b. 1861 Ireland. d. 17/11/1918 Brooklyn, New York.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 01/07/1897 aboard USS Puritan.
Ahern was born in Ireland in 1861 and entered the Navy in New York. He was also known as William O’Hearn in some newspaper reports at the time.
MOH CITATION:
On board the U.S.S. Puritan at the time of the collapse of one of the crown sheets of boiler E of that vessel, 1 July 1897. Wrapped in wet cloths to protect his face and arms, Ahern entered the fireroom, crawled over the tops of the boilers and closed the auxiliary stop valve, disconnecting boiler E and removing the danger of disabling the other boilers.
BURIAL LOCATION: HOLY CROSS CEMETERY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
St. Mary Section, Plot 1384
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
