John Allen Midgett

From WikiAlpha
Jump to: navigation, search
John Allen Midgett Jr.
John Allen Midgett was recognized by the UK goverment for saving UK seamen in 1918.
John Allen Midgett was recognized by the UK goverment for saving UK seamen in 1918.jpg
Born Aug. 25, 1876
Rodanthe, North Carolina
Died February 9, 1938
Norfolk, Virginia

John Allen Midgett Jr. was a senior enlisted member of first the United States Lifesaving Service, and later the United States Coast Guard.[1][2][3] Midgett grew up on Cape Hatteras, on the outer banks of the North Carolina coast, and like his father, and other family members, he enlisted in the Lifesaving Service in 1898. Midgett remained in command of a Lifesaving Station when the United States Revenue Cutter Service, the United States Lighthouse Service merged with the Lifesaving Service to form the Coast Guard in 1915.

On August 16, 1918, Midgett was the Keeper of the Chicamacomico Lifeboat Station when he lead his power surfboat crew on the celebrated rescue of the 42 crew members of the British tanker Mirlo.[3][1][4][5] The UK Board of Trade awarded Midgett a silver cup in 1918, and he was awarded a Gold Lifesaving Medal twelve years later.

In 1972 the Coast Guard named the USCGC Midgett after him.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Dennis L. Noble (2005). "Rescued By The U.S. Coast Guard: Great Acts Of Heroism Since 1878". Naval Institute Press. pp. 92-95. ISBN 9781591146254. http://books.google.ca/books?id=lky45r17bLAC&pg=PA92&lpg=PA92&dq=John+Allen+Midgett&source=bl&ots=2TtsuGnPyL&sig=gpBrbzIZlOC3RKUTwZp_qV7ECrU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l5n0UN_QC4G6rQGNwoHgDA&ved=0CG8Q6AEwDQ#v=onepage&q=John%20Allen%20Midgett&f=false. Retrieved 2013-01-14. 
  2. "Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: L-O". University of North Carolina Press. 1991. pp. 265-266. ISBN 9780807819180. http://books.google.ca/books?id=kDQ0DyvxjEAC&pg=PA266&lpg=PA266&dq=John+Allen+Midgett&source=bl&ots=t6jcGiITfQ&sig=Eb1hEOETcdJDQu66yBLNqA72WGw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l5n0UN_QC4G6rQGNwoHgDA&ved=0CJMBEOgBMBM#v=onepage&q=John%20Allen%20Midgett&f=false. Retrieved 2013-01-14. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Don Midgette (2007). "Capt. John Allen Midgett & The Mirlo Rescue". North Caroline Geneology. Archived from the original on 2013-01-14. http://web.archive.org/liveweb/http://www.ncgenweb.us/dare/photosbios/mirlorescue.html. Retrieved 2013-01-14. 
  4. "Who are some of the heroes of the Coast Guard?". United States Coast Guard. 2012-12-03. http://www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/vip.asp. Retrieved 2013-01-14. 
  5. Don Wharton (1957). "The Mighty Midgetts of Hatteras: For Nine Decades, this Extraordinary Family Has Made a Specialty of Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Seamen". Reader's Digest Association. http://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Mighty_Midgetts_of_Hatteras.html?id=6O4ISQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y. Retrieved 2013-01-14.