MADISON, JAMES JONAS - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve Force.
Born: 20 May 1884, Jersey City, N.J. Appointed from: Mississippi. Citation:
For exceptionally heroic service in a position of great responsibility
as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Ticonderoga, when, on 4 October 1918,
that vessel was attacked by an enemy submarine and was sunk after a prolonged
and gallant resistance. The submarine opened fire at a range of 500 yards,
the first shots taking effect on the bridge and forecastle, 1 of the 2
forward guns of the Ticonderoga being disabled by the second shot. The
fire was returned and the fight continued for nearly 2 hours. Lt. Comdr.
Madison was severely wounded early in the fight, but caused himself to
be placed in a chair on the bridge and continued to direct the fire and
to maneuver the ship. When the order was finally given to abandon the sinking
ship, he became unconscious from loss of blood, but was lowered into a
lifeboat and was saved, with 31 others, out of a total number of 236 on
board.
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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