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Private · U.S. Army

Charles Cawetzka

Private Charles Cawetzka, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 23, 1900 near Sariaya, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection.

Private Charles Cawetzka, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 23, 1900 near Sariaya, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection. At the time he was serving with Company F, 30th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Cawetzka was 23 years old.

The medal was presented on March 14, 1902.

Cawetzka was born on March 1, 1877 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to Wayne, Wayne County, Michigan. Cawetzka died on October 23, 1951, at the age of 74. He is buried at Romulus Cemetery in Romulus, Michigan.

Cawetzka is one of 82 Medal of Honor recipients from the Philippine Insurrection and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Singlehanded he defended a disabled comrade against a greatly superior force of the enemy.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Philippine–American War, Spanish–American War.

Places

  • Born: Detroit — map
  • Died: Romulus — map
  • Buried: Romulus Memorial Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. March 1, 1877
    Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
  2. August 23, 1900
    Act of valor — near Sariaya, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age 23. Company F, 30th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers
  3. March 14, 1902
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 23, 1951
    Died
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Romulus Cemetery
    Romulus, Michigan

Biography

Charles Cawetzka (March 1, 1877 Detroit, Michigan – October 23, 1951) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 23, 1900, during the Philippine–American War. Private Cawetzka protected a wounded comrade from a "numerically superior enemy". Private Cawetzka is buried in Romulus Memorial Cemetery in Romulus, Michigan.

From the Wikipedia article “Charles Cawetzka”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

More Philippine Insurrection recipients from Michigan

Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.