John Irving (born 1839, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Born in 1839 in east Brooklyn, New York, Irving was still living in that state when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War as a coxswain on the . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he "fought his gun with skill and courage" despite heavy fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864. Irving's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. ''Brooklyn'' during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram '' Tennessee'', in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Irving fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram ''Tennessee'' and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at
Fort Morgan Fort Morgan can apply to any one of several places in the United States: *Fort Morgan (Alabama), a fort at the mouth of Mobile Bay *Fort Morgan, Alabama, a nearby community *Fort Morgan (Colorado), a frontier military post located in present-day Fo ...
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irving, John 1839 births Year of death unknown Military personnel from Brooklyn People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Union Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor