REDCOM Great Lakes

From all of us at REDCOM Great Lakes: Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂
Today we pause to give thanks for our Sailors, civilians, families, and the communities who support us. To those standing the watch at sea, in the air, and ashore—thank you for keeping our Navy Reserve ready.

Wishing our entire REDCOM Great Lakes family a safe, restful, and happy Thanksgiving. 🦃

⚓🇺🇸 This Week in Navy History: Hospitalman John E. “Jackie” Kilmer

Born August 15, 1930 in Highland Park, Illinois, Kilmer enlisted in the Navy on August 16, 1947, just a day after his 17th birthday, leaving high school behind to serve his country. After Corps School in San Diego, he became a Hospitalman and reenlisted in 1951 to continue his service during the Korean War.

Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Kilmer demonstrated exceptional valor in the Battle of Bunker Hill on August 12–13, 1952. Despite mortal wounds, he repeatedly moved through intense enemy mortar, artillery, and sniper fire to attend to the wounded. When another Marine was hit, Kilmer shielded him with his own body, saving that Marine’s life while sacrificing his own.

He was just two days shy of his 22nd birthday when he was killed. For this selfless act, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, presented to his mother at the Pentagon on June 18, 1953.

His legacy endures:

USS John E. Kilmer (DDG-134), an Arleigh Burke–class guided-missile destroyer, was named in his honor in 2019.

Annual memorial ceremonies are held at his gravesite in San José Burial Park, San Antonio, where hospital corpsmen and students lay wreaths, salute, and conduct Final Roll Calls.

John E. Kilmer’s courage, compassion, and ultimate sacrifice continue to embody the highest traditions of the U.S. Navy—he gave his life so another might live.

This Week in Navy History:

⚓ July 23, 1917 | USS Pittsburgh (Armored Cruiser No. 4)
Two Sailors. One Explosion. Countless Lives Saved.

While en route to Buenos Aires, Argentina, the armored cruiser USS Pittsburgh (Armored Cruiser No. 4) suffered an explosion in the aft 3-inch saluting casemate. Amid thick smoke, flame, and confusion, two Sailors displayed extraordinary heroism that prevented further disaster and safeguarded their ship.

Lt. Willis W. Bradley Jr., then a junior officer aboard the Pittsburgh, was knocked unconscious by the blast just as he approached the casemate. Upon regaining consciousness, Bradley crawled into the smoke-filled compartment and extinguished burning materials that threatened to ignite nearby powder charges. His decisive action prevented a potential chain reaction of explosions that could have crippled the ship.

Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Ora Graves, blown to the deck by the force of the explosion, quickly recovered and responded with equal courage. Seeing burning debris near additional powder stores, he extinguished the flames under dangerous conditions, halting the spread of the fire.

Their rapid and selfless actions — Bradley through determination and leadership, Graves through initiative and bravery — were instrumental in saving their ship and shipmates. Both were awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism.

🎖️ “For extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty… in preventing a catastrophe.” — Medal of Honor citation

📚 Learn more about these heroes and their actions at history.navy.mil