Eugene P. Smith

Repeatedly entered fume-filled compartments to rescue men

Eugene P. Smith was born in Illinois on 8 August 1871. He served in the U.S. Navy as chief watertender aboard USS Decatur.

After an explosion at sea on 9 September 1915, Smith repeatedly entered the ship's compartments to find injured sailors. The commander reported suffocating gases and the possibility of further explosions. Smith searched compartment A-2 between five and eight times and helped locate trapped gunner's mates. Although partially overcome by fumes, he returned when able and found another injured shipmate.

His Medal of Honor recognized these repeated rescues. The award was accredited to San Francisco, California.

Smith died at the New York Naval Hospital on 24 March 1918 and is buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn. His citation preserves the rescue work that brought injured men out of Decatur's damaged compartments.

Medal of Honor citation

Attached to U.S.S. Decatur; for several times entering compartments on board of Decautur immediately following an explosion on board that vessel, 9 September 1915, and locating and rescuing injured shipmates.