Presley O'Bannon

First Lieutenant

Presley Neville O'Bannon
Nickname(s)"Hero of Derna"[1]
Bornc. 1776
Fauquier County, Virginia
DiedSeptember 12, 1850(1850-09-12) (aged 73–74)
Henry County, Kentucky
Buried
Frankfort Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branchUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1801-1807[1]
RankFirst lieutenant
Battles / wars
Presley O'Bannon, from Naval Documents[2]
Presley O'Bannon's grave monument in Frankfort Cemetery

Presley O'Bannon (c. 1776 – September 12, 1850) was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, famous for his exploits in the First Barbary War (1801–1805). In recognition of his bravery, he was presented a sword for his part in attempting to restore Prince Hamet Karamanli to his throne as the Bey of Tripoli. This sword became the model for the Mameluke Sword, adopted in 1825 for Marine Corps officers, which is part of the formal uniform today.[3]

  1. ^ a b "First Lieutenant Presley Neville O'Bannon", Who's Who in Marine Corps History.
  2. ^ United States. Office of Naval Records and Library. Naval documents related to the United States wars with the Barbary powers ... : naval operations including diplomatic background ... Washington : Government Printing Office, 1939-44. OCLC 1014224873.
  3. ^ "Noteworthy Marines". Tun-Tavern.com. Retrieved 2007-02-10.