Norman W. Ressler

He went out under fire to rescue wounded men near the lines.

Norman W. Ressler was born at Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, on 27 May 1873. He entered the United States Army from his home community and served in Company D, 17th Infantry Regiment. By the Spanish-American War he was a corporal.

On 1 July 1898, during the battle of El Caney in Cuba, the regiment suffered casualties while attacking the Spanish positions. Wounded soldiers lay exposed in front of the American line, where continued enemy fire made their recovery dangerous. Ressler joined other officers and enlisted men in going out to bring casualties back.

His Medal of Honor citation recognised his gallant assistance in rescuing the wounded under heavy fire. Regimental accounts place this effort within the rescue of their wounded commanding officer and other men during the battle. It was an act of aid carried out while the attack was still in progress, rather than after the battlefield had become secure.

The Medal of Honor was issued on 21 August 1899. His personal participation in the Cuban fighting also qualified for the Spanish Campaign Medal, a separate recognition of service in the war.

Ressler continued his Army career and attained the rank of master gunner. He died on 29 September 1914 and was buried in San Francisco National Cemetery. His grave and the regiment's history preserve the connection between the Pennsylvania soldier and the rescue work at El Caney.