Robert Raymond Scott Motorman First Class, United States Navy |
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| He
had served in the United States Navy for three years when he was killed
in action at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack there on December
7, 1941.
He was aboard the USS California and was assigned to an air compressor which was vital to weapons firing systems of the ship. When his compartment was flooded by a torpedo hit, he helped to evacuate the area and then remained behind in an effort to keep the weapons systems functioning. His last words that anyone heard were: "This is my station and I will stay and give them air as long as the guns are going." He was eventually buried in Section 34 of Arlington National Cemetery. 
Robert R. Scott was born in Massillon, Ohio, on 13 July 1915. He enlisted
in the Navy during the 1930s and had risen to the rank of Machinist's Mate
First Class by 1941. During the 7 December 1941 Japanese air raid on Pearl
Harbor, he was serving on board USS California (BB-44). When the ship was
hit by Japanese torpedoes, causing serious flooding of his battle station,
MM1c Scott remained in the compartment in order to continue supplying compressed
air to the ship's guns, and so lost his life. For this act of heroism,
he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
SCOTT, ROBERT R . Rank and organization: Machinist's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 13 July 1915, Massillon, Ohio. Accredited to Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary
courage and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call
of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces
on 7 December 1941. The compartment, in
Photo courtesy of Raymond L. Collins 
Photo Courtesy of Ron Williams
Updated: 1 October 2000 Updated: 31 January 2001 Updated: 2 December 2001 Updated: 28 September 2003 Updated: 20 March 2004 Updated: 15 January 2006 Updated: 8 July 2007 |
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