Peter Johnson (Medal of Honor)

Entering Vixen's fireroom after a boiler failure

Peter Johnson was born on 6 November 1871 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He served as a fireman first class in the United States Navy aboard USS Vixen during the Spanish-American War.

On the night of 28 May 1898 at Santiago de Cuba, a lower front manhole gasket in the ship's boiler A exploded. Johnson entered the fireroom with exceptional composure. His conduct during the emergency earned the Medal of Honor.

Johnson died on 21 June 1943 in San Antonio, Texas, and is buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Vixen on the night of 28 May 1898. Following the explosion of the lower front manhole gasket of boiler A of the vessel, Johnson displayed great coolness and self-possession in entering the fireroom.