John R. Monaghan
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Ensign John R. Monaghan (26 March 1873 - 1 April 1899) was an officer in the United States Navy.
Born in Chewelah, Washington, Monaghan graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1895. For the next two years, as a Passed Midshipman, he served in the cruiser Olympia, flagship of the U.S. Asiatic Station. Promoted to the rank of Ensign in July 1897, he was next assigned to the monitor USS Monadnock and gunboat USS Alert (AS-4), both of which operated along the West Coast of the Americas. In July 1898, during the Spanish-American War, he became an officer of the cruiser USS Philadelphia (C-4), which was then the Pacific Station's flagship.
In March 1899 Ensign Monaghan, onboard Philadelphia, was sent to the troubled Samoan Islands. On 1 April, while serving ashore with a combined unit of British, Americans and Samoans, his force was ambushed by another group of Samoans. When his unit's leader, Lieutenant Philip Lansdale, was wounded, Ensign Monaghan seized a rifle and attempted to rescue the injured officer.
The official report of the action stated: "The men were not in sufficient numbers to hold out any longer, and they were forced along by a fire which it was impossible to withstand. Ensign Monaghan did stand. He stood steadfast by his wounded superior and friend - one rifle against many, one brave man against a score .... He knew he was doomed. He could not yield. He died in heroic performance of duty."
Two ships have been named for him.
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
