Samuel Glenn Fuqua

The USS Arizona Hero Who Refused to Leave His Men Behind

When the USS Arizona exploded at Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant Commander Samuel Glenn Fuqua was knocked unconscious. When he regained consciousness, his ship was burning, his fellow sailors were fighting for their lives, and disaster surrounded him. Yet instead of seeking safety, he chose to stay and save others. His extraordinary courage on December 7, 1941, would earn him the Medal of Honor and establish his place among America's most remarkable naval heroes of World War II.

Born on October 15, 1899, in Laddonia, Missouri, Samuel Glenn Fuqua began his military journey with brief service in the United States Army during World War I. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1919, graduated in 1923, and received his commission in the U.S. Navy. His early assignments included service aboard USS Arizona, while his growing leadership responsibilities eventually brought him command of the minesweeper USS Bittern from 1937 to 1939. In February 1941, he returned to Arizona as the battleship's damage control officer and first lieutenant, unaware that his greatest test was only months away.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft launched their devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. Fuqua rushed toward Arizona's quarterdeck but was knocked unconscious by a bomb explosion. Regaining consciousness amid spreading fires and wounded sailors, he immediately organized firefighting and rescue operations. Then a catastrophic explosion tore through the ship's forward magazines. With Arizona rapidly sinking and her senior officers killed, Fuqua became the senior surviving officer aboard. He directed the evacuation, helped ensure wounded men reached safety, and remained aboard until he was satisfied that everyone who could be rescued had been taken off the ship.

For this extraordinary leadership, Fuqua received the Medal of Honor in March 1942. His official citation praised his outstanding heroism, disregard for personal safety, and remarkably calm judgment under relentless enemy attack. It specifically recognized how his leadership inspired those around him and undoubtedly saved many lives. At a moment when panic could have claimed even more victims, Fuqua demonstrated that true command meant placing the lives of others before his own.

But Fuqua's service did not end with Pearl Harbor. During 1942, he served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa, participating in Atlantic operations that included support for Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa. After assignments at Guantanamo Bay and the Naval War College, he returned to a major operational role in the Pacific. From January 9 to August 15, 1945, Captain Fuqua served as Force Operations Officer with the Service Force, Seventh Fleet, contributing to operations supporting the Allied advance through the Philippines and Borneo. For his exceptionally meritorious performance and outstanding services during this period, he received the Legion of Merit, as recorded in the April 1946 Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin.

Following World War II, Fuqua continued serving the United States Navy, including command of the destroyer tender USS Dixie from 1949 to 1950 and duty as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Naval District. He retired from active service in July 1953, receiving the rank of Rear Admiral in recognition of his combat awards. His distinguished military career had carried him from early Army service through the challenges of two world wars and into the postwar era.

Rear Admiral Samuel Glenn Fuqua died on January 27, 1987, and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. His legacy remains inseparable from the burning decks of USS Arizona, where his courage, composure, and devotion to his sailors transformed an unimaginable tragedy into a lasting example of naval leadership.

He could not save his ship, but he refused to abandon the men who still had a chance to live. That is the legacy of Samuel Glenn Fuqua.