<P> John William Finn ( 23 July 1909 -- 27 May 2010 ) was a sailor in the United States Navy who , as a chief petty officer , received the United States military 's highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II . As a chief aviation ordnanceman stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay , he earned the medal by manning a machine gun from an exposed position throughout the attack , despite being repeatedly wounded . He continued to serve in the Navy and in 1942 was commissioned an ensign . In 1947 he was reverted to chief petty officer , eventually rising to lieutenant before his 1956 retirement . In his later years he made many appearances at events celebrating veterans . At the time of his death , Finn was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient , the last living recipient from the attack on Pearl Harbor , and the last United States Navy recipient of World War II . </P>
who was the first navy chief to be awarded the medal of honor
John William Finn