Camp Bennion

 Second World War 1939-1945, camp

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Camp Bennion was completed 15 September 1942. The camp was named after Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Captain Mervyn S. Bennion who died during the 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack while commanding the USS West Virginia.

One of six individual training stations at Farragut Naval Training Center, Camp Bennion was designed to accommodate and train 5,000 sailors at a time. Buildings located here included a drill hall with six basketball courts, two dispensaries, a rec hall, twenty-two double barracks, ship's stores, indoor rifle range, admin building and chief petty officer's quarters.

Captain Bennion was hit by shrapnel from a bomb that blew up part of his command deck. Cook Third Class Doris Miller and several other sailors attempted to move Bennion to a first aid station, but Bennion refused to leave his post. Using one arm to hold his wounds closed, he bled to death while still commanding his crew.[1] Captain Bennion posthumously received the Medal of Honor. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

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