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Did you know that in its 170 year history, the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest medal for valour, has been awarded to 5 Americans?

Four were members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War One.

But the very first American to receive the VC was serving in the Royal Navy, at the time of the American Civil War, in a tiny and forgotten action in Japan.

This is the story of that man, William Seeley, and the bombardment of Shimonoseki in 1864.

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