was killed while he was in command of battleship USS West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life."

Family background

Bennion was born in Vernon, Utah Territory on May 5, 1887. The religion of the family, which he shared, was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His Welsh grandfather, John Bennion, had immigrated to Utah with the Mormon pioneers and established successful cattle operations near Taylorsville, Utah. Bennion was living near Preston, Idaho when he received his acceptance to the United States Naval Academy. Bennion graduated third in his 1910 class from the academy. His younger brother Howard Bennion graduated first in his class of 1912 at the United States Military Academy.

Naval career

Bennion's first assignment after graduation was on the USS California in the engineering division. Subsequently, he was an ordnance and gunnery specialist serving in the Ordnance Bureau at Washington Navy Yard during World War I. Bennion's first command was the destroyer USS Bernadou, followed by command of Destroyer Division One. He assumed command of the USS West Virginia on July 2, 1941.

Bennion was killed in action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, while in command of the battleship USS West Virginia. He was mortally wounded by a shrapnel shard from the nearby USS Tennessee after she was hit by a bomb. Mess Attendant Second Class Doris Miller and several other sailors attempted to move Captain Bennion to a first aid station, but he refused to leave his post, eventually ordering his men to leave him and save themselves. Using one arm to hold his wounds closed, he died from loss of blood while still commanding his crew. Bennion was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Bennion is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. On July 4, 1943, the destroyer USS Bennion (DD-662), named in his honor, was christened by his widow.

Awards and honors

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II