Named Pearl Harbor Purple Heart Medal

[Rakkasan187]

Today is the 79th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

Naval ships and Army installations were strafed and bombed by Japanese aircraft causing significant damage and loss of life. This attack plunged the United States into World War II and as a result of the attack most of the Pacific fleet was either sunk or heavily damaged leaving the Hawaiian Islands, the West Coast of the United States and outposts in the Pacific to include Wake Island, Midway Island and the Philippines vulnerable to enemy attacks and eventual invasion.

One of those brave men who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor but was wounded was Shipfitter Lewis Richard Dominici.

I was very fortunate to obtain this Pearl Harbor Purple Heart several years ago after an attempt to secure a posthumous USS Arizona Purple Heart fell through. I am just as honored and proud to be the caretaker of this Purple Heart.

I now present to you Shipfitter 3rd Class Lewis Richard Dominici:

Lewis Richard Dominici, Shipfitter 3rd Class was wounded in action on December 7, 1941 while aboard the USS Pennsylvania. As most of you know, the Pennsylvania was in dry dock during the attack but was one of the first ships to return fire on the Japanese planes. When the attack was over the Pennsylvania, had suffered serious damage as well as 15 men Killed in Action to include the ships executive officer, 14 men were listed as Missing in Action and 38 were Wounded in Action.

After the attack Dominici's skills as a Shipfitter were needed to help in the salvage of another Battleship that suffered great damage during the Pearl Harbor attack, the USS Oklahoma. He was transferred to the USS Oklahoma detail a year later on December 18, 1942. A few days later, it was determined that he was needed elsewhere at Pearl Harbor and he was again transferred, this time to the Battleship USS Utah which was being used as target practice and very shortly after the attack started was sunk. Shipfitter Dominici was going to be among the crew tasked to salvage the usable ordnance and other parts of the USS Utah for use on other Battleships.

On January 25, 1944, while assigned to the USS Utah, Shipfitter 3rd Class Lewis R. Dominici was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and Ribbon Bar for wounds received to his left upper arm on December 7, 1941.

This Purple Heart is a non-posthumous award which was un-officially hand engraved to SF3c Lewis Richard Dominici wounded in action on the USS Pennsylvania on December 7, 1941. The USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was in drydock # 1 undergoing repairs during the attack and suffered damage when the ships Cassin and Downes also in Drydock #1 were hit. The Pennsylvania was one of the first ships to engage Japanese planes during the attack. The Pennsylvania lost 14 men Killed in Action including the ships Executive Officer, 15 men Missing in Action and 38 Wounded in Action (1 of those men was Dominici).

Dominici's service number matches the service number engraved on the medal. It is quite common on WWII engraved USN WIA Purple Hearts to see both a name and a service number on the medal (something you do not see on posthumous awards).

Let's remember those we lost on December 7, 1941..

Smitty

[26Intrepid]

Very nice post to honor one of many hero’s who put it all on the line on December 7, 1941 and throughout WW2!