John Taylor () was a

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 ...

sailor and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, 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. ...

Biography

Taylor served in the U.S. Navy as a

seaman Seaman may refer to: * Sailor, a member of a marine watercraft's crew * Seaman (rank), a military rank in some navies * Seaman (name) (including a list of people with the name) * ''Seaman'' (video game), a 1999 simulation video game for the Seg ...

stationed at the

Brooklyn Navy Yard The Brooklyn Navy Yard (originally known as the New York Navy Yard) is a shipyard and industrial complex located in northwest Brooklyn in New York City, New York. The Navy Yard is located on the East River in Wallabout Bay, a semicircular bend ...

in New York. On September 9, 1865, he was in charge of the Navy Yard's picket boat as it patrolled the

East River The East River is a saltwater tidal estuary in New York City. The waterway, which is actually not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates the borough of Queens ...

with the yard's executive officer, Commander

Stephen Decatur Trenchard Stephen Decatur Trenchard (July 10, 1818 – November 15, 1883) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He was present at the Battle of Taku Forts in 1859, and commanded the supply ship and gunboat throughout the American Civil War, seei ...

, on board. When a ferry boat and an English steamer collided, Trenchard ordered Taylor to pull their boat alongside the stricken ferry to render assistance. As Trenchard attempted to step onto the ferry, he lost his footing and fell into the water. Taylor then showed "rare coolness and judgment" as he rescued the officer. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on January 15, 1866. Taylor's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Seaman in charge of the picket boat attached to the Navy Yard, New York, 9 September 1865. Acting with promptness, coolness and good judgment, Taylor rescued from drowning Commander S. D. Trenchard, of the U.S. Navy, who fell overboard in attempting to get on a ferryboat, which had collided with an English steamer, and needed immediate assistance.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, John Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown United States Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients Non-combat recipients of the Medal of Honor 19th-century American military personnel

Biography

See also

References