Isaac L. Fasseur was a United States Navy

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...

 sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, 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...

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Biography

Born in 1860 in Flushing, Netherlands

Flushing, Netherlands

Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...

, Fasseur was living in Valparaíso

Valparaíso

Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...

, Chile, when he joined the U.S. Navy. By June 13, 1884, he was serving as an ordinary seaman on the . On that day, while Lackawanna was at Callao

Callao

Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...

, Peru, William Cruise fell overboard and was rescued by Fasseur and another sailor, Captain of the Hold Louis Williams

Ludwig Andreas Olsen

Ludwig Andreas Olsen , also known as Louis Williams, was a United States Navy sailor and one of only 19 people to ever be awarded two Medals of Honor. Both awards were for peace-time actions rescuing fellow seamen.-Biography:Olsen was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1845. He joined the Navy in California...

. For this action, both Fasseur and Williams were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Fasseur's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Serving on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna, 13 June 1884, at Callao, Peru, Fasseur rescued William Cruise, who had fallen overboard, from drowning.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients during peacetime

External links