Seaman John Smith was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 19, 1880 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1871 - 1899 period. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Shenandoah. Smith was about 26 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Smith was born in 1854 in Bermuda — one of 1 recipient born in Bermuda. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Shenandoah, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 19 September 1880, and rescuing from drowning James Grady, first class fireman.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Bermuda — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1854Born in Bermuda
- September 19, 1880Act of valor — Rio de Janeiro, BrazilAge about 26. U.S.S. Shenandoah
Biography
John Smith (born 1854, date of death unknown) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. Born in 1854 in Bermuda, Smith immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from New York. By September 19, 1880, he was serving as a seaman on the USS Shenandoah. On that day, while Shenandoah was at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he and Seaman William Morse jumped overboard and rescued First Class Fireman James Grady from drowning. For this action, both Smith and Morse were awarded the Medal of Honor four years later, on October 18, 1884. His official Medal of Honor citation reads: For jumping overboard from the U.S.S.
From the Wikipedia article “John Smith (Medal of Honor, born 1854)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →