Medal of Honor: John MacKenzie – World War I – December 17, 1917

Name: John MacKenzie
Rank: Chief Boatswain’s Mate
Organization: U.S. Navy
Unit: U.S.S. Remlik
Place and Date: At sea – 17 December 1917
Entered Service At: Massachusetts
Born: July 7, 1886 – Bridgeport, Connecticut
Departed: Survived
Accredited To: Massachusetts

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Summary of Action

On the morning of December 17, 1917, the U.S.S. Remlik encountered a heavy gale with violent seas running. During the storm, a depth charge box mounted on the taffrail aft was washed overboard. The Sperry depth charge it contained fell back onto the deck of the ship, unsecured and in imminent danger of detonating as the vessel pitched and rolled.

Recognizing the extreme threat to the ship and her crew, Chief Boatswain’s Mate John MacKenzie acted immediately and on his own initiative. Because of the weather conditions, it was impossible to move the depth charge to safety until the ship could be turned head-on into the sea.

Until that maneuver could be completed, MacKenzie went aft and deliberately sat down on the live depth charge, holding it in place with his own body as the ship fought the storm. By doing so, he knowingly exposed himself to almost certain death in order to prevent a catastrophic explosion that could have destroyed the vessel and killed the entire crew.

His extraordinary courage and presence of mind averted disaster and saved his ship.

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Medal of Honor Citation

For extraordinary heroism while serving on board the U.S.S. Remlik, on the morning of 17 December 1917, when the Remlik encountered a heavy gale. During this gale, there was a heavy sea running. The depth charge box on the taffrail aft, containing a Sperry depth charge, was washed overboard, the depth charge itself falling inboard and remaining on deck. MacKenzie, on his own initiative, went aft and sat down on the depth charge, as it was impracticable to carry it to safety until the ship was headed up into the sea. In acting as he did, MacKenzie exposed his life and prevented a serious accident to the ship and probable loss of the ship and the entire crew.