George William Rud
Encyclopedia
George William Rud was a United States Navy
Chief Machinist's Mate
received the Medal of Honor
during the destruction of the USS Memphis (CA-10) formerly during a tsunami
. Lieutenant
Claud Ashton Jones
and Machinist
Charles H. Willey
were also awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions on August 29, 1916.
Citation:
, the Memphis was struck broadside by numerous storm waves from an off shore hurricane. It is speculated that an submarine earthquake
contributed to the size creating a tsunami
, as the ship bounced off the bottom of the harbor several times. Finally, an enormous wave drove the ship into the rocks on the shore. The damage to its hull and engines was irreparable.
CMM Rud helped secure the boilers as the keel of the ship was bent by the force of the waves, resulting in the propeller shaft seizing. Without the action by CMM Rud and Lt Claud Ashton Jones
, the boilers may have exploded causing the total loss of the ship. Machinist Charles H. Willey
who was in the engineroom manning his station until ordered to leave, helped remove Rud and Ashton from the steam saturated atmosphere.
MMC Rud was mortally injured by the steam, but didn't die immediately, he survived for several days after the incident.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Chief Machinist's Mate
Chief Petty Officer
A chief petty officer is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards.-Canada:"Chief Petty Officer" refers to two ranks in the Canadian Navy...
received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
during the destruction of the USS Memphis (CA-10) formerly during a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Claud Ashton Jones
Claud Ashton Jones
Rear Admiral Claud Ashton Jones was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, and a Medal of Honor recipient.-Biography:...
and Machinist
Machinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
Charles H. Willey
Charles H. Willey
Charles Henry Willey was a United States Navy Machinist received 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.-Medal of Honor...
were also awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions on August 29, 1916.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Chief Machinist's Mate, U.S. Navy. Born: October 7, 1883, Minneapolis, Minn. Accredited to: Minnesota. (August 1, 1932.)Citation:
For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession while attached to the U.S.S. Memphis, at a time when that vessel was suffered total destruction from a hurricane while anchored off Santo Domingo City, 29 August 1916. C.M.M. Rud took his station in the engine room and remained at his post amidst scalding steam and the rushing of thousands of tons of water into his department, receiving serious burns from which he immediately died.
Update to Medal of Honor citation
While making steam to get underway from harbor in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, the Memphis was struck broadside by numerous storm waves from an off shore hurricane. It is speculated that an submarine earthquake
Submarine earthquake
A submarine, undersea, or underwater earthquake is an earthquake that occurs underwater at the bottom of a body of water, especially an ocean. They are the leading cause of tsunamis...
contributed to the size creating a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
, as the ship bounced off the bottom of the harbor several times. Finally, an enormous wave drove the ship into the rocks on the shore. The damage to its hull and engines was irreparable.
CMM Rud helped secure the boilers as the keel of the ship was bent by the force of the waves, resulting in the propeller shaft seizing. Without the action by CMM Rud and Lt Claud Ashton Jones
Claud Ashton Jones
Rear Admiral Claud Ashton Jones was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, and a Medal of Honor recipient.-Biography:...
, the boilers may have exploded causing the total loss of the ship. Machinist Charles H. Willey
Charles H. Willey
Charles Henry Willey was a United States Navy Machinist received 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.-Medal of Honor...
who was in the engineroom manning his station until ordered to leave, helped remove Rud and Ashton from the steam saturated atmosphere.
MMC Rud was mortally injured by the steam, but didn't die immediately, he survived for several days after the incident.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients during Peacetime