The BackTracker History Show

USS Huron: Bristol's U.S Hero


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USS Huron: Bristol's U.S Hero

Season: 6 Episode: 17

It was just after midnight on Tuesday, July 21st, 1908, in a quiet little home on Rudgeway Parade, Upper Eastville. The world barely noticed as Antonio Williams drew his final breath. A modest man by all appearances… but behind that quiet ending was a life of extraordinary courage.

Antonio Williams wasn’t just a U.S. Navy pensioner—he was a hero, a survivor of the sea, and one of the few ever awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in peacetime. His official citation, dated November 24, 1877, was brief and humble: “For courage and fidelity displayed in the loss of the USS Huron.” But the real story? Oh, it’s anything but brief.

Today, we dive deep into the legacy of a man who faced death on the high seas—and lived to be quietly forgotten… until now.

CAST

John B. Hawlet - Garrett Odell

DON'T GIVE UP THE FLAG - Joe Wilson

Secretary of the Navy - Mark Vinet


THIS PODCAST

This podcast has been specially edited from a Bradley Stoke Radio show in Bristol, England. 

If you liked it please leave a rating and maybe a comment and if you’d like to support the show with a donation, however small, you can go to Ko-Fi.com

Some more great news for you, if you were interested in buying merchandise featuring the show’s logo, then pop over to Teepublic, you’ll find lots of things to choose from.

So, thankyou for listening and until next time guys, take care and look after each other.


CONTACT ME

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @BackTrackerUK

Instagram: @backtrackeruk

Bluesky: @BackTrackerUK

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SOURCES

Nottingham Evening Post - Monday 27 July 1908

Western Daily Press - Saturday 25 July 1908

Western Daily Press - Thursday 30 July 1908

North Carolina Shipwrecks

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Sound Effects by zapsplat.com

Intro music by The Model Folk 

Back In The Day music by Freesoundmusic

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