Seaman Michael Thornton, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 26, 1881 near Boston, Massachusetts — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1871 - 1899 period. At the time he was serving with U.S. Tug Leyden. Thornton was 25 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Thornton was born on June 17, 1856 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. He is buried at Alabama.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For jumping overboard from the U.S. Tug Leyden, near Boston, Mass., 26 August 1881, and sustaining until picked up Michael Drennan, landsman, who had jumped overboard while temporarily insane.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Ireland — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →
Timeline
- June 17, 1856Born in Ireland
- August 26, 1881Act of valor — near Boston, MassachusettsAge 25. U.S. Tug Leyden
- Resting placeAlabama
Biography
Michael Thornton (1856–unknon) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Born in 1856 in Ireland, Thornton immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from Pennsylvania. By August 26, 1881, he was serving as a seaman on the tugboat USS Leyden. On that day, while Leyden was near Boston, Massachusetts, Landsman Michael Drennan jumped overboard because he was "temporarily insane". Thornton jumped in after him and kept him afloat until they could be rescued. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor three years later, on October 18, 1884.
From the Wikipedia article “Michael Thornton (Medal of Honor, awarded 1884)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →