George Breeman

He faced a deadly turret explosion aboard the USS Kearsarge.

George Breeman was born on September 15, 1880, in Passaic, New Jersey. He served in the United States Navy and was a seaman aboard USS Kearsarge when an accident brought him national recognition.

On April 13, 1906, powder charges ignited in the battleship's forward 13-inch turret at Cape Cruz, Cuba. His Medal of Honor citation recognized his heroism during the emergency. The award honored courage in naval service outside a wartime battlefield.

He first enlisted on 2 June 1902 and returned to the Navy on 16 September 1912 after completing his original enlistment in 1906. From December 1912 to May 1921 he served aboard USS New Hampshire, advancing to chief turret captain. During the First World War he trained gunners, and after the armistice he helped bring American troops home on four Atlantic crossings. Later assignments included Anacostia and USS California. He entered the Fleet Reserve in 1929. He died in Passaic on April 10, 1937, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. His Medal of Honor preserves the memory of his response to a dangerous shipboard accident.

Medal of Honor Citation

Breeman displayed heroism in the line of his profession while serving on board the U.S.S. Kearsarge at the time of the accidental ignition of powder charges in the forward 13-inch turret.