George Washington Bright

He helped cut cables under intense enemy fire at Cienfuegos.

George Washington Bright was born on December 27, 1874, in Norfolk, Virginia. He served as a coal passer in the United States Navy aboard USS Nashville during the Spanish-American War.

On May 11, 1898, Bright took part in cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba. Heavy enemy fire threatened the operation. His Medal of Honor citation recognized the exceptional courage and composure he showed throughout the action.

Commander Raymond P. Rodgers presented Bright's Medal of Honor at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Massachusetts on August 16, 1899. Bright died on March 20, 1949, in Richmond, Virginia, and is buried in Petersburg. His award commemorates bravery in a hazardous naval mission carried out near the Cuban coast.

Medal of Honor Citation

On board the U.S.S. Nashville during the cutting of the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Bright set an example of extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.