Reup: When USS West Virginia (BB-48) was attacked at Pearl Harbor, Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, all but disemboweled by shrapnel, continued to command and fight his ship to the end, becoming 1 of 16 Medal of Honor recipients that day. His ship fought even as it sank 1/ #PearlHarbor

Elsewhere on the ship, Doris Miller became the first African-American to be awarded the Navy Cross for his actions tending wounded, including the mortally wounded Bennion, and manning anti-aircraft weapons. Miller was killed in action when USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed in 1943 2/

She took 6 torpedos & burned for 30 hours. Her officers led counterflooding that allowed ship to sink level, saving many lives. During salvage 66 of the 106 men who died were recovered from below decks. The last date marked off calendar in one trapped compartment was Dec 23 3/

Raised, she sailed to Bremerton for rebuild. The ship that emerged looked completely different, with modernized fire control, radar, and other upgrades. The veteran ship rejoined the fleet late 1944. Too slow for carrier groups, she provided fire support for Marine landings. 4/

At Surigao Strait, she lead a line of battleships, including 4 other Pearl Harbor veterans, in the last fleet action between battleships. Her first shells struck home on JN battleship Yamashiro, & she fired 16 more deadly accurate salvos in a total victory. Revenge was theirs 5/

The Yamashiro, burning & sinking, was finished off by a US destroyer that darted out of the darkness to torpedo the battleship. Only after the war was it's identity confirmed: USS Bennion, named after the Captain & MOH recipient of USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor. Fitting. /E