George Willis (Medal of Honor)

George Willis (born 1839, date of death unknown) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Willis enlisted in the Navy from his birth state of Massachusetts and served as a coxswain aboard the USS Tigress (1871) during the search for the missing exploration ship Polaris. When an Arctic gale struck Tigress off the coast of Greenland on the night of September 22, 1873, Willis volunteered to single-handedly furl (lower, roll up and secure) the loose fore topgallant sail, an act which prevented damage to the ship. For his conduct on that occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor citation

Coxswain Willis' official Medal of Honor citation reads simply:

Serving on board the U.S.S. Tigress, Willis displayed gallant and meritorious conduct on the night of September 22, 1873 off the coast of Greenland.