Medal of Honor Monday: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Owen Hammerberg

Warrior Video Above: USS Zumwalt Commander Capt. Carlson Describes Riding the Stealthy Ship in Stormy Seas

By Katie Lange,U.S. Department of Defense

Most Medal of Honor recipients earned the award during combat, but that’s not the case for everyone. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Owen Francis Patrick Hammerberg, a boatswain’s mate, is one of the few recipients who earned it for his heroic efforts outside of normal duty.

Hammerberg was born May 31, 1920, and grew up on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His family moved around and landed in Flint during Hammerberg’s teen years. He dropped out of high school, hitchhiked west and worked on a ranch before joining the Navy on July 16, 1941, when he was 21. 

After basic training, Hammerberg was assigned to the USS Idaho and USS Advent. While on the Advent, Hammerberg became known for an incident in which he dove into the water to free a cable that had been tangled in a mine. It could have caused an explosion, but Hammerberg’s actions prevented that. 

After his heroics in the water, Hammerberg went to Navy dive school. He completed the training and was assigned to Pacific Fleet Salvage Force, Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

The West Loch Disaster

Hammerberg earned the Medal of Honor for his actions on Feb. 17, 1945, but before we get to that, it’s important to mention what led to it — an incident known as the West Loch Disaster.