George Breeman
| George Breeman | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
September 15, 1880 Passaic, New Jersey |
| Died | April 10, 1937 (aged 56) Passaic, New Jersey |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1902 - 1906, 1912 - 1929 |
| Rank | Chief Turret Captain |
| Unit | USS Kearsarge (BB-5) |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
George Breeman (September 15, 1880 – April 10, 1937) was a United States Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism following a turret explosion in 1906 on board the battleship USS Kearsarge (BB-5).
Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Breeman enlisted in the United States Navy on June 2, 1902, and was rated as a landsman for training. He served briefly in the receiving ships USS Columbia (C-12) and USS USS Franklin (1864) before being assigned to the gunboat USS Topeka (PG-35) on September 19, 1902. On March 23, 1903 while still in Topeka, he was rated an ordinary seaman. In May 1903, Breeman was reassigned to USS Kearsarge (BB-5).
On April 13, 1906, a flash fire occurred in Kearsarge’s forward 13-inch turret where Breeman was serving, killing several officers and men. Burning powder fell into the 13-inch handling room below. Breeman rushed from his battle station in the adjacent powder magazine into the handling room and stamped out the fires. He then returned to the magazine, closed the hatch to the handling room, and began replacing the covers on open powder tanks.
Breeman received the Medal of Honor on May 5, 1906 for his actions on board Kearsarge the previous month and received $100 as a gratuity.
Not long thereafter, his term of enlistment expired, and Breeman received an honorable discharge from the Navy. On September 16, 1912, he reenlisted at New York City. After a brief period of service in USS USS Nashville (PG-7), he transferred to the battleship USS New Hampshire (BB-25) on December 23, 1912, where he served for a little more than eight years.
During most of that time, his ship operated in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. During America’s participation in World War I, however, he and his ship helped to train gunners in northern waters. At the end of the war, Breeman made four voyages to Europe and back in USS New Hampshire (BB-25) bringing veterans home. During his long tour of duty in New Hampshire, he advanced to the rank of chief turret captain.
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