BoatBanter.com - The US Navy's Shackelton

After a mo. at sea, boat Coxswain William Halford made it to Hawaii on
this day of 1870.

Lieutenant William Halford, USN, (1841-1919)
William Halford was born on 18 August 1841 at Gloucester, England. In
1869 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at San Francisco, California and was
assigned to the side-wheel steamer USS Saginaw. While on a cruise in
the mid-Pacific on 29 October 1870 Saginaw was wrecked on uninhabited
Ocean Island, leaving her crew marooned. On 18 November Halford and
four others set sail for Hawaii in a small boat to obtain rescue for
remainder of the ship's crew. Following a difficult thirty-one day
voyage the boat reached Kauai, only to be overwhelmed trying to land
through the surf. Halford, the boat's only survivor, was awarded the
Medal of Honor for his bravery.

In further recognition of his exploit, in April 1871 Halford was
promoted to the warrant rank of Acting Gunner. During his subsequent
career he served in the screw sloops of war Benicia (1872-1875) and
Lackawanna (1877-1881) and the cruiser San Francisco (1890-1893), all
in the Pacific Ocean. After this last seagoing assignment, Halford was
stationed at the Mare Island, Naval Shipyard until his retirement, in
the rank of Chief Gunner, in August 1903. At the beginning of July 1918
he was promoted to Lieutenant on the Retired List. William Halford died
on 17 February 1919 at Vallejo, California.

USS Halford (DD-480), 1942-1970, was named in honor of Lieutenant
William Halford.

A proud ship indeed!
http://bobrosssr.tripod.com/480batrec.jpg