George William Rud

He remained at his engine-room post as Memphis was destroyed

George William Rud was born on October 7, 1883, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He served as a chief machinist's mate in the United States Navy aboard USS Memphis.

On August 29, 1916, the ship was destroyed while anchored off Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Rud took his station in the engine room and remained there as scalding steam and seawater entered the compartment. He suffered fatal burns and died during the disaster.

Rud received a posthumous Medal of Honor for remaining at his post in extreme danger. He is buried at Crystal Lake Cemetery in Minneapolis. His award commemorates devotion to duty during a naval emergency that cost him his life.

Medal of Honor Citation

For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession while attached to the U.S.S. Memphis, at a time when that vessel was suffering total destruction from a hurricane while anchored off Santo Domingo City, 29 August 1916. C.M.M. Rud took his station in the engineroom and remained at his post amidst scalding steam and the rushing of thousands of tons of water into his department, receiving serious burns from which he immediately died.