John Oscar Skinner (May 4, 1845 – September 12, 1932) was an American physician who received the Medal of Honor for actions while a civilian contract surgeon serving with the U.S. Army on January 17, 1873, at Lava Beds, Oregon.

Biography

Skinner was born in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

on May 4, 1845, and was the son of John J. and Emeline Jones Skinner. He attended the Sorbonne in Paris, took special courses at the University of Würzburg in Germany and the University of Vienna and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland. In January 1871 Skinner was a contract surgeon with the U.S. Army at Vancouver Barracks in Washington Territory. His Medal of Honor action occurred in January 1873. He was commissioned in the Army as an assistant surgeon on November 10, 1874. He was one of four officers who accompanied General

George Crook George R. Crook (September 8, 1828 – March 21, 1890) was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. During the 1880s, the Apache nicknamed Crook ''Nantan ...

on his reconnaissance of the

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

and

Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...

country in the southwest United States. He was the custodian of the legendary Apache Chief

Geronimo Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache ba ...

during his imprisonment at Fort Marion in

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabit ...

, from 1887 to 1893. He was promoted to surgeon with the rank of major on March 9, 1892, and retired from the Army on October 26, 1893, shortly after Geronimo's departure from Fort Marion. After leaving the Army he was superintendent of

Columbia Hospital Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

in Washington, D.C., for fifteen years. He received his Medal of Honor in April 1915. It was presented to him by President Woodrow Wilson. In October 1918, late in World War I, he returned to active duty with the United States Army Medical Corps as a surgeon with the rank of lieutenant colonel and was placed in charge of the United States Army Dispensary in Washington. He was discharged in January 1919. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution,

Order of the Indian Wars of the United States The Order of the Indian Wars of the United States (OIWUS) is a military society founded in 1896 by officers of the United States Army who served in campaigns against Native Americans from the American Revolution to the late 19th century. Histo ...

, the Military Order of the Carabao, the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...

, the Optimist Club and the

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. He died on September 12, 1932, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Awards

* Medal of Honor *

Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907.

* World War I Victory Medal

Medal of Honor citation

:''Rescued a wounded soldier who lay under a close and heavy fire during the assault on the Modoc stronghold after 2 soldiers had unsuccessfully attempted to make the rescue and both had been wounded in doing so.''American Decorations Awarded Under the Authority of the Congress of the United States. 1862–1926. Office of the Adjutant General of the Army. Washington, D.C. 1927. p. 99.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skinner, John O 1845 births 1932 deaths Military personnel from Baltimore Physicians from Baltimore United States Army officers People of the Modoc War American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Members of the Sons of the American Revolution United States Army Medical Corps officers

Biography

Awards

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References