New York Times, 6 November 1897 MEDALS FOR NAVAL ENGINEERS Two Men of the Puritan to be Rewarded for Saving Lives For the first time in more than twenty years two men have been recommended to the Navy Department for medals of honor for heroic service. The men were Augustus Wilson, boilermaker, and William O'Hearn, water tender. Both are attached to the engineer's division on board the monitor Puritan. They saved the lives of several shipmates when one of the boilers exploded a few months ago, as the Puritan was getting ready to leave the navy yard. Chief Engineer Cowie and several men were in the fireroom when the accident happened. The crown sheets of boiler E dropped down, causing the compartment to be filled with steam. Engineer Cowie was badly scalded. Through the quick action of Wilson the lives of several men, including that of Engineer Cowie, were saved. He opened the watertight door leading from the fireroom to the deck companionway, and helped several to escape. Engineer Cowie tried to enter the fireroom several times, but was prevented by Wilson, who stood guard at the door. He and O'Hearn rescued the men who were in the room, and then groping their way through the blinding steam, disconnected the damaged boiler from the others and shut off the steam. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dennis Ahern | The Ahern Family Genealogy Website Acton, Massachusetts | http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~aherns/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -