Jesse Whitfield Covington

- Rank: SHIP'S COOK THIRD CLASS (HIGHEST RANK: CHIEF STEWARD)
- Conflict/Era: WORLD WAR I
- Unit/Command: U.S.S. STEWART
- Military Service Branch: U.S. NAVY
- Medal of Honor Action Date: APRIL 17, 1918
- Medal of Honor Action Action Place: QUIBERON BAY, FRANCE
Additional Details:
Accredited to: CALIFORNIA
Awarded PostHumously: NO
Presentation Date & Details:
SEPTEMBER 15, 1918 ON BOARD THE U.S.S. STEWART AT BREST, FRANCE, PRESENTED BY VICE ADMIRAL NILSON
Born:
SEPTEMBER 16, 1889, HAYWOOD COUNTY, TN, UNITED STATES
Died:
NOVEMBER 21, 1966, RICHMOND, VA, UNITED STATES
Buried:
OAK GROVE CEMETERY (PM) (G-789), PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES
For extraordinary heroism following internal explosion of the Florence H. The sea in the vicinity of wreckage was covered by a mass of boxes of smokeless powder, which were repeatedly exploding. Jesse W. Covington, of the U.S.S. Stewart, plunged overboard to rescue a survivor who was surrounded by powder boxes and too exhausted to help himself, fully realizing that similar powder boxes in the vicinity were continually exploding and that he was thereby risking his life in saving the life of this man.