John Dempsey (c. 1848–1884), was an Irish-born American military officer, who served as a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Born in 1848 in Ireland, Dempsey immigrated to the United States and joined the U.S. Navy from Massachusetts.
On that day, while Kearsarge was at Shanghai, China, he jumped overboard and rescued a shipmate from drowning.
Displaying gallant conduct, Dempsey jumped overboard from the Kearsarge and rescued from drowning one of the crew of that vessel.
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