Allegiance United States Role Sailor Years of service 1922 – 1924 Awards Medal of Honor | Name George Cholister | |
Born December 18, 1898
Camden, New Jersey ( 1898-12-18 ) Died October 21, 1924, Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States Place of burial Colestown Cemetery, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States Rank Boatswain's mate, Petty officer, first class | ||
Battles/wars None, peacetime award Service/branch United States Navy | ||
George Robert Cholister (December 18, 1898 – October 21, 1924) was a United States Navy sailor awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for his actions on October 20, 1924. His medal was awarded by a special act of the United States Congress. Ensign Henry Clay Drexler was awarded a Medal of Honor and Navy Cross for the same heroism. Boatswain's Mate Cholister is buried in Cherry Hill, New Jersey at Colestown Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy. Born: December 18, 1898, Camden, N.J. Accredited to: New Jersey. (Awarded by Special Act of Congress February 3, 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 October 20, 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.