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Mount Moriah Cemetery
  VA Plot 3-3-17 

Born:  1842 at New York, NY

Entered Service in the US Navy from Pennsylvania

DOUBLE RECIPIENT of the Medal of Honor
Earned FIRST Medal of Honor During the Civil War For heroism May 25, 1864 at Roanoke River, NC

Earned SECOND Medal of Honor During Peace Time For heroism September 14, 1881 at Callao Bay, Peru

First Award
On May 25, 1864, a daring plan was laid in an effort to destroy the rebel ram Albermarle which was afloat on the Roanoke River in North Carolina. Fireman John Lafferty was among the volunteers who transferred two torpedoes with a weighted line across an island swamp and then was detailed to guard their clothes and arms. While trying to place the torpedoes the men were discovered and challenged by a sentry, forcing them to abandon their plan under the fire of enemy rifles, and seek shelter. Fireman Lafferty, despite the danger once the plan was discovered, remained guarding the clothes and arms until rejoined by his party, and rejoined his ship after 24 hours avoiding enemy patrols in the rain and the swamp. Also cited in this action were: Coal Heaver Charles Baldwin, Fireman Alexander Crawford, Coal Heaver Benjamin Lloyd, and Coxswain John Lloyd.On September 14, 1881, while serving under the name John Laverty, he earned a second Medal of Honor for heroism in saving his ship after the rupture of the stop-valve chamber for the ship's boiler.
Second Award
On September 14, 1881, the stop-valve chamber in the boiler room of the U.S.S. Alaska ruptured while the ship was at Callao Bay, Peru. Fireman First Class John Laverty (aka: John Lafferty) and Fireman Second Class Edward Barrett, despite intense heat and the danger of explosion, hauled the fires from under their ships vessel to save their ship from exploding. 
Fireman First Class John Laverty had previously earned the Medal of Honor during the Civil War under the name John Lafferty.