Francis P . Hammerberg Owen Francis Patrick Hammerberg ( May 31 , 1920 - February 17 , 1945 ) was a United States Navy diver who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for rescuing two fellow divers . Biography . Hammerberg was born at Daggett , Michigan , May 31 , 1920 ; his family subsequently moved to Flint when he was young . He enlisted in the United States Navy June 16 , 1941 and subsequently served in battleship and mine sweeper . In 1941 , he underwent instruction at the Deep Sea Diving School , Washington , D . C . , and was assigned duty with the Salvage Unit under Service Force , Pacific Fleet . He lost his life during rescue operations at Pearl Harbor February 17 , 1945 . Disregarding all personal danger , he rescued one diver who had been trapped in a cave - in of steel wreckage while tunneling under a sunken LST . After this rescue , Hammerberg went even farther under the buried hulk and , while rescuing a second diver , was pinned down by another cave - in and perished . Boatswain ' s Mate Hammerberg posthumously received the Medal of Honor . Namesake . In 1955 , the destroyer escort was named for him . A street in Flint is also named Hammerberg in his honor . Medal of Honor citation . Hammerberg ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a diver engaged in rescue operations at West Loch , Pearl Harbor , 17 February 1945 . Aware of the danger when 2 fellow divers were hopelessly trapped in a cave - in of steel wreckage while tunneling with jet nozzles under an LST sunk in of water and of mud . Hammerberg unhesitatingly went overboard in a valiant attempt to effect their rescue despite the certain hazard of additional cave - ins and the risk of fouling his lifeline on jagged pieces of steel imbedded in the shifting mud . Washing a passage through the original excavation , he reached the first of the trapped men , freed him from the wreckage and , working desperately in pitch - black darkness , finally effected his release from fouled lines , thereby enabling him to reach the surface . Wearied but undaunted after several hours of arduous labor , Hammerberg resolved to continue his struggle to wash through the oozing submarine , subterranean mud in a determined effort to save the second diver . Venturing still farther under the buried hulk , he held tenaciously to his purpose , reaching a place immediately above the other man just as another cave - in occurred and a heavy piece of steel pinned him crosswise over his shipmate in a position which protected the man beneath from further injury while placing the full brunt of terrific pressure on himself . Although he succumbed in agony 18 hours after he had gone to the aid of his fellow divers , Hammerberg , by his cool judgment , unfaltering professional skill and consistent disregard of all personal danger in the face of tremendous odds , had contributed effectively to the saving of his 2 comrades . His heroic spirit of self - sacrifice throughout enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the U . S . Naval Service . He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country .