James Benson (Medal of Honor)
Encyclopedia
James Benson was a United States Navy
sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
.
, Benson joined the U.S. Navy from Yokohama
, Japan
. By June 20, 1872, he was serving as a seaman
on the . On that day, he jumped overboard and attempted to rescue Landsman John K. Smith from drowning. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on October 10.
Benson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
Benson left the Navy while still a seaman. He died on August 4, 1890, at age 44 or 45 and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Massachusetts
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
Biography
A native of DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Benson joined the U.S. Navy from Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. By June 20, 1872, he was serving as a seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
on the . On that day, he jumped overboard and attempted to rescue Landsman John K. Smith from drowning. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on October 10.
Benson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
On board the U.S.S. Ossipee, 20 June 1872. Risking his life, Benson leaped into the sea while the ship was going at a speed of 4 knots and endeavored to save John K. Smith, landsman, of the same vessel, from drowning.
Benson left the Navy while still a seaman. He died on August 4, 1890, at age 44 or 45 and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Massachusetts
Everett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...
.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime