b. 28/11/1861 Portsmouth, Virginia. d. 17/09/1940 Portsmouth, Virginia.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 15/06/1880 Opposite the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia.
Born on November 28, 1861, in Portsmouth, Virginia, O’Conner joined the Navy from that state. By June 15, 1880, he was serving as a landsman in the engineering department of the USS Jean Sands. On that night, while Jean Sands was outside the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, he and another sailor, Landsman William Sweeney, jumped overboard and rescued a young girl from drowning. For this action, both O’Conner and Sweeney were awarded the Medal of Honor four years later, on October 18, 1884. He was buried under his true name James Francis O’Connor.
MOH CITATION:
For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Jean Sands, opposite the Norfolk Navy Yard, on the night of 15 June 1880, and rescuing from drowning a young girl who had fallen overboard.
BURIAL LOCATION: OAK GROVE CEMETERY, PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.
AVENUE 1, LOT 824.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
