Ordinary Seaman Hugh King, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 7, 1871 at Delaware River — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1871 - 1899 period. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Iroquois. King was about 26 years old.
King was born in 1845 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
On board the U.S.S. Iroquois, Delaware River, 7 September 1871. Jumping overboard at the imminent risk of his life, King rescued one of the crew of that vessel from drowning.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Ireland — map
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Timeline
- 1845Born in Ireland
- September 7, 1871Act of valor — Delaware RiverAge about 26. U.S.S. Iroquois
Biography
Hugh King (born c. 1845, 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. A native of Ireland, King immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from New York in July 1871. By September 7, 1871, he was serving as an ordinary seaman on the USS Iroquois. On that day, while Iroquois was in the Delaware River, he jumped overboard and rescued a shipmate from drowning. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on July 9, 1872. King's official Medal of Honor citation reads: On board the U.S.S. Iroquois, Delaware River, 7 September 1871.
From the Wikipedia article “Hugh King (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
