b. 24/12/1870 Austria. d. 05/03/1910 California.

 

DATE OF MOH ACTION: 21/07/1905 San Diego, California.

 

Grbitch was born December 24, 1870 in Austria-Hungary and joined the Navy from Ohio. He was Serb from Dalmatia. On July 21, 1905, a boiler exploded aboard the USS Bennington (PG-4) while it was at San Diego, California and sank. During the explosion 66 sailors were killed and almost everyone else on the ship was injured. For his actions during the explosion he received the Medal of Honor January 5, 1906.

 

MOH CITATION:

 

On board the U.S.S. Bennington, for extraordinary heroism displayed at the time of the explosion of a boiler of that vessel at San Diego, Calif., 21 July 1905.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: SAN FRANCISCO NATIONAL CEMETERY, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Plot: A, 44