Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
Mexican Campaign (Vera Cruz) - U.S. Navy
Joseph Gabriel Harner
- Rank: Boatswain's Mate Second Class
- Conflict/Era: Mexican Campaign (Vera Cruz)
- Unit/Command:
U.S.S. Florida - Military Service Branch: U.S. Navy
- Medal of Honor Action Date: April 21, 1914
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Vera Cruz, Mexico
On board the U.S.S. Florida, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914.
- Accredited to: Ohio
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: January 6, 1915
Presented by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on the deck of the USS Florida at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York.
- Born: February 19, 1889, Louisville, Stark County, OH, United States
- Died: March 5, 1958
- Buried: Arlington National Cemetery (MH) (17-21199-B-2), Arlington, VA, United States
Additional information on his action comes from U.S. Navy General Order No. 101, dated June 15, 1914. "On April 21, at about 12:30 p.m., Ensign G. M. Lowry, in command of First Company, Florida Battalion, at the customhouse, called for volunteers to go into an alleyway betwen the customhouse and an open warehouse down which a heavy fire was being directed by the enemy from the Orinete Hotel on Avenida Landeros y Cos. Harner responded with four others and finally succeeded in dislodging the enemy. J. F. Schumacker, coxswain, one of the volunteers, was killed. Previous to this time Harner occupied a position alongside customhouse wall, from which he, with accuracy and coolness, killed the crew of a Mexican machine gun operating in front of the Naval Academy." The other four volunteers were George Cregan, Harry C. Beasley, Lawrence C. Sinnett, and J. F. Schumacker. All except for Schumacker received the Medal of Honor.