Quick Facts
Biography
Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Jr. (6 March 1872 – 11 February 1898) was an officer in the United States Navy in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Joseph Cabell Breckinridge Sr., a major general in the United States Army, and a member of the prominent Breckinridge family.
Biography
Breckinridge was born in Fort Monroe, Virginia and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1895. He served in the battleship Texas, where on several occasions he displayed remarkable coolness and ability in times of peril.
While serving on the torpedo boat USS Cushing, Ensign Breckinridge was washed overboard and drowned in Cuban waters. Two sailors who attempted to rescue him, Ship's Cook First Class Daniel Atkins and Gunner's Mate Third Class John Everetts, were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the incident.
Namesake
USS Breckinridge (DD-148) was named for him.