Louis Fred Pfeifer Louis Fred Pfeifer ( June 19 , 1876 – c . 1917 ) was a private in the United States Marine Corps who received the Medal of Honor for risking his life to rescue several shipmates during a fire aboard . Pfeifer joined the Marine Corps from Philadelphia under the name Louis Fred Theis and served aboard the during engagements in the waters around Manila during the Spanish American War . When a fire broke out aboard ship and several crew members went missing while trying to extinguish the flames , Pfeifer ( under the name of Theis ) and several other shipmates risked their lives to rescue them . All eventually received the Medal of Honor for their actions . After receiving the Medal of Honor he continued to serve in the Marine Corps and upon reenlistment changed his name back to Pfeifer until he was discharged in 1917 . Early life and military career . Pfeifer was born June 19 , 1876 , in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . On January 5 , 1898 he joined the Marine Corps from Brooklyn , New York . He enlisted under the name Louis F . Theis and served his first enlistment under this name . He was assigned to the marine contingent aboard the when it was sent as part of Admiral George Dewey ' s fleet in the campaign against Manila during the Spanish American War in the Battle of Manila Bay . Medal of Honor action . On the morning of March 31 , 1901 , while off Cavite in Manila Bay , a fire started aboard the " Petrel " originating in the sail room . The sail room was a small compartment in the bottom of the ship , adjacent to the magazine and was accessible only by a hatchway from the berth deck above . Several members of the ship ' s crew , led by the ship ' s captain , Lieutenant Commander Jesse M . Roper took turns entering the compartment and fighting the blaze . The fire produced no visible flames but thick , acrid smoke and fumes filled the area . The sail room was also pitch black ; the ship ' s electric generator had been turned off at dawn , and no other lamps would work in the harsh atmosphere of the compartment . A number of men , including Roper , were overcome by the bad air and were pulled out of the sail room semi - conscious . As the fumes grew thicker and more noxious , Roper ordered everyone out of the compartment , but one sailor , Seaman Patrick Toner , did not emerge from the room . When a sound was heard from below , believed to be Toner fighting for breath , four men descended to rescue him , including Roper ( not fully recovered from his first trip below ) . When the four men did not return , Seaman Alphonse Girandy tied a rope around his waist and climbed down the ladder , finding Kessler and Flaherty , both semi - conscious , and passing them up to be hauled through the hatchway . He found Toner at the bottom of the ladder and , although losing consciousness himself , held on to him as the sailors above pulled both men out of the compartment . Lieutenant J . S . McKean , with a rope around his waist , was next into the sail room , followed by Private Louis F . Thies ( Pfiefer ) and Seaman Thomas Cahey . As McKean searched in the darkness for the two men still missing , Lieutenant Commander Roper and Cadet Lewis , the ship ' s generator finally came back online . With the help of a lamp lowered through the hatchway , McKean could see Roper and Lewis slumped against the walls of the compartment . McKean dragged Roper to the ladder to be hauled out and then , with the help of Theis and Cahey , rescued Lewis , just before losing consciousness himself . The fire was extinguished later that day ; Roper was killed by the fumes , but the other men all eventually recovered . For their actions during the incident , Cahey , Girandy , and Thies were each awarded the Medal of Honor . Pfeifer received his medal on March 22 , 1902 , while still going by the name of Louis Fred Theis . His complete citation states : Serving on board the U . S . S . Petrel ; for heroism and gallantry , fearlessly exposing his own life to danger for the saving of the others on the occasion of the fire on board that vessel , 31 March 1901 . Later life . Pfeifer continued to serve in the Marine Corps and changed his name back to Pfeifer upon reenlistment . He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps August 27 , 1917 .