James Jonas Madison

Wounded on the bridge he kept his sinking ship in the fight.

James Jonas Madison commanded USS Ticonderoga when the German submarine U-152 attacked on 30 September 1918. Badly wounded early in the engagement, he remained on the bridge directing resistance until the transport had to be abandoned. He then survived several days in a lifeboat despite severe blood loss.

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 20 May 1888, Madison had gone to sea as a teenager. Before the First World War he was master of a Luckenbach Line merchant ship. He enrolled in the United States Naval Reserve Force as a lieutenant in May 1917 and subsequently became a lieutenant commander. In January 1918 he took command of the newly commissioned Ticonderoga.

Madison received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during the ship's prolonged resistance. Although the original citation gives 4 October 1918, the Navy's historical account establishes 30 September as the sinking date. He was promoted to commander on 13 May 1919. His wounds ended his seagoing career, and he died on 25 December 1922.

Official citation:

For exceptionally heroic service in a position of great responsibility as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Ticonderoga, when, on 4 October 1918, that vessel was attacked by an enemy submarine and was sunk after a prolonged and gallant resistance. The submarine opened fire at a range of 500 yards, the first shots taking effect on the bridge and forecastle, one of the two forward guns of the Ticonderoga being disabled by the second shot. The fire was returned and the fight continued for nearly two hours. Lt. Comdr. Madison was severely wounded early in the fight, but caused himself to be placed in a chair on the bridge and continued to direct the fire and to maneuver the ship. When the order was finally given to abandon the sinking ship, he became unconscious from loss of blood, but was lowered into a lifeboat and was saved, with 31 others, out of a total number of 236 on board.