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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Coppersmith · U.S. Navy

Philip Bogan Keefer

Coppersmith Philip Bogan Keefer, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 20, 1898 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War July 20, 1898

Coppersmith Philip Bogan Keefer, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 20, 1898 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Iowa. Keefer was 22 years old.

One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Keefer was born on September 4, 1875 in Washington, District of Columbia. Keefer died on January 15, 1949 in Bethesda (Walter Reed), Maryland, at the age of 73. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Keefer is one of 110 Medal of Honor recipients from the Spanish-American War and one of 34 credited to District of Columbia.

★ Fire & Explosions at Sea

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Iowa off Santiago de Cuba, 20 July 1898. Following the blow-out of a manhole gasket of that vessel which caused the fireroom to be filled with live steam and the floor plates to be covered with boiling water, Keefer showed courageous and zealous conduct in hauling fires from two furnaces of boiler B.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Spanish–American War.

Places

  • Born: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in District of Columbia →

Timeline

  1. September 4, 1875
    Born in Washington, District of Columbia
  2. July 20, 1898
    Act of valor — Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
    Age 22. U.S.S. Iowa
  3. January 15, 1949
    Died in Bethesda (Walter Reed), Maryland
    Age 73.
  4. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Philip Bogan Keefer (September 4, 1875 – January 1, 1949) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Spanish–American War. On July 20, 1898, Keefer was serving as a coppersmith on the USS Iowa (BB-4) off the coast of Santiago de Cuba when a boiler accident occurred. For his actions during the incident, Keefer was issued the Medal of Honor five months later, on December 14, 1898.

From the Wikipedia article “Philip B. Keefer”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 20, 1898

RP Robert Penn Fireman First Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898

Same unit

FB Frederick Behne Fireman First Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 HB Heinrich Behnke Seaman First Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 PB Patrick Francis Bresnahan Watertender · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 DC Demetri Corahorgi Fireman First Class · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 EF Edward Floyd Boilermaker · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905 JJ Johannes J. Johannessen Chief Watertender · Navy Interim 1899–1910 · 1905

More Spanish-American War recipients from District of Columbia

Dennis Bell Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 James Robb Church Assistant Surgeon · Army Spanish-American War · 1898
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.