William Levery

He cut an enemy cable under heavy fire on the coast of Cuba.

William Levery earned the Medal of Honor for his conduct during the cable-cutting operation at Cienfuegos, Cuba, on May 11, 1898. A Navy apprentice first class aboard USS Marblehead, he faced heavy enemy fire while participating in the operation during the Spanish-American War. His citation recognizes the bravery and composure he maintained throughout the action.

Levery was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1879. His military service was accredited to Pennsylvania. A contemporary newspaper report, preserved by the Medal of Honor Historical Society, placed his entry into naval service about two years before the Cienfuegos operation. His Medal of Honor was authorized under General Order 521 on 7 July 1899. His subsequent career, date of death and burial place remain untraced in the Medal of Honor Historical Society’s published research. His Medal of Honor is recorded as held by the Naval Historical Center at the Washington Navy Yard.

Medal of Honor citation (Navy Department, 1924)

Apprentice, first class, serving on board the U.S.S. Marblehead; for extraordinary bravery and coolness while cutting the cables leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, May 11, 1898, under a heavy fire of the enemy. (G.O. 521, July 7, 1899.)