William Johnson (Medal of Honor)

For the Medal of Honor recipient with a similar name, see Willie Johnston (Medal of Honor recipient).

William Johnson (1855 – May 20, 1903) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

William Johnson
Grave at Arlington National Cemetery
Born	1855 Saint Vincent
Died	May 20, 1903 (aged 47–48)
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Navy
Rank	Cooper
Unit	USS Adams
Awards	Medal of Honor

Biography

Willian Johnson was born in 1855 on Saint Vincent island in the West Indies.

On November 14, 1879, Johnson was serving as a Cooper on the steamship USS Adams at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, when he "rescued Daniel W. Kloppen, a workman, from drowning." For his actions on that occasion, Cooper Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor five years later, on October 18, 1884.

Johnson died at age 47 or 48 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Cooper, U.S. Navy. Born: 1855, St. Vincent West Indies. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, October 18, 1884.

Citation

Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Adams at the Navy Yard, Mare Island, Calif., 14 November 1879, Johnson rescued Daniel W. Kloppen, a workman, from drowning.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients during Peacetime
• List of African American Medal of Honor recipients

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

• "Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1871-1898". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. 2003-10-03. Retrieved 2007-01-15.