John Irving

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Coxswain John Irving, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, Alabama, 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, Coxswain 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.