b. 23/05/1877 Islington, London, England. d. 24/10/1978 Brockton, Massachusetts.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 20-22/06/1900 China.
William Seach MOH
Seach was born May 23, 1877, in London, England. He entered the United States Navy in 1898 and fought as an Ordinary Seaman in China in the Boxer Rebellion. From 13 to 22 June 1900 Seach distinguished himself several times in combat for which he awarded the Medal of Honor in 1901.
On 16 January 1909 Seach was promoted to the Warrant Officer rank of gunner and on 16 January 1915, he was promoted to chief gunner. On 1 July 1918, he received a temporary promotion to the rank of lieutenant.
During World War I, Seach served as the gunnery officer on the transport ship USS President Lincoln until she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine SM U-90 on 31 May 1918. Seach was injured during the sinking and was briefly held as a prisoner of war by the Germans before being left adrift to be rescued by the French. Also held on U-90 was Lieutenant Edouard Izac who would escape from captivity and was later awarded the Medal of Honor.
Seach retired from the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant in 1923. Following his retirement, Seach lived in Weymouth, Massachusetts. In 1958 he was a member of the honor guard at the interment of the unknown soldiers of World War II and the Korean War at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lieutenant Seach died October 24, 1978, at the age of 101, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia. When he died he was the oldest and longest-living recipient of the Medal of Honor, and the last surviving US veteran of the Boxer Rebellion to receive the medal.
Lieutenant Seach’s Medal of Honor, along with his other medals and sword, are on display at the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum on board the heavy cruiser USS Salem at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts.
MOH CITATION:
In action with the relief expedition of the Allied forces in China during the battles of 13, 20, 21, and 22 June 1900. June 13: Seach and six others were cited for their courage in repulsing an attack by 300 Chinese Imperialist soldiers and Boxer militants with a bayonet charge, thus thwarting a planned massive attack on the entire force. June 20: During a day-long battle, Seach ran across an open clearing, gained cover, and cleaned out nests of Chinese snipers. June 21: During a surprise saber attack by Chinese cavalrymen, Seach was cited for defending gun emplacements. June 22: Seach and others breached the wall of a Chinese fort, fought their way to the enemy’s guns, and turned the cannon upon the defenders of the fort. Throughout this period and in the presence of the enemy, Seach distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.
BURIAL LOCATION: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
SECTION 11, GRAVE 334-2.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: US NAVAL SHIPBUILDING MUSEUM, USS SALEM, QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.
