George Robert Cholister-Colestown, NJ
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 39° 55.983 W 074° 59.510
18S E 500698 N 4420326
Peacetime Medal of Honor Recipient for action on board the USS Trenton on October 20, 1924. He was killed in action. He is buried in Colestown Cemetery, Colestown NJ in Section D, Lot 6.
Waymark Code: WMWTNH
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 10/12/2017
Views: 2
He was born on December 18, 1898 in Camden, NJ and died on October 21, 1924 in Portsmouth, VA. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: *CHOLISTER, GEORGE ROBERT
• Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy
• Accredited to: New Jersey
• Awarded by Special Act of Congress 3 February 1933
Citation: For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of a fire on board the U S.S. Trenton. At 3:35 on the afternoon of 20 October 1924, while the Trenton was preparing to fire trial installation shots from the two 6-inch guns in the forward twin mount of that vessel, 2 charges of powder ignited. Twenty men were trapped in the twin mount. Four died almost immediately and 10 later from burns and inhalation of flames and gases. The 6 others were severely injured. Cholister, without thought of his own safety, on seeing that the charge of powder from the left gun was ignited, jumped for the right charge and endeavored to put it in the immersion tank. The left charge burst into flame and ignited the right charge before Cholister could accomplish his purpose. He fell unconscious while making a supreme effort to save his shipmates and died the following day.
Armed Service: Navy
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