Thomas Cavanaugh (born May 10, 1869) was an American
sailor
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship.
The profession of the ...
serving in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (cl ...
who received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
for bravery.
Biography
Cavanaugh was born May 10, 1869, in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, and after entering the navy he was sent as a Fireman First Class to fight in the Spanish–American War aboard the .
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Fireman First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: 10 May 1869, Ireland. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 503, 12 December 1898.
Citation:
On board the U.S.S. Potomac during the passage of that vessel from Cat Island to Nassau, 14 November 1898. Volunteering to enter the fireroom which was filled with steam, Cavanaugh, after repeated attempts, succeeded in reaching the auxiliary valve and opening it, thereby relieving the vessel from further danger.
See also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Spanish–American War
The Spanish–American War ( es, Guerra Hispano-Estadounidense, ''desastre del 98'', ''Guerra Hispano-Cubana-Norteamericana'' or ''Guerra de Cuba '') was a military conflict between Spain and the United States that began in April 1898. Hostiliti ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cavanaugh, Thomas
1869 births
19th-century Irish people
Irish sailors in the United States Navy
Year of death missing
United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
United States Navy sailors
People from North Dakota
Irish emigrants to the United States
Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients
Spanish–American War recipients of the Medal of Honor