JOHN HENRY TURPIN

John Henry “Dick” Turpin (August 20, 1876 – March 10, 1962)

Turpin became one of the Navy’s first African American Chief Petty Officers in 1917. He enlisted in the Navy in New York City on November 4, 1896, and served through the Spanish-American War and World War I; his 1962 obituary also credited him with service in the Boxer Rebellion. He survived two warship explosions: The explosion that destroyed the USS Maine in 1898 and the boiler explosion on the USS Bennington in 1905. Later accounts credit Turpin with rescuing shipmates after the USS Bennington explosion in 1905, but they differ on the number rescued. Eleven men were awarded the Medal of Honor for “extraordinary heroism displayed at the time of the explosion,” but Turpin was not among them. During his time in the Navy, he was the Navy boxing champion in several different weight classifications and was a boxing instructor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

Turpin retired from the Navy as a Chief Gunner’s Mate in 1925. When not on active duty, he worked at Puget Sound Navy Yard as a master rigger and qualified as a master diver. A 2018 City of Bremerton proclamation credits him with contributions to underwater welding. When World War II broke out, Turpin tried to reenlist at the age of 65 but was turned down due to his age. He did volunteer to tour Navy facilities and defense plants to make “inspirational visits” to African-American sailors. 

In recognition of his accomplishments, the United States Post Office at 602 Pacific Avenue in Bremerton, WA was renamed the John Henry Turpin Post Office Building in 2020.  

Adapted from “John Henry Turpin,” Wikipedia contributors (December 17, 2022 revision), under CC BY-SA 3.0, with material from the Naval History and Heritage Command and the City of Bremerton. Shortened and edited by the Kitsap History Museum. This adapted biography is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0; the license covers the text, not the photographs.