Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Ensign Herbert Charpoit Jones was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory during World War II. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. California. Jones was 23 years old.
Jones 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.
Jones was born on December 1, 1918 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. His Medal of Honor is credited to California. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.
Jones is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 142 credited to California.
Official Medal of Honor citation
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. Ens. Jones organized and led a party which was supplying ammunition to the antiaircraft battery of the U.S.S. California after the mechanical hoists were put out of action, when he was fatally wounded by a bomb explosion. When two men attempted to take him from the area which was on fire, he refused to let them do so, saying in words to the effect, "Leave me alone! I am done for. Get out of here before the magazines go off."
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
What the citation records about his wounds:
Ens. Jones organized and led a party which was supplying ammunition to the antiaircraft battery of the U.S.S. California after the mechanical hoists were put out of action, when he was fatally wounded by a bomb explosion.
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (December 7, 1941).
- Age at death: 23
- Resting place: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in California →
Timeline
- December 1, 1918Born in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
- December 7, 1941Act of valor — Pearl Harbor, Hawaii TerritoryAge 23. U.S.S. California Killed in action.
- Resting placeFort Rosecrans National CemeterySan Diego, California
Biography
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.
From the Wikipedia article “Herbert C. Jones”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- USS Herbert C. Jones — destroyer escort
