Robert Penn

Robert Penn (October 10, 1872 – June 8, 1912) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Spanish–American War.

Biography On July 20, 1898, Penn was serving as a Fireman First Class on the off the coast of Santiago de Cuba when a boiler accident occurred. For his actions during the incident, Penn was issued the Medal of Honor five months later, on December 14, 1898.

He died in Las Animas, Colorado and is interred at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

Medal of Honor citation Fireman Penn's official Medal of Honor citation reads: On board the U.S.S. Iowa off Santiago de Cuba, 20 July 1898. Performing his duty at the risk of serious scalding at the time of the blowing out of the manhole gasket on board the vessel, Penn hauled the fire while standing on a board thrown across a coal bucket 1 foot above the boiling water which was still blowing from the boiler.