Timothy Sullivan

Cool under fire, he stood by his great gun in fierce battle!

Timothy Sullivan was born in Ireland in 1835 and served the Union Navy as a Coxswain aboard USS Louisville. His Medal of Honor recognized sustained performance rather than a single instant of heroism.

During Louisville's operations in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, Sullivan served as first captain of a 9-inch gun. The official record especially commended his attention to duty, bravery and coolness in repeated actions. Captain K. Owen presented the Medal of Honor to Sullivan aboard Louisville on 5 September 1863.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed): While serving aboard USS Louisville in multiple engagements, Sullivan distinguished himself as first captain of a 9-inch gun through consistent bravery, coolness and devotion to duty.

Sullivan survived the war by many decades. He died at Sawtelle, California, on 6 October 1910 and was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery. Because his qualifying Civil War service was in the U.S. Navy, the Navy Civil War Campaign Medal, not the generic Army version, is the correct campaign medal for his rack.