Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Captain Assistant Surgeon · U.S. Army

George William Mathews

Captain Assistant Surgeon George William Mathews, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 29, 1899 near Labo, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection.

Philippine Insurrection October 29, 1899

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Captain Assistant Surgeon George William Mathews received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 29, 1899 near Labo, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection. At the time he was serving with 36th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Mathews was about 25 years old.

The medal was presented on March 14, 1902, 2 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major Surgeon.

Mathews was born in 1874 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Mathews died on July 31, 1906 in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the age of about 32. He is buried at St. John's Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Mathews is one of 82 Medal of Honor recipients from the Philippine Insurrection and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.

★ Medics & Corpsmen

Official Medal of Honor citation

While in attendance upon the wounded and under a severe fire from the enemy, seized a carbine and beat off an attack upon wounded officers and men under his charge.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Philippine–American War.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: surgeon

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Massachusetts — map
  • Buried: Saint John's Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. 1874
    Born in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
  2. October 29, 1899
    Act of valor — near Labo, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age about 25. 36th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers
  3. March 14, 1902
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. July 31, 1906
    Died in Worcester, Massachusetts
    Age about 32.
  5. Resting place
    St. John's Cemetery
    Worcester, Massachusetts

Biography

George William Mathews (1874–1906) was an Assistant Surgeon in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Philippine–American War. Mathews was assigned to the 36th US Volunteer Infantry as an assistant surgeon (with rank of Captain) in July 1899. He received a promotion to surgeon (with rank of major) in November 1900, and was retired due to disability in February 1905.

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

Same unit

Arthur Medworth Ferguson First Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 William Remsburg Grove Lieutenant Colonel · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 Paul Frederick Straub Major Surgeon · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899

More Philippine Insurrection recipients from Massachusetts

TP Thomas Francis Prendergast Corporal · Marine Corps Philippine Insurrection · 1899 FW Frank T. o Walker Private · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1900 LM Louis C. Mosher Second Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1913 EG Edward Herrick Gibson Sergeant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 AC Anthony J. Carson Corporal · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1900
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.