Seaman Alexander Haure Turvelin, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in February 1881 in Toulon, France — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1871 - 1899 period. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Trenton. Turvelin was about 34 years old.
Turvelin was born in 1847 in Russia — one of 3 recipients born in Russia.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Trenton, at Toulon, France, February 1881, and rescuing from drowning Augustus Ohlensen, coxswain.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Russian Empire — map
Timeline
- 1847Born in Russia
- February 1881Act of valor — Toulon, FranceAge about 34. U.S.S. Trenton
Biography
Alexander Haure Turvelin (born 1847, date of death unknown) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Born in 1847 in the Russian Empire, Turvelin immigrated to the United States and by February 1881 was serving as a seaman on the USS Trenton. Sometime during that month, while Trenton was at Toulon, France, Coxswain Augustus Ohlensen fell overboard and, because he could not swim, began to sink. Turvelin and another sailor, Ordinary Seaman John Davis, jumped into the water and rescued Ohlensen from drowning.
From the Wikipedia article “Alexander Haure Turvelin”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
