Henry T. Elrod
| Henry Talmage Elrod | |
|---|---|
 
Henry T. Elrod, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Hammering Hank" |
| Born |
September 27, 1905 Turner County, Georgia |
| Died | December 23, 1941 (aged 36) KIA on Wake Island |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Years of service | 1927-1941 |
| Rank | Major (posthumous) |
| Unit | VMA-211 |
| Battles/wars |
World War II *Battle of Wake Island |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with Wake Island Device |
Henry Talmage "Hammerin' Hank" Elrod (September 27, 1905–December 23, 1941) was a US Marine Corps aviator. He was the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor during World War II, for his heroism in the defense of Wake Island.
Elrod was born on September 27, 1905, in Turner County, Georgia. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 1927, and was appointed a Marine second lieutenant in February 1931. He attended the University of Georgia and Yale University prior to his entry into the Marine Corps.
Following over a year at the Marine Corps Basic School in Philadelphia as a student aviator, Lieutenant Elrod was ordered to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. There he served as a company officer and as student aviator. In February 1935, he earned his wings and was transferred to Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he served as a Marine Aviator until January 1938. In addition to his other duties, he was his squadron’s school, personnel, and welfare officer.
In July 1938, Elrod was ordered to a squadron in San Diego and served as their material, parachute, and personnel officer until January 1941, when he was detached to the Hawaiian area.
On December 4, 1941, Captain Elrod flew to Wake Island with twelve aircraft, twelve pilots, and the ground crew of Major Paul A. Putnam's fighter squadron, VMF-211. Hostilities in the air over Wake Island commenced on December 8, 1941. On December 12, he single-handedly attacked a flight of 22 enemy planes and shot down two. He executed several low-altitude bombing and strafing runs on enemy ships; during one of these attacks, he became the first man to sink a warship, the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi, with small caliber bombs delivered from a fighter aircraft, dropping the bombs onto the destroyer's stern, causing the depth charges to explode.
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