Andrew Britte Hamm

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Andrew Britte Hamm (0-82340), Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron ONE (VB-1), embarked from the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), and deployed over Kure, Japan, on 28 July 1945. While flying a Navy dive bomber plane in which, in the face of one of the heaviest anti-aircraft barrages ever encountered over the Japanese homeland, Lieutenant Commander Hamm pressed home his attack to a very low altitude above the target, released his bomb and scored a direct hit on an enemy aircraft carrier. At the time he was the leader of his Dive Bombing Squadron in its attack on Japanese battleships, heavy and light cruisers, aircraft carriers and smaller warships in the heavily defended Kure Naval Base harbor of the island of Honshu. His own damaging bomb hit and his leadership of the attack in the face of the intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire of the ship and shore batteries contributed materially to the success of the overall attack by the Task Force. His determination and heroic conduct were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Awards: 2@ Navy Crosses (WWII), 2@ Distinguished Flying Crosses, Purple Heart

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Andrew Britte Hamm (0-82340), Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron ONE (VB-1), embarked from the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), and deployed over Kure, Japan, on 24 July 1945. While flying a dive bomber plane, Lieutenant Commander Hamm pressed home his attack in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from enemy warships and shore batteries and scored a direct bomb hit on an enemy aircraft carrier in the heart of the Japanese homeland. At the time, he was the leader of his squadron’s phase of the overall Task Force attack on a concentration of Japanese battleships, heavy and light cruisers, aircraft carriers and numerous smaller war craft in the Kure Naval Base harbor. Under his skillful direction and determined leadership, his squadron contributed materially to the outstanding success of the Task Force attack. His heroic conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Awards: 2@ Navy Crosses (WWII), 2@ Distinguished Flying Crosses, Purple Heart