William Johnson (Medal of Honor recipient)
Encyclopedia
William Johnson was a United States Navy
sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor
.
island in the West Indies.
On November 14, 1879, Johnson was serving as a Cooper
on the steamship at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
, California
, when he "rescued Daniel W. Kloppen, a workman, from drowning." For his actions on that occasion, Cooper Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor five years later, on October 18, 1884.
Johnson died at age 47 or 48 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
, Arlington County, Virginia
.
Citation
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 America's highest military 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
Willian Johnson was born in 1855 on Saint VincentSaint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
island in the West Indies.
On November 14, 1879, Johnson was serving as a Cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
on the steamship at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, when he "rescued Daniel W. Kloppen, a workman, from drowning." For his actions on that occasion, Cooper Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor five years later, on October 18, 1884.
Johnson died at age 47 or 48 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Cooper, U.S. Navy. Born: 1855, St. Vincent West Indies. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, October 18, 1884.Citation
Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Adams at the Navy Yard, Mare Island, Calif., 14 November 1879, Johnson rescued Daniel W. Kloppen, a workman, from drowning.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during Peacetime
- List of African American Medal of Honor recipients