John J. Clausey

He helped save shipmates after a boiler explosion at anchor.

John Joseph Clausey served in the United States Navy and became a chief gunner's mate. By July 1905 he was aboard the gunboat USS Bennington in San Diego harbour. The ship was preparing for further work when a boiler explosion caused a devastating loss of life among the men below decks and elsewhere aboard.

On 21 July, Clausey was among the sailors whose conduct during the emergency brought the Medal of Honor. The explosion filled working spaces with steam, wrecked equipment and left the surviving crew facing an immediate rescue and damage-control crisis. His award recognised extraordinary heroism during that emergency.

The decoration was issued in 1906. He continued serving after the disaster and advanced beyond his chief petty officer rating. The Navy's officer register subsequently recorded him among its warrant and commissioned personnel, and he ultimately became a lieutenant.

His career therefore extended beyond the event for which he became publicly known. He remained connected with the navy during the First World War period and into the following decade, when his experience in ordnance and shipboard service belonged to a substantially changed fleet.

Clausey later lived in California. He died at Oakland on 9 September 1951 and was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery at San Bruno. His grave identifies his naval officer rank, while the Medal of Honor citation records the chief gunner's mate who served aboard Bennington. The disaster and the crew's response are commemorated by the Bennington memorial in San Diego.