Medal of Honor: Seaman First Class Johnnie David Hutchins, World War II, September 4, 1943

Seaman First Class Johnnie David Hutchins

War: World War II
Date of Action: September 4, 1943

Sometimes, a single second of courage can mean the difference between life and death for an entire crew. In the blazing chaos of a Japanese attack, Seaman Johnnie Hutchins seized that second—and gave his own life to save his shipmates.

Summary of Action

Born in Weimer, Texas in 1922, Johnnie David Hutchins enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. By 1943, he was serving aboard the USS LST-473, a tank landing ship that formed part of the great island-hopping campaign across the Pacific. These vessels, slow and cumbersome, were vulnerable targets when enemy aircraft descended upon them.

On September 4, 1943, as LST-473 moved into Lae, New Guinea, Japanese bombers launched a furious attack. One enemy plane bore down on the vessel, releasing a bomb aimed directly at its bridge. The explosion killed and wounded many of the ship’s officers and crew, throwing the vessel into confusion at the worst possible moment.

Amid the smoke and destruction, Seaman Hutchins found himself suddenly thrust into a moment of impossible consequence. With the ship’s command crippled and the wheel unmanned, disaster loomed—not just for Hutchins but for the hundreds of soldiers, sailors, and Marines packed aboard the vessel.

Ignoring his own mortal wounds from the blast, Hutchins dragged himself to the wheel. With steady hands and sheer willpower, he swung the ship from the bomb’s deadly path and steered it to safety. Moments later, the young Texan collapsed, mortally wounded. But his final act had spared the lives of countless shipmates and preserved the ship for its mission.

Johnnie Hutchins was just 21 years old when he made his last stand of courage. His sacrifice embodied the very soul of selfless service.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While at the wheel steering his ship during the landing operations at Lae, New Guinea, on 4 September 1943, Seaman Hutchins was mortally wounded when an enemy aerial torpedo exploded close aboard. As he was dying, he grasped the wheel, steadied the ship, and prevented it from veering off course at a critical moment. His sacrifice and unyielding devotion to duty preserved the ship and saved the lives of many shipmates. His outstanding heroism and gallant spirit of self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.