MacKENZlE, JOHN - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: 7 July
1886, Bridgeport, Conn. Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 391, 1918.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving on board the U.S.S. Remlik,
on the morning of 17 December 1917, when the Remlik encountered a heavy
gale. During this gale, there was a heavy sea running. The depth charge
box on the taffrail aft, containing a Sperry depth charge, was washed overboard,
the depth charge itself falling inboard and remaining on deck. MacKenzie,
on his own initiative, went aft and sat down on the depth charge, as it
was impracticable to carry it to safety until the ship was headed up into
the sea. In acting as he did, MacKenzie exposed his life and prevented
a serious accident to the ship and probable loss of the ship and the entire
crew.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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