Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Coxswain

    Action Date:

    April 7, 1945

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Coxswain Floyd M. Bringolf (NSN: 3216029), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a Gun Captain of a 40-mm. gun on board a U.S. Aircraft Carrier in Western Pacific waters off Okinawa Jima when his ship was hit by an enemy bomb on 7 April 1945. The bomb burst less than twenty feet from his gun mount. He then directed the surviving members of his crew in jettisoning ammunition in ready service racks and on the deck, which was drenched in gasoline. During this time he received shrapnel wounds from bursting ammunition. He then climbed through a scuttle leading into a ready service magazine and turned on the sprinkling system to prevent quantities of ammunition from exploding. While doing this, he burned both hands badly from flames coming through the scuttle and further burned them when he turned on the valves of the sprinkling system. As he left his magazine, burning gasoline dropped on him from a broken gasoline pipe. In complete disregard of his own safety he then proceeded to another magazine to turn the sprinkling system on but was forced back by flaming gasoline. Returning to his gun mount he found it engulfed in flames and was forced to abandon the scene. He hung over the side of the ship, clinging to a chock cover. Here he noticed another one of his gun crew clinging. Later, when things had subsided, he returned to find a shipmate suspended by the ankle on a monkey line, head down. In spite of great pain from his wounds and burns, with the help of another man he proceeded to bring his shipmate safely aboard. His actions were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.