USS Pinckney

Photo of William Pinckney at:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040314-9999-1m14ship.html

Excerpt

[The ship is named for William Pinckney, a native of Beaufort and former Oceanside resident who won the Navy's second-highest honor for saving the life of a shipmate during a Japanese attack on the carrier Enterprise in 1942.

Although injured, Pinckney, a Navy cook, carried another man who was 20 pounds heavier up several decks to safety from an ammunition handling room after it was filled with flames. Four others sailors in the compartment died.

After recovering from his own wounds, Pinkney spent the eight more years with the Navy, stationed in San Diego. He returned home to marry his childhood sweetheart, Henrietta, and the two moved to Oceanside. On June 30th, 1946, William left the service as a Cook First Class. The Pinkneys moved to New York where he joined the Merchant Marine service.

Pinckney died in 1975.]