Major Pierpont Morgan Hamilton was an airman in the U.S. Army Air Corps who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on November 8, 1942 near Port Lyautey, French Morocco during World War II. At the time he was serving with Western Task Force. Hamilton was 44 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. He later rose to the rank of Major General.
Hamilton was born on August 3, 1898 in Tuxedo Park, Orange County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Hamilton died on March 4, 1982 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 83. He is buried at Santa Barbara Cemetery in Santa Barbara, California.
Hamilton is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. On 8 November 1942, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, Lt. Col. Hamilton volunteered to accompany Col. Demas Craw on a dangerous mission to the French commander, designed to bring about a cessation of hostilities. Driven away from the mouth of the Sebou River by heavy shelling from all sides, the landing boat was finally beached at Mehdia Plage despite continuous machine-gun fire from three low-flying hostile planes. Driven in a light truck toward French headquarters, this courageous mission encountered intermittent firing, and as it neared Port Lyautey a heavy burst of machine-gun fire was delivered upon the truck from point-blank range, killing Col. Craw instantly. Although captured immediately after this incident, Lt. Col. Hamilton completed the mission.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Pierpont Morgan Hamilton 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: Groton School, Harvard University
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- August 3, 1898Born in Tuxedo Park, Orange County, New York
- November 8, 1942Act of valor — near Port Lyautey, French MoroccoAge 44. Western Task Force
- March 4, 1982Died in Los Angeles, CaliforniaAge 83.
- Resting placeSanta Barbara CemeterySanta Barbara, California
Biography
Pierpont Morgan Hamilton (August 3, 1898 – March 4, 1982) was a military officer in the United States Air Force, and the scion of two illustrious families in American history: the Hamilton family, which traces its lineage to founding father Alexander Hamilton, and the Morgan family, which traces its lineage to the financier and banker J. P. Morgan. As a United States Army Air Forces officer in World War II, he was the recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Hamilton and Col. Demas T.
From the Wikipedia article “Pierpont M. Hamilton”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
