Brewster Man Honored with a United States Postage Stamp

The United States Postal Service announced the issuance of four new first class postage stamps in the Distinguished Sailors series.  These 44-cent commemorative stamps honor sailors who served with bravery and distinction during the 20th century.

One of these stamps honors John C. McCloy, who was born in Brewster in 1876 and exhibited great valor while in service in the United States Navy from 1903 until his retirement in 1928.  He holds the distinction of being one of only 19 men in the nation’s history to earn two Medals of Honor for separate acts of heroism.  The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States Government.  According to the Department of the Army Code of Federal Regulations, the medal is bestowed on a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who distinguishes himself "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.”   

John McCloy appears on the list of the Top 50 most highly decorated U.S. military personnel of all time, and according to the Postal Service press release, he was described by a shipmate as “like a bull” who couldn’t be stopped. 

John McCloy 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 serving with the Allied Forces relief expedition in China.   His second Medal of Honor was awarded to him for distinguished conduct in battle and extraordinary heroism in the engagement of Vera Cruz, April 22, 1914.   

Immediately after World War I, John McCloy commanded the USS Curlew (AM-8) clearing mines in the North Sea. For that work, he was awarded the Navy Cross:  the highest medal that can be awarded by the United States Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor by any branch of the armed services.  

He retired from active duty as a lieutenant October 15, 1928 and on February 23, 1942 was promoted to lieutenant commander, retired.  John McCloy died in May of 1945 at Leonia, New Jersey and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Washington, D.C.

In October 1963, the United States Navy commissioned the Destroyer Escort DE1038, the “USS McCloy” to honor this extraordinary American hero who was born right here in Brewster, New York.

A First Day of Issue ceremony will be held at the Arleigh and Roberta Burke Theater at the United States Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue  in Washington, D.C. at 10:30 AM on Thursday, February 4, 2010. In attendance to honor these distinguished naval figures will be Juan M. Garcia, III, Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy; Vice Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, III, Director, US Navy Staff; retired US Navy Rear Admiral Edward K. Walker Jr., President U.S. Navy Memorial and John E. Potter, Postmaster General of the United States.

In addition to John C. McCloy, the other sailors commemorated in this issue were William S. Sims, Arleigh A. Burke and Doris Miller.

 

Photo at Top of Page is from – HomeOfHeroes.com -   http://www.homeofheroes.com/ See also: http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/06021038.htm

 

                                                            

 Click on the thumbnails above for larger view. 

These photos are copyrighted by the US Postal Service and are providedfor publicity purposes. 

 

Denis Castelli

Historian, Village of Brewster, NY

 
Life Member VFW Post 672