First Class Fireman John Laverty (aka “Lafferty”), 1864-

Awarded two Medals of Honor.  First award for action while assigned to Wyalusing in the Roanoke River in North Carolina on 25 May 1864.  He volunteered to land to attempt to surprise from ashore the rebel ram Abelmarle on the other side of an island.  He transferred two torpedoes ashore from his ship and his team took all night to cross the swampy island to reach the enemy ship, but were discovered and had to abort the mission.  Second award was aboard Alaska at Callao Bay, Peru, on 14 September 1881 following the rupture of a stop valve chamber, he hauled the fires from under the boiler.