Herbert C. Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herbert Charpiot Jones
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Ensign Herbert Charpiot Jones
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| Born | January 21, 1918 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | December 7, 1941 (aged 23) Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii |
| Place of burial |
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1935 – 1941 |
| Rank | Ensign |
| Unit | USS California (BB-44) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Medal of Honor |
Herbert Charpiot Jones (January 21, 1918 – December 7, 1941) was an officer in the United States Navy who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Contents
Biography
Herbert Jones was born on January 21, 1918, at Los Angeles, California and enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve May 14, 1935. He was commissioned an ensign on November 14, 1940, and reported to the battleship USS California (BB-44) at Pearl Harbor two weeks later.
On December 7, 1941, the 23-year-old ensign was about to relieve the officer-of-the-deck on California when Japanese planes swooped in to attack. In the first wave, a torpedo and a bomb hit the ship. Jones dove into a smoke-filled hatchway and crawled along oil-slicked decks to rescue a stricken sailor before being temporarily overcome by fumes. Reviving, he saw an anti-aircraft battery without a leader and, staggering to his feet, took command. As a second wave of Japanese planes came in, the young officer fired his guns until all their ammunition was expended. Since the torpedo had put California's ammunition hoist out of action, Jones quickly organized a party of volunteers to go below and pass the ammunition up by hand. The vitally needed shells had just begun to reach the battery when a bomb hit the ship and mortally wounded him.
Awards and honors
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| Medal of Honor | ||
| Purple Heart | Combat Action Ribbon | Navy Good Conduct Medal |
| American Defense Service Medal w/ Fleet Clasp (3⁄16" Bronze Star) |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ one 3⁄16" Silver Star and one 3⁄16" Bronze Star |
World War II Victory Medal |
Namesake
USS Herbert C. Jones (DE-137) was named in his honor. The ship was launched January 19, 1943, by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas; sponsored by Mrs. Joanne Ruth Jones, his widow; and commissioned on July 21, 1943, Lieutenant Commander Alfred W. Gardes, Jr. in command.
See also
