On board the U.S.S. Ossipee, 20 June 1872. Risking his life, Benson leaped into the sea while the ship was going at a speed of 4 knots and endeavored to save John K. Smith, landsman, of the same vessel, from drowning.
Through education, leadership, and inspiring spaces for learning and reflection, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation preserves and expands the impact of the 3,519 awarded Medal of Honor recipients and the more than 40 million Americans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since the Civil War.
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