John Lafferty or Laverty (June 19, 1842 – November 13, 1903) was a sailor in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War and is one of only 19 people in history to receive the Medal of Honor twice.
According to his first Medal of Honor citation John Lafferty was born in June 1842 in New York City.
He was one of five Wyalusing crew members to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Civil War (the others being Coal Heaver Charles Baldwin, Fireman Alexander Crawford, Coal Heaver Benjamin Lloyd, and Coxswain John W. Lloyd).
He earned his second award while serving on board the USS Alaska, a wooden hulled sloop built in 1868, at Callao Bay, Peru, September 14, 1881.
Volunteering for the hazardous mission, Lafferty participated in the transfer of two torpedoes across an island swamp and then served as sentry to keep guard of clothes and arms left by other members of the party.
After being rejoined by others of the party who had been discovered before the plan could be completed, Lafferty succeeded in returning to the mother ship after spending 24 hours of discomfort in the rain and swamp.