During the Civil War, Bartlett Laffey served in the U.S. Navy, but received the Medal of Honor for service on land. He was one of hundreds of Medal of Honor Recipients born in Ireland and one of 224 Recipients to be honored with a namesake ship.

By Laura Jowdy, Senior Director of Archives, Historical Collections & Museum

Who Was Bartlett Laffey?

Bartlett Laffey was born into the large family of John and Bridget Laffey, in Galway, Ireland, around 1841. He was christened Bartholomew, but his widow later testified in her pension application that he went by “Bartlett” in everyday life. Sometimes his last name was spelled “Laffy” in historical documents. This is not a great surprise because apparently, he was unable to write himself – on every official documents, he marked his name with an “X” rather than a signature.

There’s not an easily-found record of when the Laffey family came to the U.S., but it was after 1852 because his youngest brother, Dominick, was born in Ireland during that year, according to the 1865 Massachusetts State Census. John was a fisherman and all his sons seemed to have followed in his footsteps.

What Did Bartlett Laffey Do During the Civil War?

When Bartlett Laffey signed up for the U.S. Navy in March 1862, the Civil War was almost one year old. He knew he could face. His enlistment record from Boston, Massachusetts, describes him as 5 foot, 5 inches tall and having blue eyes and light brown hair. He gave his residence as South Reading.

He served on multiple ships during his three years in the Navy. Much of his time was on the USS Louisville, USS Marmora and the USS General Price.

What Did Bartlett Laffey Do To Receive the Medal of Honor?

While Bartlett Laffey was stationed on the USS Marmora, he earned the Medal of Honor. On March 5, 1864, Bartlett took a 12-pound howitzer mounted on a carriage into battle, assisted by two shipmates, William J. Franks and James Stoddard, All three men received the Medal of Honor.

Their official Medal of Honor citations state “Off Yazoo City, Mississippi, 5 March 1864, embarking from the Marmora with a 12-pound howitzer mounted on a field carriage, Laffey landed with the gun and crew in the midst of heated battle and, bravely standing by his gun despite enemy rifle fire which cut the gun carriage and rammer, contributed to the turning back of the enemy during the fierce engagement.”

What Did Bartlett Laffey Do After the War?

Following the war, Bartlett Laffey returned to the Boston area for the rest of his life. He married fellow Irish immigrant Maria Cady on October 18, 1868, and they had seven children together. Sadly, only three daughters made it to adulthood. Two of the children died as toddlers of meningitis and pneumonia.

Laffey himself suffered from epilepsy and dementia later in life. He died in the Soldiers and Sailors Home in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on March 22, 1901. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts.

How Is Bartlett Laffey Remembered Today?

In 1942, the U.S. Navy named a destroyer for Bartlett Laffey. The USS Laffey (DD-459) served valiantly during World War II in the South Pacific for 8 months. It was sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942.

Two years later, on February 8, 1944, the Navy revived the name with another destroyer, USS Laffey (DD-724). Laffey’s daughter Beatrice served as the sponsor. The ship can still be toured today at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The DD-724 is one of the few Navy ships to serve in both the European and Pacific theatres of World War II. It provided support to the D-Day landing mission in Normandy, France, in June 1944. By the fall, the ship was transferred to the Pacific fleet.

According to the Patriots Point website:

On April 16, 1945, during a Japanese Kukusui raid, the Laffey was attacked by 22 bombers and kamikaze, killing 32 men and wounding 71 of the 336 crewmembers. The heroic crew shot down 9 kamikaze and saved the damaged ship, earning her the nickname, ‘The Ship That Would Not Die.’

It continued to serve through the Korean War and the Cold War. The ship was decommissioned in 1975 and eventually adapted into a museum vessel, joining the group of former military ships at Patriots Point in 1978.

About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor, inspiring America to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients of the Medal as they connect with communities across America.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. There are fewer than 70 living Recipients.

The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Museum, Medal of Honor Outreach Programs, the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, and the Medal of Honor Citizen Honors Awards for Valor and Service. The Society’s programs and operations are funded by donations.

As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, the Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.

Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at cmohs.org