aerialbridge Posted March 16, 2014 Share #1 Posted March 16, 2014 Thousands of sons and daughters of Erin (Ireland) have put on the uniform over the past 240 years. Here’s to them. If you’re the caretaker of any of their medals, you’re invited to add their medal(s) and service here. James D. Smith, Carpenter’s Mate 3rd Class, USS Detroit (C-10), Spanish American War. Born: August 18, 1871, Tawnybrake, Antrim County, (Northern) Ireland. Naturalized U.S. citizen: July 5, 1899. The Planchet Press book incorrectly lists Smith as “Shipwright”, one grade below his actual rate as engraved on his Sampson Medal. In 1900 he was serving on the USS Monongahela. Civilian worker on the Panama Canal 1910-1912, recipient of Panama Canal Service Medal ("Roosevelt Medal")# 6894. The cruiser USS Detroit was one of the nine ships in Admiral Sampson’s squadron that left the north coast of Cuba on May 8, 1898 hoping to locate and engage Admiral Cervera’s fleet off Puerto Rico. Not locating the Spanish, the squadron steamed to San Juan hoping to find them in the harbor. Not finding them there, Sampson decided instead to bombard San Juan's shore fortifications on May 12 and ordered Detroit, because of her slight draught, to lead the way and run under the guns of Morro Castle. However, Detroit was recalled when she could not get close enough to duck under the line of depression of the shore guns. Effective fire from her 5” guns protected her from damaging counter-fire. Later, USS Detroit escorted Gen Shafter’s troop transports and did blockade duty at Cienfuegos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted March 16, 2014 USS Detroit (C-10) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted March 16, 2014 USS Detroit (C-10) Sampson Medal and Panama Canal Service Medal (front) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted March 16, 2014 USS Detroit (C-10) Sampson Medal and Panama Canal Service Medal (reverse) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 16, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted March 16, 2014 USS Detroit (C-10) Sampson Medal rim engraving to James Smith CM3c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #6 Posted March 17, 2014 A great topic for a thread! This little group with a Newport, RI WWI medal belonged to Jeremiah O'Neil who was born in Cork in 1869. He joined the US Navy in 1894 but didn't earn a Good Conduct Medal until 1916 due to a variety of disciplinary problems. (Unfortunately the GCM is MIA.) His service for the Mexico was on the USS Nebraska and WWI service was on the USS Aeolus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #7 Posted March 17, 2014 Details on O'Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #8 Posted March 17, 2014 A USS Massachusetts Sampson Medal to Matthew Hart. He was born in Ireland in 1874 and enlisted in the US Navy in 1896. His father resided in Mogelly, Castlemartyr (or Castlemarbyr), Cork, so this is presumably were he was born. Hart drowned while in the service in 1907. (By coincidence, I also own the Silver Lifesaving Medal group of the man who attempted to save him. But that's a story for another thread.) Hart also had a Good Conduct Medal that was issued in 1903 but its location is unknown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #9 Posted March 17, 2014 Hart's details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #10 Posted March 17, 2014 Army Philippine No. 7188 issued to James Delaney for service with the US 8th Infantry in the Philippines from September 1900 to July 1902. (He was wounded at Caluaun Laguna Province on March 15, 1901.) Delaney was from Wexford, Ireland. He was also issued a Certificate of Merit Medal (location unknown) for heroism in capturing a criminal during the gold rush in Alaska in 1898. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #11 Posted March 17, 2014 Campaign medal card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #12 Posted March 17, 2014 Philippine qualifying service letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 17, 2014 Share #13 Posted March 17, 2014 Personal details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted March 18, 2014 Sure and begorrah, Adam, those are a fine lot of medals to American sons of the Emerald Isle! Just the right finish to the corn beef and cabbage supper. I knew you'd not disappoint. Jeremiah had more than a wee bit o' the old Nick, but persistence and good deeds finally won out and he earned his Good Conduct after 22 years -maybe a record? The USS Massachusetts Sampson medal to Matthew Hart with the tragic history for another day is pristine and the period hand-engraved date on the top engagement bar is something I've not seen before. Sgt. Delaney's certificate of merit for heroism in apprehending an outlaw in Alaska during the Goldrush is very interesting history. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibited the Army from acting as "police" to execute domestic laws- but as Alaska didn't become a territory until 1912, the 1898 police action was apparently permissible. I wonder to what extent the Army maintained a presence in Alaska during the pre-territorial "Gold Rush Days". Neat medals and history, thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 18, 2014 Share #15 Posted March 18, 2014 I'm happy to share them with those who appreciate them. The great draw of collecting attributed medals is that often the men behind the medals have fascinating (and sometimes tragic) stories. But it can require quite a bit of digging to uncover those stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted March 18, 2014 Share #16 Posted March 18, 2014 Thank you for posting these medals. I cant imagine not collecting attributed medals. The history of the people that wore the medals is fascinating. Dick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1944 Posted March 18, 2014 Share #17 Posted March 18, 2014 Thank you for Honouring and Remembering my fellow Country Men from the Emerald Isle all of the Men that Served and Died within the US Armed Forces while Serving. Here is the names of some of the young Irish Men from my local small town that gave there lives for the United States over many Years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1944 Posted March 18, 2014 Share #18 Posted March 18, 2014 Also not to forget Irish Born not far from where I live is !! Chief Watertender John King who received 2) Medals of Honour Wars he was involved in was: Spanish American War, Philippines American War, & World War 1 and has a US Navy Ship named after him USS John King DDG3 he Served from 1893-1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 19, 2014 Share #19 Posted March 19, 2014 Just found two more in my files... First up, a Navy Good Conduct Medal dated 1882 to James Brown (the sailor, not the singer). Brown's records just note that he was born in Ireland in 1842 but don't give a specific location. He was a Civil War vet, having first enlisted in 1862. Although his medal is dated 1882 the style of engraving date it as issued after the turn of the century. This is confirmed by a transmittal letter dated 1903. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 19, 2014 Share #20 Posted March 19, 2014 Brown's details. It was a HUGE amount of work to find the file (at the St. Louis records center) for the correct "James Brown" among the files of dozens of other men with the same name. However the CSC 702 in the records matches the number on the medal so I know this is the correct one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 19, 2014 Share #21 Posted March 19, 2014 A USS Indiana Sampson and 1896 Good Conduct Medal pair to John Geary from Cork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam R Posted March 19, 2014 Share #22 Posted March 19, 2014 Geary's details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 17, 2018 Author Share #23 Posted March 17, 2018 Erin go Bragh. Happy St. Patrick's Day to the sons of Ireland, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted March 17, 2018 Share #24 Posted March 17, 2018 Happy St. Patrick;s Day! Joseph Richmond was born in Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland on 19 June 1866. He enlisted in the USMC at Boston, Mass on 2 June 1891 for 5 years, was honorably discharged and re-enlisted in 1896. He served aboard BROOKLYN during the SpanAm War and received the West Indian Campaign Medal (the Sampson Medal) in 1904. He also received the unique City Of Brooklyn medal and later, a Bastian BVros. 3-ring Spanish Campaign with engraved rim number "1257". He died in 1940 and is buried in Springfield, MA. Erin Go Bragh. Semper Fi.......Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share #25 Posted March 20, 2018 Bob, Very nice Marine USS Brooklyn Group, with the city medal and an unusual #d Bastian West Indies. Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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