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

Private · U.S. Army

William Beattie Trembley

Private William Beattie Trembley, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 27, 1899 in Calumpit, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection.

Philippine Insurrection April 27, 1899

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private William Beattie Trembley received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 27, 1899 in Calumpit, Luzon, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection. At the time he was serving with Company B, 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Trembley was about 22 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 11, 1902, 2 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major.

Trembley was born in 1877 in Johnson, Stanton County, Kansas. His Medal of Honor is credited to Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. Trembley died on January 13, 1952 in Pharr, Texas, at the age of about 75. He is buried at Monticello Methodist Church Cemetery in Olathe, Kansas.

Trembley is one of 82 Medal of Honor recipients from the Philippine Insurrection and one of 31 credited to Kansas.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Swam the Rio Grande de Pampanga in the face of the enemy's fire and fastened a rope to the occupied trenches, thereby enabling the crossing of the river and the driving of the enemy from his fortified position.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War I, Philippine–American War.

Places

  • Born: Johnson City — map
  • Buried: Monticello Union Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Kansas →

Timeline

  1. 1877
    Born in Johnson, Stanton County, Kansas
  2. April 27, 1899
    Act of valor — Calumpit, Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age about 22. Company B, 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry
  3. March 11, 1902
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 13, 1952
    Died in Pharr, Texas
    Age about 75.
  5. Resting place
    Monticello Methodist Church Cemetery
    Olathe, Kansas

Biography

William Beattie Trembley (April 21, 1877 – January 13, 1952) was a private in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Philippine–American War. He was later commissioned as a first lieutenant in World War I. Trembley later served as the postmaster of Kansas City, Kansas, from 1921 to 1935.

From the Wikipedia article “William B. Trembley”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 27, 1899

Frederick Funston Sr. Colonel · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 EW Edward White Private · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899

More Philippine Insurrection recipients from Kansas

JH Joseph Henderson Sergeant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1909 Arthur Medworth Ferguson First Lieutenant · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899 JH John A. Huntsman Sergeant · 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.