James Dougherty (Medal of Honor recipient, 1839–1897)

Service and background

Few personal details are widely recorded about Dougherty's early life in open sources; like many 19th-century servicemen, his public legacy rests primarily on military records. He is identified in official lists of Marines who took part in the Asiatic Squadron operations that led to the conflict often called the Korean Campaign of 1871.

The 1871 Korean Expedition

The 1871 action, also known as Shinmiyangyo in some accounts, was a U.S. naval and landing force operation on the west coast of Korea. It involved ships and landing parties from the Asiatic Squadron and resulted in several engagements with Korean fortifications. Fifteen sailors and Marines, including Dougherty, were awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the expedition — an unusually high number for a single small campaign in that era.

Medal of Honor and recognition

Dougherty's Medal of Honor reflects the 19th-century practice of awarding the nation's highest military decoration for distinguished conduct in relatively small but significant actions. His citation, issued in early 1872, places him among the earliest generations of recipients after the medal's establishment during the Civil War. The award connects Dougherty to the broader history of the United States Marine Corps and its evolving role in overseas expeditions.

Death, burial, and remembrance

James Dougherty died in 1897 and is interred at Cypress Hills National Cemetery (Section 6, Grave 12374). His gravesite and listing in military registers preserve his name among those who participated in a little-known chapter of American naval history.

Notable facts

• One of fifteen sailors and Marines to receive the Medal of Honor for the 1871 Korean Expedition.
• Medal issued on February 8, 1872.
• Burial location: Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Section 6, Grave 12374.

Dougherty's story illustrates how individual acts of service in minor or remote campaigns were recognized in the post–Civil War United States, and how those recognitions contribute to the documentary record of U.S. naval and Marine Corps operations abroad.