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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

George Francis Berg

Private George Francis Berg, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 1, 1898 in El Caney, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War July 1, 1898

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private George Francis Berg received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1, 1898 in El Caney, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. At the time he was serving with Company C, 17th U.S. Infantry. Berg was 29 years old.

23 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 17, 1927, 29 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Master Sergeant Ret..

Berg was born on December 2, 1868 in Mount Erie, Wayne County, Illinois. His Medal of Honor is credited to Fort Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. Berg died on November 27, 1945 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 76. He is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in South Portland, Maine. Records also list him as Burg, George.

Berg is one of 110 Medal of Honor recipients from the Spanish-American War and one of 20 credited to Nebraska.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines and while under heavy fire of the enemy.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Spanish–American War.

Places

  • Born: Mount Erie — map
  • Buried: Mount Pleasant Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Nebraska →

From the archives

This Medal of Honor Recipient's name was originally recorded with the spelling "Burg" when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He eventually had this error corrected in U.S. military records in 1901 to his true name of "Berg."

Timeline

  1. December 2, 1868
    Born in Mount Erie, Wayne County, Illinois
  2. July 1, 1898
    Act of valor — El Caney, Cuba
    Age 29. Company C, 17th U.S. Infantry
  3. October 17, 1927
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 27, 1945
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 76.
  5. Resting place
    Mount Pleasant Cemetery
    South Portland, Maine

Biography

George Francis Berg (December 2, 1868 - November 27, 1945) was an American soldier serving in the United States Army during the Spanish–American War who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.

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

Also honored for actions on July 1, 1898

EB Edward Lee Baker Jr. Sergeant Major · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 OB Oscar Brookin Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 UB Ulysses G. Buzzard Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 Charles P. Cantrell Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 AC Andrew Johnson Cummins Sergeant · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 JD John Francis Deswan Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TD Thomas M. Doherty Corporal · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 FF Frank Ottis Fournia Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TG Thomas J. Graves Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 BH Benjamin Franklin Hardaway First Lieutenant · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 WK William G. Keller Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TK Thomas Kelly Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898

See all 24 recipients for July 1, 1898 →

More Spanish-American War recipients from Nebraska

JE John Walter Ehle Fireman First Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898
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.