Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Landsman David Johnson Naylor received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 at Mobile Bay, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Oneida. Naylor was 20 years old.
97 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Naylor was born on November 14, 1843 in Thompsonville, Sullivan County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Naylor died on February 7, 1926 in Potter Hill, Rhode Island, at the age of 82. He is buried at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Naylor is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Served on board the U.S.S. Oneida in the engagement at Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Acting as powder boy at the 30-pounder Parrott rifle, Naylor had his passing box shot from his hands and knocked overboard where it fell into one of the Galena's boats which was under the bow. Jumping overboard, Naylor recovered his box, returned to his station, and continued to carry out his courageous actions throughout the engagement, which resulted in the capture of the rebel ram Tennessee and the damaging of Fort Morgan.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- November 14, 1843Born in Thompsonville, Sullivan County, New York
- August 5, 1864Act of valor — Mobile Bay, AlabamaAge 20. U.S.S. Oneida
- February 7, 1926Died in Potter Hill, Rhode IslandAge 82.
- Resting placeRiver Bend CemeteryWesterly, Rhode Island
Biography
David Johnson Naylor (November 14, 1843 – February 7, 1926) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
From the Wikipedia article “David J. Naylor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →



