Medal of Honor Recipients serving aboard the U.S.S Iowa during the July 29, 1898, incident:

Coppersmith Philip B. Keefer
U.S. Navy
Born September 4, 1875, in Washington, D.C.
Died January 1, 1948
Medal of Honor Citation: On board the U.S.S. Iowa off Santiago de Cuba, 29 July 1898. Following the blow-out of a manhole gasket of that vessel which caused the fire room to be filled with live steam and the floor plates to be covered with boiling water, Keefer showed courageous and zealous conduct in hauling fires from 2 furnaces of boiler B.

Fireman 1st Class Robert Penn
U.S. Navy
Born October 10, 1872, in City Point, Virginia
Date of death unknown
Medal of Honor Citation: On board the U.S.S. Iowa off Santiago de Cuba, 29 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. (African American)