William Sidney Shacklette – Hospitalman, United States Navy

Born on May 17, 1880 at Delaplane, Virginia. Earned the Medal of Honorwhile serving aboard the USS Bennington at San Diego, California, on July 21, 1905. The Medal was presented on January 5, 1906.

He died on February 12, 1945 and was buried in Section 10 of Arlington National Cemetery.

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United States Navy Photo

13 June 1996:

Barracks Named for Medal of Honor Recipient

NMC Portsmouth, Virginia (NMSN)–Naval Medical Center Portsmouth dedicated its newest barracks last week to honor a corpsman whose heroic actions earned him the Medal of Honor.

Shacklette Hall is named after William Sidney Shacklette, who as a hospital steward (the precursor to day's hospital corpsman) risked his life repeatedly while treating shipmates injured in a boiler explosion onboard his ship, USS BENNINGTON, in 1905.

Shacklette incurred third degree burns over a large part of his body, and was discharged from the Navy as a result of his injuries.  Subsequently, Shacklette completed seminary studies and returned to active duty as an Army chaplain, serving during World War I. Shacklette left the Army after the war and continued
his ministry, which culminated in his nomination as Chaplain of the U.S. Senate.

By Lieutenant Merritt Allen, United States Navy
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia.

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SHACKLETTE, WILLIAM SIDNEY

Rank and organization: Hospital Steward, U.S. Navy. Born: 17 May 1880, Delaplane, Virginia. Accredited to: Virginia. G.O. No.: 13, 5 January 1906.

Citation:

For extraordinary heroism while serving on the U.S.S. Bennington at the time of the explosion of a boiler of that vessel at San Diego, Calif., 21 July 1905.

SHACKLETTE, WILLIAM SIDNEY
PHARMACIST U S NAVY RET
AWARDED CONGRESSIONAL MEDIAL OF HONOR

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF DEATH: 02/12/1945
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 02/19/1945
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 10  SITE 10688
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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