| William Halford | |
|---|---|
 Coxswain William Halford, circa 1870 | |
| Born | August 18, 1841 |
| Died | February 7, 1919 (aged 77) |
| Place of birth | England |
| Place of death | Oakland, California |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service |
1869 – 1910 1917 – 1919 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | USS Saginaw |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
William Halford (August 18, 1841 – February 7, 1919) was a sailor, and later an officer, in the United States Navy. He also received the Medal of Honor.
Biography[]
Born in England, Halford enlisted in the United States Navy in 1869. He was serving on board USS Saginaw, when she ran aground near Midway Atoll on October 29, 1870. Halford was one of four sailors who volunteered to sail the ship's boat 1,500 miles to Honolulu for help, along with Lieutenant John G. Talbot. After great suffering, and 31 days at sea, the party reached Kauai Island December 19, 1870. In attempting to land through the heavy surf, all but Halford were drowned, but he managed to reach shore and bring help to his shipmates. Halford received the Medal of Honor for his bravery and served until 1910, when he retired.[1]
Promoted to Lieutenant on the retired list, he returned to the Navy in 1917.[1]
He died on February 7, 1919, at Oakland, Calif.[1]
Namesake[]
- USS Halford (DD-480) was named for him.
Medal of Honor citation[]
Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 18 August 1841, Gloucester, England. Accredited to: California. G.O. No.: 169, 8 February 1872.
Burial[]
William Halford was buried on Mare Island, California.
Citation:
Halford was sole survivor of the boat's crew sent to the Sandwich Islands for assistance after the wreck of the Saginaw, October 1870. Promoted to acting gunner.[2]
See also[]
References[]
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
The original article can be found at William Halford and the edit history here.