Michael A. Healy

Military Person

1839 – 1904

 Credit ยป
54

Who was Michael A. Healy?

Michael Augustine Healy was an American captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service.

Following U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward's Alaska purchase of the vast region in 1867, Healy patrolled the 20,000 miles of Alaskan coastline for more than 20 years, earning great respect from the natives and seafarers alike. After commercial fishing had depleted the whale and seal populations, his assistance with introduction of Siberian reindeer helped prevent starvation among the native Alaskans.

Nicknamed "Hell Roaring Mike", Healy has been identified as the first man of African-American descent to command a ship of the United States government; however, he identified as white Irish American during his lifetime. The author Jack London was inspired by his command of the USRC Bear. Commissioned in 1999, the USCGC Healy was named in his honor.

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Born
Sep 22, 1839
Jones County
Also known as
  • Hell Roaring Mike
  • Michael Augustine Healy
Religion
  • Roman Catholic Church
Ethnicity
  • African American
Nationality
  • United States of America
Died
Aug 30, 1904
San Francisco

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Michael A. Healy." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/michael_healy>.

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