George Ham Cannon
George Ham Cannon was born 5-Nov 1915 and lived in Webster Groves, St Louis County, Missouri. His father was Benjamin Bartlett Cannon III (1879–1931) and his mother was Charlotte Estelle Cannon (1881–1952). He had two half siblings: Benjamin and Margaret.
He enlisted in the Marines September 1938. George Cannon was killed in action on Midway Island in the Pacific on 7-Dec 1941.
George Ham Cannon was the first member of the US Marine Corps to receive the Medal of Honor for action in World War II
He was born in Webster Groves, St. Louis County, Missouri. After graduating from Southeastern High School in Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan, he attended Culver Military Academy in Culver, Marshall county, Indiana followed by the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Washtenaw county, Michigan, where he was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He graduated from the University of Michigan in June 1938 and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Marine Corps.
During the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on December 7, 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.
He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
George posthumously earned the following medals
- Medal of Honor
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.
For more of his story, click on the link below:
