Thomas E. Corcoran | |
---|---|
Born | Dublin, Ireland | October 12, 1839
Died | March 12, 1904 | (aged 64)
Buried | |
Allegiance | United States Union |
Service/ | United States Navy Union Navy |
Years of service | 1861 - 1865 |
Rank | Landsman |
Unit | USS Santee USS Cincinnati USS Lexington |
Battles/wars | American Civil War • Siege of Vicksburg |
Awards | Medal of Honor |
Thomas E. Corcoran (October 12, 1839 – March 12, 1904) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Siege of Vicksburg. He was awarded the medal for rescuing his crewmates during the sinking of his ship, the USS Cincinnati, in the Mississippi River. Under heavy fire from a Confederate artillery battery, Corcoran and three other men swam back and forth between the riverbank and the sinking ship, helping crewmen who could not swim reach shore. The four men then towed a small boat, carrying wounded sailors and the ship's commander, to the safety of Union forces.