Willis Winter Bradley Jr.

Preventing further explosions aboard USS Pittsburgh

Willis W. Bradley served as a Navy lieutenant aboard USS Pittsburgh. On 23 July 1917, an accidental explosion occurred while saluting cartridges were being reloaded in the ship’s after casemate. Bradley, who was about to enter, was thrown backward and briefly lost consciousness. Still dazed, he crawled into the compartment and extinguished burning material close to a substantial quantity of gunpowder. His action prevented additional explosions. His Medal of Honor recognized extraordinary courage and devotion to duty during a dangerous shipboard emergency.

Medal of Honor citation

For extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving on the U.S.S. Pittsburgh, at the time of an accidental explosion of ammunition on that vessel. On 23 July 1917, some saluting cartridge cases were being reloaded in the after casemate: through an accident an explosion occurred. Comdr. Bradley (then lieutenant), who was about to enter the casemate, was blown back by the explosion and rendered momentarily unconscious, but while still dazed, crawled into the casemate to extinguish burning materials in dangerous proximity to a considerable amount of powder, thus preventing further explosions.