Colonel Frederick Funston Sr. was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 27, 1899 in Rio Grande de la Pampanga, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection. At the time he was serving with 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Funston was 33 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 14, 1900. He later rose to the rank of Major General U.S.A..
Funston was born on November 9, 1865 in New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Iola, Allen County, Kansas. Funston died on February 19, 1917 in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, at the age of 51. He is buried at San Francisco National Cemetery in San Francisco, California.
Funston is one of 82 Medal of Honor recipients from the Philippine Insurrection and one of 31 credited to Kansas.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Crossed the river on a raft and by his skill and daring enabled the general commanding to carry the enemy's entrenched position on the north bank of the river and to drive him with great loss from the important strategic position of Calumpit.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
How he died
- Manner of death: natural causes
- Cause of death: myocardial infarction
- Age at death: 51
- Resting place: San Francisco National Cemetery
Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Philippine–American War, Spanish–American War, Bandit War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Offices held: commandant; commanding officer
- Occupations: botanist, botanical collector, scientific collector
- Education: University of Kansas
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Kansas →
Timeline
- November 9, 1865Born in New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio
- April 27, 1899Act of valor — Rio Grande de la Pampanga, Luzon, Philippine IslandsAge 33. 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry
- February 14, 1900Medal of Honor presented
- February 19, 1917Died in Fort Sam Houston, TexasAge 51.
- Resting placeSan Francisco National CemeterySan Francisco, California
Biography
Frederick Funston (November 9, 1865 – February 19, 1917), also known as Fighting Fred Funston, was a general in the United States Army, best known for his roles in the Spanish–American War and the Philippine–American War; he received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the latter conflict.
From the Wikipedia article “Frederick Funston”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- Camp Funston — training camp, military camp
- Fort Funston — military installation, protected area
- Funston Elementary School — elementary school in the United States
