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The American Congressional Medal of Honour awarded for valour

Found on the dump!

                

 

   

        

 John Murphy Jewellery and Virtue expert

The SILVER LIFESAVING MEDAL

This is the highest accolade that can bestowed upon a human being for an exceptional act of gallantry without concern for their own safety, consequence or life.

 

Photos: Jackie Freeman Photography

The Silver Lifesaving Medal was designed by Hermann Faber and sculpted by Anthony C. Paquet.

 

 The Medal of Honor was established by joint resolution of the American Congress, on the 12th July 1862 and still exists to this day.

 

< This actual medal of honour was awarded to Daniel McIver for his heroism and part in rescuing the crew of the American Schooner A.C.Maxwell out of Cleveland on December 9th. 1885.

In testemony of heroic deeds in saving men from the perils of the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Ship under the command of Captain, J. N. Garlock,  lost its foremast and bound up near Point Au Pelee, Lake Eerie on December 9th. 1885. daniel McIver was a member of the Goderich lifeboat

 

Letter to Neil McIvor from the US Treasury Department, dated Feb 2 1888  (PRIVATE)
 
"Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a silver life-saving medal, which has been awarded you, under authority of Section 7 of the Act of June 20,1874, Section 12 of the Act of June 18 1878 , and Section 9 of the Act of May 4 1882, for heroism in rescuing the crew of the American schooner A.C. Maxwell,
December 9 1885.
 
Respectfully yours, C.S. Charles S. Fairchild, Secretary."
 

 

 The Silver Lifesaving Medal is awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to any person who rescues, or endeavors to rescue, any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of water. To merit award of the Silver Lifesaving Medal, the rescue must involve such significant effort that it merits recognition, but not at the level recognized by the Gold Lifesaving Medal. The rescue or attempted rescue must either take place in waters within the United States or subject to its jurisdiction, or one of the parties must be a citizen of the United States or be from a vessel or aircraft owned or operated by citizens of the United States.

 

 Description: In the center of a silver medal one and seven-sixteenths inches in diameter, a man is struggling in a heavy sea; hovering above him is the figure of a woman offering him one end of a long scarf. The entire scene is contained within a raised border. In the upper third of this border, and following the contour of the medal, are the words, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in raised letters; and in the bottom third, the words ACT OF CONGRESS AUGUST 4, 1949. The scene is a symbolic representation of a courageous rescue at sea, which represents the purpose of this medal.

Reverse

The center of the medal is blank and is encircled by a laurel wreath tied at its base with a bow. The wreath is contained within a raised border which bears the inscription in raised letters, IN TESTAMENT OF HEROIC DEEDS IN SAVING LIFE FROM THE PERILS OF THE SEA. At the bottom of the medal, separating the beginning and ending of the inscription, is a stylized laurel wreath.

 

Many thanks to Kate Rowe of London Ontario for supplying us with additional information.

 

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