Arlington National Cemetery
  8-5246 

BORN:  January 03, 1876 at Brewster, NY

Entered Service in the US Navy from New York, NY

Earned The Medal of Honor During the China Relief For heroism on June 13 & 20 - 22, 1900 at Wu-Tsing-Hune, China.

Earned a SECOND AWARD of the Medal of Honor During the Mexican Campaign For heroism on April 22, 1914 at Vera Cruz, Mexico.

First Award
Early at the turn of the century a rebel force in China that called itself the Society of "Righteous and Harmonious Fists", subsequently called the "Boxers", initiated a rebellion in China that threatened the legations of several nations in Peking and Tientsen. Two detachments of Navy Bluejackets and Marines from the U.S.S. Oregon and U.S.S. Newark were dispatched as guards for the American Legations. On June 13 an estimated 50,000 Boxers began a two-month siege on Peking during which seven men received Medals of Honor for repulsing an attack by 300 militants with a bayonet charge. On June 20 the American guard fought a full-day battle against hidden snipers, and on June 21 turned fought a heated battle against a Chinese cavalry charge. On June 22 the Bluejackets and Marines fought their way through the wall of an enemy fort. Coxswain John McCloy was one of twenty members of this American Legation Guard (of 59 total awards during the Boxer Rebellion) to be awarded the Medal of Honor for meritorious conduct in the presence of the enemy during all four of these engagements.
Second Award
In an effort to force out General Victoriano Huerta, who had seized the presidency of Mexico in a bloody coup d' etat, President Woodrow Wilson sent three Navy vessels to Vera Cruz under the command of Rear Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher. On the morning of April 21 nearly 1,500 American combat troops were put ashore, and that night another 1,500 reinforcements landed. By noon on April 22nd the American forces had taken control of the city. In the two day action Fletcher lost 17 men killed, 63 wounded. The Mexicans had nearly 800 dead or wounded. Chief Boatswain's Mate John McCloy lead three picket launches along the sea front to draw enemy fire, thus enabling friendly cruisers to rescue men onshore. McCloy continued in this desperate mission, despite being wounded himself.
Though the United States occupied Vera Cruz for seven months following the initial landing, the men who landed at Vera Cruz on April 21 - 22 accomplished their mission in two days, and returned to their vessels within the same week.