Most of you know about GEN Jonathan Wainwright, who won the Medal of Honor in the Phillipines during WWII. His citation reads,
Distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly superior enemy forces. At the repeated risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in his position, he frequented the firing line of his troops where his presence provided the example and incentive that helped make the gallant efforts of these men possible. The final stand on beleaguered Corregidor, for which he was in an important measure personally responsible, commanded the admiration of the Nation's allies. It reflected the high morale of American arms in the face of overwhelming odds. His courage and resolution were a vitally needed inspiration to the then sorely pressed freedom-loving peoples of the world.
However, few people would remember his son, Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright V, who as Master of the SS Bushrod Washington, received the equivelent of the Medal of Honor, the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for his actions as cited,
For distinguished service under especially hazardous conditions.
His own ship having been hit with a heavy bomb, [Salerno, Italy] and the resulting fire being beyond control, he displayed exceptional leadership in having all survivors safely abandon ship before it blew up. Subsequently, he was appointed by the Naval Commander of Landing Operations to take over a cargo ship which had been heavily bombed and abandoned. But her cargo was gasoline and ammunition urgently needed by our invasion forces which had just established a beach-head on the shore one-half mile away. The engine room of this ship was flooded with thirty feet of water –– her deck gear was almost completely wrecked –– and the bodies of over fifty dead soldiers, sailors and merchant seamen lay about her decks.
His first task was to get those bodies ashore for proper registration and burial. Then, by various ingenious methods, Wainwright and nine volunteers from his own crew, determinedly labored for nine days under exceptionally dangerous conditions to get that vital cargo landed. With this task completed, it was determined that the ship might be salvaged. Utilizing air compressors, and steering from the after deck, Wainwright brought the critically damaged ship, under tow by another Liberty ship, through heavy seas and high winds to Bizerte for repairs.
His unfaltering courage, indomitable determination, and expert seamanship in accomplishing his missions under unusually trying circumstances were in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Merchant Marine.
Thus, they are possibly the only father/son combination to receive the the highest award, in their respective services, during the same conflict.