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Seaman · U.S. Navy

Charles Giddings

Seaman Charles Giddings, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 26, 1876 in Navy Yard, New York (Interim 1871–1899).

Seaman Charles Giddings, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 26, 1876 in Navy Yard, New York — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1871 - 1899 period. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Plymouth. Giddings was about 23 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Giddings was born in 1853 in Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine. His Medal of Honor is credited to Maine. Giddings died on November 28, 1943 in Winchester, Massachusetts, at the age of about 90. He is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Medford, Massachusetts. His medal is held by Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC. Records also list him as Gidding, Charles.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Serving on board the U.S.S. Plymouth, Gidding showed heroic conduct in trying to save the life of one of the crew of that ship, who had fallen overboard from aloft at the Navy Yard, New York, 26 July 1876.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Places

  • Born: Bangor — map
  • Buried: Grove Hill Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Maine →

Timeline

  1. 1853
    Born in Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine
  2. July 26, 1876
    Act of valor — Navy Yard, New York
    Age about 23. U.S.S. Plymouth
  3. November 28, 1943
    Died in Winchester, Massachusetts
    Age about 90.
  4. Resting place
    Oak Grove Cemetery
    Medford, Massachusetts

Biography

Charles J. Gidding or Giddings (1853–1943) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

From the Wikipedia article “Charles Gidding”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 26, 1876

Same unit

Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.