Joseph Irlam

Joseph Irlam (born 1840, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Born in 1840 in Liverpool, England, Irlam immigrated to the United States and was living in New York when he joined the U.S. Navy. He served during the Civil War as a seaman on the . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he was stationed at the ship's wheel when Brooklyn took heavy fire. After several members of the gun crews became casualties, he ordered two of his assistants to take their places, leaving himself with only one aide for the remainder of the battle. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.