Patrick McGunigal

Braving rough seas by his ship, he freed the trapped airman.

Patrick McGunigal was born in Hubbard, Ohio, on 30 May 1876. He joined the United States Navy in 1894 and developed the practical skills that led to service as a shipfitter. During the First World War he was a shipfitter first class in the armoured cruiser USS Huntington.

On 17 September 1917, while the cruiser was passing through the war zone, an observation balloon was sent aloft with Lieutenant Junior Grade H. W. Hoyt in its basket. A sudden change in weather caused the balloon to lose height. A squall struck it as the ship's crew attempted to recover it, and the basket dragged in the sea. Hoyt became submerged and entangled in the balloon's gear.

McGunigal climbed down Huntington's side and made his way into the ropes. Working in the water beside the ship, he cleared enough of the tangle to release the pilot. He helped Hoyt escape and secured a bowline so that the crew could haul him to the deck. Only after the observer was safe was McGunigal himself lifted aboard. His prompt intervention prevented the balloon accident from becoming fatal.

He received the Medal of Honor for the rescue. In July 1918 he was promoted to the warrant rank of carpenter and subsequently served at naval air stations in New York. He resigned his warrant commission in December 1920. McGunigal died on 19 January 1936 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His rescue remains closely associated with the Navy's early wartime experiments in shipborne aviation.

Official Medal of Honor citation:

For extraordinary heroism while attached to the U.S.S. Huntington. On the morning of 17 September 1917, while the U.S.S. Huntington was passing through the war zone, a kite balloon was sent up with Lt. (j.g.) H.W. Hoyt, U.S. Navy, as observer. When the balloon was about 400 feet in the air, the temperature suddenly dropped, causing the balloon to descend about 200 feet, when it was struck by a squall. The balloon was hauled to the ship's side, but the basket trailed in the water and the pilot was submerged. McGunigal, with great daring, climbed down the side of the ship, jumped to the ropes leading to the basket, and cleared the tangle enough to get the pilot out of them. He then helped the pilot to get clear, put a bowline around him, and enabled him to be hauled to the deck. A bowline was lowered to McGunigal and he was taken safely aboard.