11 March 2012

Medal of Honor: O. K. Ingram

OSMOND KELLY INGRAM

Gunner's Mate First Class, US Navy; USS Cassin (DD 43)

Born: 4 August 1887, Pratt City, Alabama
Died: 15 October 1917, off Ireland

Citation: For extraordinary heroism in the presence of the enemy on the occasion of the torpedoing of the Cassin, on 15 October 1917. While the Cassin was searching for the submarine, Ingram sighted the torpedo coming, and realizing that it might strike the ship aft in the vicinity of the depth charges, ran aft with the intention of releasing the depth charges before the torpedo could reach the Cassin. The torpedo struck the ship before he could accomplish his purpose and Ingram was killed by the explosion. The depth charges exploded immediately afterward. His life was sacrificed in an attempt to save the ship and his shipmates, as the damage to the ship would have been much less if he had been able to release the depth charges.


Notes: USS Osmond Ingram (DD 255/AVD 9/APD 35) was named in his honour.

The submarine which attacked Cassin was SM U-61.

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