Rade Grbitch or Rade Grbić (Serbian Cyrillic: Раде Грбић; December 24, 1870 – March 5, 1910) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Rade Grbitch
Born(1870-12-24)December 24, 1870
Austria
DiedMarch 5, 1910(1910-03-05) (aged 39)
Place of burial
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
RankSeaman
UnitUSS Bennington (PG-4)
AwardsMedal of Honor

Biography edit

Grbitch was born December 24, 1870, in Austria-Hungary and joined the Navy from Ohio. He was Serb from Dalmatia. On July 21, 1905, a boiler exploded aboard the USS Bennington (PG-4) while it was at San Diego, California and sank. During the explosion 66 sailors were killed and almost everyone else on the ship was injured. For his actions during the explosion he received the Medal of Honor January 5, 1906.[1][2]

He died on March 5, 1910, and is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery.

Medal of Honor citation edit

Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 24 December 1870, Austria. Accredited to: Illinois. G.O. No.: 13, 5 January 1906.

Citation:

On board the U.S.S. Bennington, for extraordinary heroism displayed at the time of the explosion of a boiler of that vessel at San Diego, Calif., 21 July 1905.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Medal of Honor recipients - Interim Awards, 1901-1911". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 5, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  2. ^ "Bennington". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval Historical Command. February 8, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2010.

External links edit