Medal of Honor: Tedford H. Cann – World War I – November 5, 1917
When disaster struck deep within the hull of the USS May, one sailor dove into darkness and rising water to save his ship. Seaman Tedford H. Cann risked his life below deck — and kept his crew afloat.
November 5, 2025
Name: Tedford Harris Cann
Rank: Seaman
Organization: U.S. Navy
Ship: USS May
Place and Date: Aboard USS May – 5 November 1917
Entered Service At: New York
Born: September 3, 1897 – Bridgeport, Connecticut
Departed: December 26, 1963 – Miami, Florida
Accredited to: New York
Summary of Action
In the early months of America’s entry into World War I, the patrol vessel USS May was slicing through the Atlantic when disaster struck below deck — a flooded compartment threatened to drag the ship and her crew beneath the waves.
Without hesitation, Seaman Tedford H. Cann dove into the cold, rising water, groping through the darkness of the compartment as the ship pitched in heavy seas. He located the source of the flooding — a massive leak that, if left unchecked, would doom the vessel.
Working underwater and nearly out of air, Cann managed to seal the breach, stopping the flood and saving the ship from certain loss. His selfless act, performed at the peril of his life, earned him the gratitude of his shipmates and the nation’s highest military honor.
Medal of Honor Citation
CANN, TEDFORD H.
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy.
Born: 3 September 1897, Bridgeport, Conn.
Accredited to: New York.
G.O. No.: 366, 1918.
Citation:
For courageous conduct while serving on board the U.S.S. May, 5 November 1917. Cann found a leak in a flooded compartment and closed it at the peril of his life, thereby unquestionably saving the ship.
