Honoring a World War II Hero from Charlotte

On December 7, 1941, when Japan attacked the American base at Pearl Harbor, a sailor from Michigan laid down his life to save his crewmates. Ensign Francis C. Flaherty held a flashlight so the rest of his turret crew could escape the sinking USS Oklahoma. Then he went down with the ship, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his brave sacrifice.

For decades after his unidentified remains were recovered from the USS Oklahoma, he was buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. Then a few years ago, the military was able to identify his remains through DNA testing, and the family chose to have him reburied in his hometown. In 2021, his remains were buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Charlotte following a solemn homecoming ceremony that brought together family members and thousands of people from our community. I was honored to play a small part in that ceremony.

In recognition of his heroic sacrifice, I introduced a bill to honor Ensign Flaherty by naming the post office in his hometown of Charlotte after him. 

Born in 1919, Francis Flaherty graduated from Charlotte High School and attended the University of Michigan before joining the U.S. Naval Reserve. His legacy has had a huge impact on our community. 

Naming the “Francis C. Flaherty Post Office Building” would be a fitting tribute to the patriotic service and sacrifice of this Medal of Honor recipient. My bill to do just that has bipartisan support from every representative in Michigan’s congressional delegation.

I look forward to honoring Ensign Francis Flaherty for his heroic service, and I’ll keep working to ensure all our veterans and their families get the benefits they’ve earned defending our country.