Lieutenant Commander John McCloy, USN (January 3, 1876 – May 24, 1945) was an officer in the United States Navy who was one of only 19 individuals to receive the Medal of Honor twice.
McCloy was then posted to the cruiser USS Newark (C-1) which served in the Philippines in 1900 and then participated in the China Relief Expedition during the Boxer Rebellion.
He received his first Medal of Honor "for distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battles of the 13th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd of June 1900, while with the relief expedition of the Allied Forces in China."
His second Medal of Honor was awarded to him "for distinguished conduct in battle and extraordinary heroism; engagement of Vera Cruz, April 22, 1914."
Immediately after World War I, McCloy served as the first commander of the minesweeper USS Curlew (AM-8) from January 1919 to November 1920.
McCloy was a companion of the Naval Order of the United States and was active in both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
McCloy died of an apparent heart attack on May 25, 1945, in his home in Leonia,[1] and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
On 21 April 1914, at the United States occupation of Veracruz, under orders from Captain William R. Rush, three steam launches led by McCloy sailed from Pier 4 along the waterfront; passing the Fiscal Warf, they veered inshore, bearing towards the Naval Academy, fired a volley to the academy from their small one-inch guns at their bows, and hastily returned, under heavy fire.
[4] Citation: For heroism in leading 3 picket launches along Vera Cruz sea front, drawing Mexican fire and enabling cruisers to save our men on shore, April 22 (sic), 1914.
On April 21, Chief Boatswain McCloy was in charge of three picket boats unloading men and supplies at a pier when his detachment came under fire from the nearby Mexican Naval Academy.
His action drew retaliatory fire that allowed cruisers to locate and shell sniper positions, thus protecting the men on shore.