John Maxwell MOH

b. 26/06/1874 Brooklyn, New York. d. 13/11/1931 Westbury, New York.

DATE OF MOH ACTION: 11/05/1898 Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Spanish American War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Scotland, he was issued the award on July 7, 1899 for his actions as a US Navy fireman second class assigned to the torpedo cruiser USS Marblehead on May 11, 1898, off the coast of Cienfuegos, Cuba. Following the war, he was employed as a chauffeur to the American business magnate John Jacob Astor who later died aboard the RMS Titanic when it struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.

 

MOH CITATION:

On board the U.S.S. Marblehead during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Maxwell displayed extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: FRIENDS CEMETERY, WESTBURY, NEW YORK.

SECTION 1, BLOCK D, PLOT 31

LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.