Thomas Bourne

Thomas Bourne (c. 1834 – March 22, 1888) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip.

Biography A native of England, Bourne began his career as a sailor at age 14, serving as a cabin boy on ships in the Atlantic Ocean. He eventually found his way to the U.S. state of New York, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy from there in 1861. By April 1862, he had reached the rank of seaman and was a gun captain aboard the .