Thomas Kersey
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Thomas Joseph Kersey (August 1846 – April 16, 1888) 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 United States 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. ...
.


Military service

Born in 1846 in St. John's,
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, Kersey immigrated to the United States and was living in Everett,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, when he joined the Navy on October 19, 1870, for a 3-year enlistment. By July 26, 1876, he was serving as an
ordinary seaman __NOTOC__ An ordinary seaman (OS) is a member of the deck department of a ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an able seaman, and has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a ship for a specific amount o ...
on the 14-gun screw sloop . On that day, he rescued a crewmate from drowning at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor two weeks later, on August 9. Two other ''Plymouth'' sailors, Landsman William Corey and Seaman
Charles Gidding Charles J. Gidding or Giddings (1853–1943) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Biography Born in about 1853 in Bangor, Maine, Gidding joined the Navy from that ...
, attempted to rescue a shipmate from drowning on the same day and also received the medal. He later served on the USS ''Wabash'' and the USS ''New Hampshire''. He was married to Mary C. Egan.


Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1847, St. John's, Newfoundland. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 215, 9 August 1876. Kersey's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
Serving on board the U.S.S. ''Plymouth'' at the Navy Yard, New York, 26 July 1876, Kersey displayed bravery and presence of mind in rescuing from drowning one of the crew of that vessel.


Death and burial

Kersey was admitted to the
Chelsea Naval Hospital Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
on April 2, 1888, and died there of
nephritis Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys and may involve the glomeruli, tubules, or interstitial tissue surrounding the glomeruli and tubules. It is one of several different types of nephropathy. Types * Glomerulonephritis is inflammation of th ...
(kidney inflammation) on April 16, 1888, at age 41 years and 8 months. He was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
.


See also

*
List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime Prior to 1963, the Medal of Honor could be awarded for actions not involving direct combat with "an enemy of the United States" or "opposing foreign force (actions against a party in which the U.S. is not directly engaged in war with).DoD Awards ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kersey, Thomas 1846 births 1888 deaths People from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Emigrants from pre-Confederation Newfoundland to the United States People from Everett, Massachusetts United States Navy sailors United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients Canadian-born Medal of Honor recipients Non-combat recipients of the Medal of Honor