Leonard Roy Harmon died on November 13, 1943 at the age of 25. He was an African American sailor posited with the role of cook, because of his race. He enlisted in the Navy in Texas when he was 22 and trained as a Mess Attendant, which was one of the few roles available to African Americans in the Navy at the time. Basically, he served everyone on the ship their food. All crew members, despite race, were trained in damage control and had specific stations to report to during general quarters.
He became a Mess Attendant First Class and served on the USS San Francisco when the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. He helped carry off the wounded and while doing so, he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to protect his shipmates. His selfless acts ended up getting him shot during the battle.
He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valor. Harmon was represented in sorts by Cuba Gooding Jr. in Pearl Harbor, despite the battle and actions being totally wrong. It was a tribute to Harmon.