John Morris (Medal of Honor)
Encyclopedia
John Morris
John Morris (born January 25, 1855 or February 12, 1862 was a Corporal
serving in the United States Marine Corps
serving aboard the who received the Medal of Honor
for saving another sailor from drowning.
, December 25, 1881 an ordinary seaman and prisoner named Robert Blizzard attempted to escape custody by jumping overboard. Corporal Morris jumped into the water afterwards to save Blizzard from drowning and for his actions he received the Medal of Honor October 18, 1884. Morris was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps April 20, 1895.
Citation:
John Morris (born January 25, 1855 or February 12, 1862 was a Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
serving in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
serving aboard the who received 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...
for saving another sailor from drowning.
Biography
Morris was born between January 25, 1855 and February 12, 1862 in Dublin, Ireland but immigrated to the United States. On 15 April 1884 he joined the Marine Corps from Brooklyn, New York and was assigned to the marine contingent aboard the . When the ship was at Villefranche, FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, December 25, 1881 an ordinary seaman and prisoner named Robert Blizzard attempted to escape custody by jumping overboard. Corporal Morris jumped into the water afterwards to save Blizzard from drowning and for his actions he received the Medal of Honor October 18, 1884. Morris was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps April 20, 1895.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 25 January 1855, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, 18 October 1884.Citation:
For leaping overboard from the U.S. Flagship Lancaster, at Villefranche, France, 25 December 1881, and rescuing from drowning Robert Blizzard, ordinary seaman, a prisoner, who had jumped overboard.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime