Alexander Haure Turvelin
Encyclopedia
Alexander Haure Turvelin (born 1847, date of death unknown) was a United States Navy
sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
.
Born in 1847 in Russia
, Turvelin immigrated to the United States and by February 1881 was serving as a seaman
on the . Sometime during that month, while Trenton was at Toulon
, France, Coxswain Augustus Ohlensen fell overboard and, because he could not swim, began to sink. Turvelin and another sailor, Ordinary Seaman John Davis, jumped into the water and rescued Ohlensen from drowning. For this action, both he and Davis were awarded the Medal of Honor three and a half years later, on October 18, 1884.
Turvelin's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
Born in 1847 in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Turvelin immigrated to the United States and by February 1881 was serving as a seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
on the . Sometime during that month, while Trenton was at Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, France, Coxswain Augustus Ohlensen fell overboard and, because he could not swim, began to sink. Turvelin and another sailor, Ordinary Seaman John Davis, jumped into the water and rescued Ohlensen from drowning. For this action, both he and Davis were awarded the Medal of Honor three and a half years later, on October 18, 1884.
Turvelin's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Trenton, at Toulon, France, February 1881, and rescuing from drowning Augustus Ohlensen, coxswain.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime