PATRICK REID (1875-1924)

by James E. Fargo, FSA Scot

Patrick Reid was born on June 17, 1875 in Dublin, Ireland and immigrated to Manhattan, New York.

Reid joined the U.S. Navy in 1895. He was serving aboard the battleship U.S.S. North Dakota (BB-29) as a Chief Watertender when his heroism earned this award. On September 8, 1910 while the North Dakota was conducting tests using oil as fuel, an explosion occurred, killing three sailors and endangering the ship. In the engine room, hot coal and coke floated in waist-high hot water, oil was aflame above one of the boilers and the entire engine room was full of smoke, steam and fumes. Despite these dangers, Reid and five other men of the ship’s engineering department entered the engine room to halt the fires and prevent a boiler explosion. After securing the safety of the ship, Reid and the other five sailors were all awarded the Medal of Honor. Reid’s shipmate, Machinist’s Mate First Class Charles C. Roberts, was among the six sailors awarded the Medal of Honor one month later on October 4, 1910. He received the award in a White House ceremony on June 13, 1911.

Reid’s Medal of Honor citation read: "For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the fire on board the U.S.S. North Dakota where Reid was serving, 8 September 1910."

Reid retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1915. Reid died on October 23, 1924 and was buried in Saint John Cemetery, New York, NY.

References:
Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Multiple Wikipedia searches.