First Lieutenant George Ham Cannon, a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on December 7, 1941 at Sand Island, Midway Islands during World War II. At the time he was serving with Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force. Cannon was 26 years old.
Cannon was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. 16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Cannon was born on November 5, 1915 in Webster Groves, St. Louis County, Missouri. His Medal of Honor is credited to Michigan. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His medal is held by Culver Military Academy, Culver, IN.
Cannon is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 112 credited to Michigan.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage, and disregard for his own condition during the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. 1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire. He refused to be evacuated from his post until after his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated and directed the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed. As a result of his utter disregard of his own condition he died from loss of blood.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
What the citation records about his wounds:
1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire.
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (December 7, 1941).
- Age at death: 26
- Resting place: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, George Ham Cannon received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Education: University of Michigan, Southeastern High School
Source: Wikidata.
Places
- Born: Webster Groves — map
- Died: Midway Atoll — map
- Buried: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →
Timeline
- November 5, 1915Born in Webster Groves, St. Louis County, Missouri
- December 7, 1941Act of valor — Sand Island, Midway IslandsAge 26. Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force Killed in action.
- Resting placeNational Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Biography
First Lieutenant George Ham Cannon, USMC, (November 5, 1915 – December 7, 1941) was the first United States Marine in World War II to receive the nation's highest military award—the Medal of Honor. He posthumously received the medal for "distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage, and disregard of his own condition" during the bombardment of Midway Island by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. He remained at his command post, despite being mortally wounded by enemy shell fire. He refused to be evacuated until his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated, and he continued to direct the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed.
From the Wikipedia article “George H. Cannon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- USS Cannon — destroyer escort
