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Medal of Honor Recipient

John Duncan Bulkeley

U.S. Navy · World War II

MOH-RC-002800Source-based record

The award

Representative medal image: Navy star design with the 1913 blue ribbon. Not a portrait or a photograph of this recipient’s own medal.
Navy Medal of HonorAction-era reference: 1941

Portrait not yet available. Representative medal shown.

About this image

Presentation date is not usable for design selection. This is an action-era reference; a later presentation or replacement medal may differ. The Navy used more than one design in this period. No Tiffany Cross attribution is inferred from service or conflict alone.

Medal imagery and historical designs →

Medal of Honor

December 7, 1941–April 10, 1942

Philippine Waters, Philippine Islands

Rank at action
Lieutenant (citation renders Lieutenant Commander; highest rank Vice Admiral)
Service
U.S. Navy
Conflict
World War II
Unit or command
Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3

The Citation

Sources ↓
For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, in Philippine waters during the period 7 December 1941 to 10 April 1942. The remarkable achievement of Lt. Comdr. Bulkeley's command in damaging or destroying a notable number of Japanese enemy planes, surface combatant and merchant ships, and in dispersing landing parties and land-based enemy forces during the 4 months and 8 days of operation without benefit of repairs, overhaul, or maintenance facilities for his squadron, is believed to be without precedent in this type of warfare. His dynamic forcefulness and daring in offensive action, his brilliantly planned and skillfully executed attacks, supplemented by a unique resourcefulness and ingenuity, characterize him as an outstanding leader of men and a gallant and intrepid seaman. These qualities coupled with a complete disregard for his own personal safety reflect great credit upon him and the Naval Service.

Sources & record notes

General Order comparison: pending. Current-profile review does not mean that the underlying original order has been examined.

  1. John Duncan Bulkeley — Congressional Medal of Honor Society recipient profile ↗Congressional Medal of Honor Society · Checked 2026-09-01

    current identity, service, action metadata, and citation comparison

Transcription, metadata & provenance notes
Award ID
MOH-AW-002814
Transcription status
Legacy full text · current reference profile matched
Last source check
2026-09-01
Entered service at
Texas
Archive transcription SHA-256
34ccb0f38be918457ccf9f75ed12cf95ad440af5dd0927b4da4cbed4dcc3c369

Legacy transcription retained without substantive editing; rendered current reference profile comparison is documented in the Phase 10 evidence snapshot.

Preserve the official page’s internal rank variance: structured rank Lieutenant; citation describes Lt. Comdr.