Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library Listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 79441:  Hospital Apprentice First Class David E. Hayden, USN

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

Pharmacist's Mate Third Class David E. Hayden, USN, (1897-1974)

David Ephraim Hayden was born on 2 October 1897 in Florence, Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy from that state and received training at San Diego Naval Base, California and at Quantico, Virginia. During World War I, he served in France with the Second Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment as a Hospital Apprentice First Class. On 15 September 1918, when a Marine was mortally wounded in the battle of St. Mihiel, Hayden ran across the open battlefield to administer assistance. Amidst machine-gun fire, he dressed the Marine's severe wounds and carried him to safety. For his "gallantry and intrepidity" during this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Following the war, Hayden was advanced to the rank of Pharmacist's Mate Third Class. For the rest of his enlistment, he served on board the troop transport Princess Matoika and at the Norfolk Naval Hospital, Virginia. Leaving the Navy in the Summer of 1920, he later served as an U.S. Marshall in California until he retired at the age of seventy. David E. Hayden died on 18 March 1974 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

This page features the only image we have concerning David E. Hayden.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 79441

Hospital Apprentice First Class David E. Hayden, USN


Halftone reproduction of a photograph, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 117.
David E. Hayden received the Medal of Honor "for gallantry and intrepidity" on 15 September 1918 while serving in combat with the Second Battalion, Sixth Regiment, U.S. Marines.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 49KB; 590 x 765 pixels

 



Medal of Honor citation of Hospital Apprentice First Class David E. Hayden (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 117):

"For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action at Thiaucourt, 15 September 1918, with the Second Battalion, Sixth Regiment, United States Marines. During the advance, when Corporal Creed was mortally wounded while crossing an open field swept by machine-gun fire, HAYDEN unhesitatingly ran to his assistance and, finding him so severely wounded as to require immediate attention, disregarded his own personal safety to dress the wound under intense machine-gun fire, and then carried the wounded man back to a place of safety."


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 19 November 2007
Edited and reposted 11 April 2008