Milton Ernest Ricketts

Lieutenant Milton Ernest Ricketts was a United States Navy officer who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the United States military's highest decoration for valor, for his conspicuous gallantry during World War II.

He served aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-5) during the critical Battle of the Coral Sea. On May 8, 1942, an enemy bomb exploded directly below his battle station, killing or wounding all members of his damage control party and mortally wounding Ricketts himself. Despite his devastating injuries, he immediately mobilized to prevent the spread of fire, single-handedly carrying a hose into the devastated compartment to direct water onto the flames before he collapsed.

His extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty under fire prevented further catastrophe aboard the carrier, ensuring his legacy as one of the Navy's most dedicated officers during the early, pivotal days of the Pacific War.