George F Brady

On episode one hundred and sixty-one, the story of George F Brady is told. This episode is brought to you by Combat Flip Flops: flipping the view on how wars are won - business, not bullets. Be sure to visit our website for more information as the show goes on at: www.talesofhonorpodcast.com.

George was born on the 7th of September, 1867 in Ireland and he joined the US Navy on the 30th of November, 1884. It was his actions as a Chief Gunner's Mate during the Spanish-American War that would earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

Chief gunner's mate on board the torpedo boat Winslow, for gallant and conspicuous conduct in the action at Cardenas, Cuba, May 11, 1898. Brady's energy in assisting to sustain fire, his efforts to repair the steering gear under fire, and his promptness in maintaining closed watertight doors and hatches, was largely instrumental in saving the vessel.

In addition to receiving the Medal of Honor, George was also promoted to the rank of Gunner on the 27th of June, 1898 and was soon reassigned to the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island. Five years later, he was on board the USS Monongahela when he died at the age of 36 from suicide. It was later found that shortly before the 6th of November 1903, George had stated that “the pain was unbearable” but it is unclear what pain he was talking about.

George's military records show him having a middle initial of F, which was most likely mis-transcribed, and this would lead to him not being well known since his gravestone has his middle initial as a P. Over 100 years after his death, a Pawtucket, Rhode Island resident found his gravestone and saw that it did not say that he was a Medal of Honor recipient. On the 11th of November, 2013, a Medal of Honor grave marker was dedicated by representatives of the US Navy and local veterans. George Patrick Brady is buried in the Island Cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island.