Born in 1853 in
New York, New York, Corey joined the Navy from that state. On July 26, 1876, while serving as a
landsman on the was at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, Corey and another sailor, Seaman
Charles Gidding, attempted to rescue a crewmate Seaman named Matthew Francis who had fallen from the ship's
rigging into the water. For this action, both men were awarded the Medal of Honor two weeks later, on August 9. Another of
Plymouth's crew, Seaman
Thomas Kersey, rescued a shipmate from drowning on the same day and also received the medal. Corey's official Medal of Honor citation reads: On board the U.S.S.
Plymouth, Navy Yard, New York, 26 July 1876. Showing heroic conduct, William Corey endeavored to save the life of one of the crew of that ship who had fallen overboard from aloft. ==See also==