Obverse: A brig under topsails and foresails lying on her beam ends. Legend: 'SOMERS NAVIS AMERICANA'. Exergue: 'ANTE VERA CRUZ DEC.10TH.1846'. Reverse: Three boats rowing to the rescue, a wreck in the distance. Legend: 'PRO VITIS AMERICANORUM CONSERVATIS'. The obverse is based on an engraving published in the 'Illustrated London News' on 23 January 1847 which also shows a boat pulling away from the wreck. Struck by order of Congress and presented to officers and men of foreign vessels who came to the assdistance of the brig USS 'Somers'. One hundred silver and ten gold medals were issued on 3 March 1847 and in 1861 a bronzed-copper version was offered on sale to the public.

During the Mexican-American War while blockading Vera-Cruz, the brig USS ‘Somers’ capsized in a squall and sank. She had been trying to intercept a suspected a blockade runner, had many of her sails set and was lightly laden. About of thirty-six of her 80 crew were lost.

One of Somers’ boats reached Green Island and came back to pick up more survivors. Eight men swam to Vera-Cruz, of whom, one died and the rest were taken prisoner by the Mexicans. The remainder were picked up from the water or nearby land by boats from HMS ‘Endymion’ and ‘Alarm’, the French naval vessels ‘Pylade’ and ‘Mercure’ and a Spanish corvette.