Croatian World War Two hero Peter Tomich

posthumously receives the Congressional Medal of Honor

Admiral Henry Ulrich III, Commander of US Naval Forces Europe, awards the Congressional Medal of Honor to Srecko Herzeg (R), a descendant of World War Two hero Peter Tomich, on the USS Enterprise, in Split, Croatia, May 18, 2006. Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, a Croatian immigrant to the U.S., was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his outstanding courage in Pearl Harbor when he remained at his post onboard USS Utah when it was attacked in 1951 until he saw all the boilers were secured and all personnel had left their stations, and lost his own life. U.S. authorities had troubles locating his next of kin. REUTERS/Matko Biljak
Reuters - May 18 10:56 AM


Srecko Herzeg, a descendant of WW2 hero Peter Tomich, displays the medal at a Medal of Honor ceremony, Split, Croatia, Thursday May 18, 2006. Chief Watertender Peter Tomich, a Croatian immigrant to the U.S., was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his outstanding courage in Pearl Harbor when he remained at his post onboard USS Utah when it was attacked in 1951 until he saw all the boilers were secured and all personel had left their stations, and lost his own life. U.S. authorities had troubles locating his next of kin. Herzeg accepted the medal on Tomich's behalf from Adm. Harry Ulrich III, Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe, aboard the USS Enterprise. (AP Photo/Bozidar Vukicevic)
AP - May 18 9:39 AM