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Payson • Capt. Mervyn S. Bennion only fought in World War II for about two hours.

But as commanding officer of the USS West Virginia, Bennion got his crew to battle stations, gave orders that helped save the ship from sinking at Pearl Harbor and made sure his wounded were cared for — himself excluded.

Congress commemorated Bennion's courage by bestowing on him the Medal of Honor. It was a posthumous award.

He received one more posthumous honor Wednesday when the state-run veterans home here was renamed for Bennion, who was born in Utah. The new name is the Mervyn Sharp Bennion Central Utah Veterans Home.

"The final two hours of his life were a testament to the stamina he learned in his upbringing," Maynard Sorensen said at Thursday's dedication ceremony. Sorensen, 90, of Ivins, is a Navy veteran of World War II and married a niece of Bennion's brother.

Thursday's ceremony also paid tribute to the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. World War II veterans, some of whom live at the veterans home, attended the festivities that included a color guard and a quintet from the 23rd Army Band.

Most of the focus was on Bennion. He was born in 1887 in the Tooele County town of Vernon. His family worked a farm there.

According to a history on usswestvirginia.org, on Dec. 7, 1941, Bennion was shaving in his cabin to prepare to go to Sunday school when Japanese planes were spotted. He ordered the crew to battle stations, but three torpedoes quickly hit the West Virginia. Then bombs struck the ship.

Bennion stepped outside to see the damage when shrapnel from a bomb, believed to have struck the USS Tennessee, hit Bennion. The usswestvirginia.org history says shrapnel tore off the top of Bennion's stomach and hit his spine and left hip. The account says Bennion had to push his own entrails back in his abdomen.

Bennion got to his feet, returned to the bridge and resumed giving orders. Crew members eventually carried him from the bridge over his objections.

One of the sailors who came to Bennion's aid on the bridge was Petty Officer Doris Miller. In the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor," Bennion was portrayed by actor Peter Firth. Miller was portrayed by Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Bennion died aboard his ship about two hours after he was wounded, the history says.

The citation on Bennion's Medal of Honor reads: "For conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. As Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. West Virginia, after being mortally wounded, Capt. Bennion evidenced apparent concern only in fighting and saving his ship, and strongly protested against being carried from the bridge."

The Navy later named a ship for Bennion. The bell from the USS Bennion, which normally sits at the state archives, was brought to the veterans home Thursday. A Navy veteran rang the bell nine times to denote Bennion's rank and status as a Medal of Honor recipient.

Bennion's great-grandson, 32-year-old Mervyn "Mick" S. Bennion IV, told the audience that Capt. Bennion's actions at Pearl Harbor showed his true colors.

"His entire naval career prepared him for that battle," Mick Bennion said, "even though his time in World War II only lasted a few hours."

The younger Bennion thanked all the veterans in attendance, especially those whose sacrifices might not have been recognized.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com

Twitter: @natecarlisle