David Urbansky (also spelled Orbansky) was a Jewish American soldier who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War.

Urbansky was born in Lautenburg, Prussia (modern-day Poland) in 1843. He immigrated to the United States at some point before the American Civil War broke out. The service record states that Urbansky entered the army as a private in the 58^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on October 28, 1861, was detailed to the Corps Commissary Department on September 10, 1863, and was mustered out on January 14, 1865.

Urbansky earned the Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military decoration, for his gallantry in action against enemy Confederate forces in the Battle of Shiloh (Tennessee) in 1862 and again at the Siege of Vicksburg (Mississippi) in 1863. His service record records that Urbansky's original medal was lost and that a new one was issued in 1879. His citation reads:

Gallantry in actions.

David Urbansky died January 22, 1897, and was buried in Piqua, Ohio. After his death his family moved to Cincinnati where his wife was buried in 1914. The family had Urbansky’s remains moved to Cincinnati and placed next to her.

Sources: Jewish Recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, compiled by Seymour "Sy" Brody;
Library of Congress;
“David Orbansky,” Wikipedia;
Congressional Medal of Honor Society;
“David Orbansky,” Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati.

Portrait Photo: Public Domain.
Gravestone Courtesy of Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati.