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| 52k | John Henry Pruitt was born on 4 October 1896 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from Arizona in May 1917, less than a month after the United States entered World War I. Later promoted to corporal, he served with Seventy-eighth Company, Sixth Marine Regiment, a part of the U.S. Second Division. Pruitt fought in France at Chateau-Thierry, Bouresches and Belleau Wood and was injured in a German gas attack on 14 June 1918. Following recovery, he participated in more battles, and his brave conduct in an action near Thiaucourt on 15 September was officially reported. On 3 October, while in combat at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, Corporal Pruitt conducted a single-handled attack, capturing two machine guns and 40 enemy soldiers before being killed in action later in the day. For his "extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity" on 3 October 1918, John H. Pruitt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. U.S. Navy Medal of Honor citation of Corporal John H. Pruitt, USMC (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 123):
"For extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Seventy-eighth Company, Sixth Regiment, Second Division, in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Corporal Pruitt, single-handed, attacked two machine guns, capturing them and killing two of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout near by. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping the enemy." Photo from the USMC History Division. | Bill Gonyo |
| 40k | Undated, Shanghai, China. | Robert M. Cieri |
| 152k | Undated, location unknown. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. | Darryl Baker |
| 142k | Undated, location unknown. Photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. | Darryl Baker |
| 77k | Undated, location unknown. | Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET. |
| 200k | Launching August 2 1920 at Bath, Maine. | Chuk Munson |
| 104k | August 1920, Pruitt on standardization trials. | Joe Radigan |
| 71k | Circa 1920-1926. | Jon Burdett |
| 169k | USS Preble (DD-345), USS Noa (DD-343, unidentified and USS Pruitt (DD-347) in Saigon during 1926. | Frederick J. Moisson |
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51k | USS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS Sicard (DD-346), USS Pruitt (DD-347), USS Decatur (DD-341), USS Preble (DD-345), USS Pope (DD-225), USS Bulmer (DD-222), USS Simpson (DD-221) and USS McCormick (DD-223) in Manila Harbor, November 16 1928. | Carl Ross |
| 263k | NH 94827. Circa 1928-1934, refueling from either CV-2 or 3. Courtesy of PHC John Highfill. | Ed Zajkowski |
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219k | Circa 1930's image at sea in her original configuration, Note Sister and last of the "Flush Deckers" built Pruitt (DD-347), in background. | Ed Zajkowski |
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301k | Balboa Harbor, Panama Canal Zone. Aerial photograph taken 23 April 1934, with U.S. Fleet cruisers and destroyers moored together. Ships present include (left to right in lower left): USS Elliot (DD-146); USS Roper (DD-147); USS Hale (DD-133); USS Dorsey (DD-117); USS Lea (DD-118); USS Rathburne (DD-113); USS Talbot (DD-114); USS Waters (DD-115); USS Dent (DD-116); USS Aaron Ward (DD-132); USS Buchanan (DD-131); USS Crowninshield (DD-134); USS Preble (DD-345); and USS William B. Preston (DD-344). (left to right in center): USS Yarnall (DD-143); USS Sands (DD-243); USS Lawrence (DD-250); (unidentified destroyer); USS Detroit (CL-8), Flagship, Destroyers Battle Force; USS Fox (DD-234); USS Greer (DD-145); USS Barney (DD-149); USS Tarbell (DD-142); and USS Chicago (CA-29), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. (left to right across the top): USS Southard (DD-207); USS Chandler (DD-206); USS Farenholt (DD-332); USS Perry (DD-340); USS Wasmuth (DD-338); USS Trever (DD-339); USS Melville (AD-2); USS Truxtun (DD-229); USS McCormick (DD-223); USS MacLeish (DD-220); USS Simpson (DD-221); USS Hovey (DD-208); USS Long (DD-209); USS Litchfield (DD-336); USS Tracy (DD-214); USS Dahlgren (DD-187); USS Medusa (AR-1); USS Raleigh (CL-7), Flagship, Destroyers Scouting Force; USS Pruitt (DD-347); and USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156); USS Dallas (DD-199); (four unidentified destroyers); and USS Indianapolis (CA-35), Flagship, Cruisers Scouting Force. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. | Fabio Peņa |
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171k | USS Pruitt (DD-347) transiting the Panama Canal prior to World War II. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Photo #: NH 51923. | Robert Hurst |