Alphonse Girandy

Risked His Life to Save Shipmates from Fire

Alphonse Girandy was a United States Navy seaman who received the Medal of Honor for rescuing others during a fire aboard USS Petrel in the Philippines. He was born on 21 January 1868 in Guadeloupe in the West Indies. His Medal of Honor record credits him to Pennsylvania.

On 31 March 1901, Petrel was at Cavite in Manila Bay when fire broke out aboard the vessel. Girandy exposed himself to danger to save others. His award recognized courage in a shipboard emergency, where the threat came from fire rather than enemy action. The Navy announced the Medal of Honor in General Order No. 85, dated 22 March 1902.

Full Medal of Honor citation:

“Serving on board the U.S.S. Petrel, for heroism and gallantry, fearlessly exposing his own life to danger for the saving of others, on the occasion of the fire on board that vessel, 31 March 1901.”

Girandy died on 3 April 1941. He is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery, Pennsylvania, in grave N-66. His Medal of Honor preserves the memory of a sailor who risked his own life for his shipmates.