James Dougherty (Medal of Honor)

James Dougherty
Born	(1839-11-16)November 16, 1839 Langhash, Ireland
Died	November 25, 1897(1897-11-25) (aged 58) Brooklyn, New York
Place of burial	Cypress Hills National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1869 - 1893
Rank	Private
Unit	USS Benicia
Battles / wars	Korean Expedition
Awards	Medal of Honor

James Dougherty (November 16, 1839 – November 25, 1897) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in 1871 during the United States expedition to Korea, while serving as a private aboard USS Benicia. His Medal of Honor was issued on February 8, 1872, under General Order No. 169. Private Dougherty was one of 15 United States sailors and Marines who received the Medal of Honor for this little known American military action.

Dougherty enlisted in the Marine Corps at Philadelphia on July 31, 1869, and retired on August 22, 1893.[1] He is buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Section 6, Grave 12374.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born. November 16, 1839, Langhash, Ireland. Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 169, February 8, 1872.[2]

Citation:

On board the USS Benicia, attack on and the capture of the Korean Forts June 11, 1871, for seeking out and killing the commanding officer of the Korean Forces.[1]

Online citation discrepancies

There appears to be some confusion about James Dougherty's Medal of Honor citation. Many online sources quoting Dougherty's citation include significant verbiage identical to that of Seaman John Henry Dorman actions during the American Civil War, to include service on board the USS Carondelet. This may indicate an erroneous early transcription of Dougherty's award citation, which appears immediately after Dorman's in early books listing Medal of Honor recipients,[3] that has subsequently been repeated by various web sites.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

1. "Private James Dougherty, USMC (Deceased)" (PDF). USMC History Division. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
2. Robeson, George M. (February 8, 1872). "General Order, No. 169". General Orders and Circulars Issued by the Navy Department (1863–1887). Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office: 111. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
3. Record of Medals of Honor Issued to the Officers and Enlisted Men of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, 1862-1917. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1917. p. 35.

External links

• "James Dougherty". Military Times Hall of Valor. Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
• "James Dougherty". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 9 November 2007.