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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Cornelius J. Leahy

Private Cornelius J. Leahy, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on September 3, 1899 near Porac, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection.

Philippine Insurrection September 3, 1899PosthumousBorn in Ireland

Private Cornelius J. Leahy, a soldier in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on September 3, 1899 near Porac, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection. At the time he was serving with Company A, 36th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Leahy was about 27 years old.

One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1902, 2 years after the action.

Leahy was born in June 1872 in Limerick, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. Leahy died on December 1, 1900 in Philippine Islands (Killed in Action), at the age of about 28. He is buried at San Francisco National Cemetery in San Francisco, California.

Leahy is one of 82 Medal of Honor recipients from the Philippine Insurrection and one of 142 credited to California.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Distinguished gallantry in action in driving off a superior force, and with the assistance of one comrade, brought from the field of action the bodies of two comrades, one killed and the other severely wounded, this while on a scout.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Philippine–American War.

Places

  • Born: Ireland — map
  • Buried: San Francisco National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in California →

Timeline

  1. June 1872
    Born in Limerick, Ireland
  2. September 3, 1899
    Act of valor — near Porac, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age about 27. Company A, 36th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers
  3. December 1, 1900
    Died in Philippine Islands (Killed in Action)
    Age about 28.
  4. May 3, 1902
    Medal of Honor presented posthumously
  5. Resting place
    San Francisco National Cemetery
    San Francisco, California

Biography

Cornelius J. Leahy was a Private in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Philippine–American War. He is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery, San Francisco, California.

From the Wikipedia article “Cornelius J. Leahy”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on September 3, 1899

JG James Robert lee Gillenwater Corporal · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899

More Philippine Insurrection recipients from California

AW Amos Weaver Sergeant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 Peter H. Quinn Private · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 AS Andrew Vincent Stoltenberg Gunner's Mate Second Class · Navy Philippine Insurrection · 1900 George Franklin Shiels Major Surgeon · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899
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.