Adam Weissel

Adam Weissel (1854 – 10 December 1928) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Adam Weissel
Born1854
Germany
Died10 December, 1928 (aged 73–74)
Place of burial
Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankShip's Cook
UnitUSS Minnesota
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography

Born in 1854 in Germany, Weissel immigrated to the United States and joined the Navy from New York. By 26 August 1881, he was serving as a ship's cook on the training ship USS Minnesota. On that day, while Minnesota was at Newport, Rhode Island, Captain of the Forecastle C. Lorenze fell overboard. Weissel jumped into the water and kept him afloat until they were picked up by one of the ship's small boats. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor three years later, on 18 October 1884.[1]

Weissel's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For jumping overboard from the U.S. Training Ship Minnesota, at Newport, R.I., 26 August 1881, and sustaining until picked up by a boat from the ship, C. Lorenze, captain of the forecastle, who had fallen overboard.[1]

In 1884, Weissel served as cook on the British ship Alert when it took part in the Arctic rescue of Adolphus Greely and his Lady Franklin Bay Expedition.[2] Weissel died on 10 December 1928, at age 73 or 74 and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1871–1898". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  2. Schley, Winfield Scott (1887). Report of Winfield S. Schley: Commander, U. S. Navy, commanding Greely relief expedition of 1884. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. p. 19.
  3. "Adam Weissel". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. 18 November 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
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