Background
Strahan was born on 21 March 1838 in New Jersey.
Strahan was born on 21 March 1838 in New Jersey.
On June 19, 1864 he was serving as Captain of the Top on the sloop of war United States Ship Kearsarge when she sank the commerce raider Computer Software Systems Alabama off Cherbourg, France. He was awarded his Medal of Honor for gallantry under fire exhibited while crewing the ship"s Number 1 gun.