Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
U.S. Civil War - U.S. Marine Corps
Willard M Smith
Details
- Rank: Corporal
- Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
- Unit/Command:
U.S.S. Brooklyn - Military Service Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
- Medal of Honor Action Date: August 5, 1864
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA
Citation
On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats, and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, on 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire continued to fall, Cpl. Smith fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee.
Additional Details
- Accredited to: New York
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Born: 1840, Allegany, Cattaraugus County, NY, United States
- Died: March 26, 1918, Brooklyn, NY, United States
- Buried: Elm Lawn Cemetery (MH) (Capalpa Lawn-63), Buffalo, NY, United States