Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Machinist Charles H. Willey received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 29, 1916 off Santo Domingo City, Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1915 - 1916 period. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Memphis. Willey was 27 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Willey was born on March 31, 1889 in East Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. His Medal of Honor is credited to Massachusetts. Willey died on September 11, 1977 in Manchester, New Hampshire, at the age of 88. He is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession while serving on board the U.S.S. Memphis, at a time when that vessel was suffering total destruction from a hurricane while anchored off Santo Domingo City, 29 August 1916. Machinist Willey took his station in the engineer's department and remained at his post of duty amidst scalding steam and the rush of thousands of tons of water into his department as long as the engines would turn, leaving only when ordered to leave. When the boilers exploded, he assisted in getting the men out of the fireroom and carrying them into the engineroom, where there was air instead of steam to breathe. Machinist Willey's conduct on this occasion was above and beyond the call of duty.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: machinist
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- March 31, 1889Born in East Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
- August 29, 1916Act of valor — off Santo Domingo City, Santo Domingo, Santo DomingoAge 27. U.S.S. Memphis
- September 11, 1977Died in Manchester, New HampshireAge 88.
- Resting placeMaple Grove CemeteryConcord, New Hampshire
Biography
Charles Henry Willey (March 31, 1889 – September 11, 1977) was a United States Navy Machinist who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the tsunami that wrecked USS Memphis. Machinist Willey was awarded the medal for this action along with Lieutenant Claud Ashton Jones and Chief Machinist's Mate George William Rud. Willey enlisted in the Navy in August 1908 and was appointed to the warrant officer rank of machinist on December 28, 1914. He was medically retired from the Navy on July 30, 1917, and resided in East Concord, New Hampshire.
From the Wikipedia article “Charles H. Willey”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
