Barrett Introduces Bill to Name Charlotte Post Office After Medal of Honor Recipient Killed at Pearl Harbor

Public domain photo from the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07) introduced a bill to name the post office in Charlotte, Mich., after U.S. Navy Ensign Francis Flaherty, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and sacrifice during Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

Barrett's bill (H.R. 9570) to name the "Francis C. Flaherty Post Office Building" is co-sponsored by all 12 other U.S. representatives from Michigan.

"Ensign Francis Flaherty sacrificed his life while rescuing his fellow sailors during the attack on Pearl Harbor," Barrett said. "I was proud to help ensure that his remains were finally brought home to Charlotte a few years ago, where thousands of people from our community came together to finally lay to rest and honor a hometown hero. Naming the local post office after this Medal of Honor recipient will be a permanent and lasting tribute to his patriotic service and sacrifice."

Background

Francis Charles Flaherty was born on March 15, 1919, in Charlotte, Michigan. He graduated from Charlotte High School and attended the University of Michigan before joining the U.S. Naval Reserve. Flaherty was stationed on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor during the December 7, 1941, attack. When the crew was ordered to abandon the sinking ship, Flaherty stayed in his turret, holding a flashlight to help the rest of his turret crew escape and sacrificing his own life. For this heroism, Flaherty in 1946 was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, which was presented to his brother.

His remains were initially unable to be identified and were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2019, the military was able to identify his remains using DNA samples from family members, and the family chose to have him reinterred at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Charlotte in 2021. Barrett, a state senator at the time, participated in the homecoming ceremony along with family members, local residents, and U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Jeff Spivey.

Barrett previously led a successful effort to rename a portion of M-50 in Charlotte in honor of Flaherty. The bill that included Barrett's amendment naming the "Ensign Francis Flaherty Memorial Highway" passed the Michigan Legislature unanimously, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed it into law on July 29, 2021.

Click here to read Barrett's new bill.