At approximately 11:15
p.m. on the night of 17 April 1918, while resting in Quiberon Bay on the
Brittany Peninsula of France, the SS Florence H, an
American steamer loaded with powder and steel, erupted in a massive
explosion. Within seconds she was torn by a second, greater explosion
that shook the other ships and rained flaming debris over the bay.
Though some believed perhaps the ship had been torpedoed, this was never
confirmed and the prevailing theory was that the steam ship was victim
to an internal explosion. For this reason most Navy Cross lists
separate the 62 awards for heroism in the aftermath of that explosion
and days of diving that followed, from World War I combat awards.
Click
HERE for Full Text Citations for the Men Listed Below
|
Name
|
Rating
|
Branch
|
Ship
|
Date of Action
|
|
Aldrich, Robert Wesley
|
Carpenter's Mate Third Class
|
USNRF
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Aymar, Robert W.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Beglin, William J.
|
Seaman
|
USN
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Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Brandt, William J.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
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Truxton
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Brown, Henry C.
|
Engineman Second Class
|
USNRF
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Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Brunssen, Louis F.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Burns, Frank T.
|
Gunner's Mate First Class
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Cargill, George B.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
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Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Carter, James P.
|
Seaman
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USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Childress, Paul
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Conroy, J. J.
|
Coxswain
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Coon, Marvin L.
|
Lieutenant
|
USNRF
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Cram, George E.
|
Lieutenant
|
USN
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Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Donley, Charles Frederick
|
Boatswain's Mate First Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Eccleston, Howard R.
|
Lieutenant (j.g.)
|
USNRF
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Ellison, Walter A.
|
Fireman First Class
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Flaut, Jesse A.
|
Lieutenant (MC)
|
USNRF
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Frank, Harold M.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Steward
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Garvey, Frank B.
|
Gunner's Mate First Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Gates, Edwin G.
|
Chief Boatswain's Mate
|
USN
|
Steward
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Hale, Raymond W.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Harrington, Fred
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Harris, William O.
|
Ensign
|
USNRF
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Hazzard, Norman K.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Heller, John C.
|
Gunner's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Hoover, Earl E.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Stewart
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Johnston, Robert A.
|
Ensign
|
USNRF
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Johnstone, Roger
|
Yeoman Second Class
|
USN
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Jones, Charles E.
|
Water Tender
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
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Jones, Hayden H.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
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Kelly, John J.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
King, Wallace A.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Lamberton, Roy F.
|
Coxswain
|
USNRF
|
Truxton
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Lebas, Harry E.
|
Chief Pharmacist's Mate
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Lee, Oscar
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Lindholm, William
|
Coxswain
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Maguire, William A.
|
Lieutenant (Chaplain)
|
USN
|
Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Malone, Michael J.
|
Coxswain
|
USN
|
Stewart
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Manley, George C.
|
Pharmacist's Mate Second Class
|
USNRF
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Mathias, Frank M.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
McCabe, Harold E.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
McCauley, George S.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Wanderer
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Morris, Paul E.
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Olsen, Norman
|
Quartermaster Second Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Pedeson, Olaf
|
Coxswain
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Reinlein, Frank G.
|
Machinist's Mate First Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Rockwell, Sherburne B.
|
Ensign
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Rogers, John W.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Florence H
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Schaperow, James H.
|
Chief Boatswain's Mate
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Schwimmer, Charles Edwin
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Shabouth, Anthony
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Whipple
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Shatto, Lawrence
|
Coxswain
|
USN
|
Truxton
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Snow, Herbert E.
|
Lieutenant
|
USNRF
|
Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Sullivan, Thomas P.
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Trainor, Harold W.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Truxton
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Van Horn, Evans C.
|
Coxswain
|
USNRF
|
Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Wacker, Vincent M.
|
Sxeaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Walker, Daniel
|
Boatswain's Mate Second Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Walker, Lloyd
|
Seaman
|
USN
|
Stewart
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Wassberg, Hilding F.
|
Ship's Gunner's Mate Second
Class
|
USN
|
Sultana
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Wilson, Harold R.
|
Seaman Second Class
|
USN
|
Corona
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
|
Zeller, Louis
|
Pharmacist's Mate First Class
|
USN
|
Christabel
|
Apr 17, 1918
|
Click
HERE for Full Text Citations for the Men Above
|
NOTE:
Some references also list the award of the Navy Cross to
Seaman 2/c Jesse
Whitfield Covington for his heroism in this action. This is,
however, the same act for which he was subsequently
awarded the Medal of Honor, so though we make his citation available
we do not number him among our list
of Navy Cross Awards. Quartermaster Frank
M. Upton was also awarded the Medal of Honor in this action.
Both men were serving onboard the USS Stewart near the stricken
Florence H and rushed to rescue survivors of the blast.
|
|
Florence
H Explosion
