John Erwin Mccann

The Navy Cross is awarded to Chief Water Tender John Erwin McCann, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on the occasion of the collision of the U.S.S. Shaw with the H.M.S. Aquitania when the Shaw was cut in two and set on fire. Fireman First Class McCanna refused to leave his post in the fireroom although the water was rising rapidly and he had reason to believe that the ship was sinking.