Paymaster's Steward Michael Aheam, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 19, 1864 off Cherbourg, France during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Kearsarge.
16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Aheam was born in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. Records also list him as Ahearn, Michael.
Aheam is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Serving on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864. Carrying out his duties courageously, PmS. Aheam exhibited marked coolness and good conduct and was highly recommended by his divisional officer for gallantry under enemy fire.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Timeline
- Date unknownBorn in Ireland
- June 19, 1864Act of valor — off Cherbourg, FranceU.S.S. Kearsarge
Biography
Michael Aheam (or true surname Ahern; died 1907) was an Irish-American sailor born in County Cork, Ireland. He received the Medal of Honor for valor in action during the American Civil War. There is an Ahern family genealogy that has a Michael Ahern listed, who was born in County Cork about 1834, but there is no reference to any Civil War Union Navy service of any kind. Aheam was illegally recruited in Queenstown, Ireland in November 1863 along with several others, and officially enlisted in the US Navy from France. He served as a Paymaster's Steward aboard the USS Kearsarge during her battle with the commerce raider CSS Alabama on June 19, 1864, off Cherbourg, France.
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