# Austin Denham

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**Austin Denham** (September 29, 1850 – June 3, 1948) was a [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the [Medal of Honor](/source/Medal_of_Honor).

## Biography

Born on September 29, 1850, in [England](/source/England), Denham immigrated to the United States at age 12.[1] He lived in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) and enlisted in the Navy as soon as he was old enough.[1][2] By April 12, 1872, he was serving as a [seaman](/source/Seaman_(rank)) on the [USS *Kansas*](/source/USS_Kansas_(1863)). On that day, he helped rescue several men who were in danger of drowning after their boat capsized in heavy surf. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor three months later, on July 9, 1872.[3]

The men who drowned were[4] Commander Alexander Foster Crosman, commanding expedition, his body not recovered Master Alfred Foree, attached to the Kansas, his body not recovered Cockswain William Walker, attached to the Kansas, his body not recovered Ordinary Seaman Emil Birgfield, attached to the Kansas, his body not recovered Ordinary Seaman William Arkwright, attached to the Kansas, his body not recovered Ordinary Seaman James Eley, attached to the Kansas, his body recovered on April 13, 1872

Denham's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. *Kansas* near Greytown, Nicaragua, 12 April 1872. Displaying great coolness and self-possession at the time Comdr. A. F. Crosman and others were drowned, Denham, by heroism and personal exertion, prevented greater loss of life.[3]

Denham retired from the Navy in 1912 as a [seaman first class](/source/Seaman_(rank)), after a 48-year career. He died in [Burbank, California](/source/Burbank,_California), on June 3, 1948, of a heart attack. Aged 97 at his death, he was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient at the time.[1]

## See also

- [List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime](/source/List_of_Medal_of_Honor_recipients_during_peacetime)

## References

1. "Austin Denham". *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. June 5, 1948. p. 15.

1. ["Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1871–1898"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071214024925/http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/int1871-98.html). *Medal of Honor citations*. [United States Army Center of Military History](/source/United_States_Army_Center_of_Military_History). August 5, 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/int1871-98.html) on December 14, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2010.

1. ["Reports of the Explorations and Surveys for the Location of a Ship Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Nicaragua, 1872-1873."](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Senate_documents/yrdgAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=appointment+of+commander+crosman&pg=PA9&printsec=frontcover). *Google Books*

## Further reading

- Crosman, Alexander F.; Hatfield, Chester; Lull, Edward Phelps (1874). [*Reports of explorations and surveys for the location of a ship-canal between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, through Nicaragua. 1872-'73*](https://archive.org/details/reportsexplorat02deptgoog). [Government Printing Office](/source/United_States_Government_Publishing_Office), [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy). pp. [10](https://archive.org/details/reportsexplorat02deptgoog/page/n14)–11. Retrieved October 9, 2010.

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