The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Chief Boatswain’s Mate Othniel Tripp, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Seneca in the assault on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, 15 January 1865. Despite severe enemy fire which halted an attempt by his assaulting party to enter the stockade, Chief Boatswain’s Mate Tripp boldly charged through the gap in the stockade although the center of the line, being totally unprotected, fell back along the open beach and left too few in the ranks to attempt an offensive operation.