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Corporal · U.S. Marine Corps

John Rannahan

Corporal John Rannahan, Marine Corps, received the Medal of Honor for actions on January 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War January 15, 1865Born in Ireland

Serving as a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, Corporal John Rannahan received the Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Minnesota. Rannahan was about 29 years old.

30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Rannahan was born in 1836 in County Monaghan, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. Rannahan died on June 1, 1892 in Milwood, Pennsylvania, at the age of about 56. He is buried at St. Martin's Church Cemetery in New Derry, Pennsylvania. Records also list him as Ranahan, John.

Rannahan is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Minnesota, in the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865. Landing on the beach with the assaulting party from his ship, Cpl. Rannahan advanced to the top of the sandhill and partly through the breach in the palisades, despite enemy fire which killed or wounded many officers and men. When more than two-thirds of the men became seized with panic and retreated on the run, he remained with the party until dark when it came safely away, bringing its wounded, its arms, and its colors.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: County Monaghan — map
  • Died: Millwood — map
  • Buried: Saint Martin's Catholic Church Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. 1836
    Born in County Monaghan, Ireland
  2. January 15, 1865
    Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
    Age about 29. U.S.S. Minnesota
  3. June 1, 1892
    Died in Milwood, Pennsylvania
    Age about 56.
  4. Resting place
    St. Martin's Church Cemetery
    New Derry, Pennsylvania

Biography

John Rannahan (c. 1836 – 1 June 1892) was a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps stationed aboard the USS Minnesota during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher on January 15, 1865.

From the Wikipedia article “John Rannahan”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on January 15, 1865

BA Bruce Anderson Private · Army Civil War · 1865 GB Gurdon H. Barter Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1865 DB David L. Bass Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 PB Philip Bazaar Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 AB Albert Burton Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Alaric B. Chapin Private · Army Civil War · 1865 TC Thomas Connor Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Newton Martin Curtis Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1865 William Henry Freeman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JG John Griffiths Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1865 TH Thomas Harcourt Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 TK Thomas Kane Captain of the Hold · Navy Civil War · 1865

See all 31 recipients for January 15, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

PD Patrick Delacey First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 James Martinus Schoonmaker Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 Martin E. Scheibner Private · Army Civil War · 1863 HS Henry C. Slusher Private · Army Civil War · 1863 James Levi Roush Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CO Charles Oliver Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.