George Gibson McMurtry (November 6, 1876 – November 22, 1958) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

officer, a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient and a Harvard–educated Wall Street lawyer. He first served in the Army as a member of the

Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and di ...

during the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...

. He received the

as the executive officer of the Lost Battalion during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1876, McMurtry was described as a big, burly, Scottish-American, with a ruddy face who seemed to always be of good cheer. He attended law school at Harvard graduating prior to the

In the Rough Riders in the Spanish–American War

At the start of the Spanish–American War, at the age of 22, McMurtry left Harvard to serve as a member of

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

's 1st US Volunteer Cavalry, known as the

. He was a member of Troop D commanded by Captain Robert B. Huston. D Troop was part of the cavalry squadron commanded by

Alexander Brodie Alexander Brodie may refer to: * Sir Alexander Brodie, Lord Brodie (1617–1680) of Brodie, member of the Parliament of Scotland for Elginshire 1643–50 * Alexander Brodie (died 1672) of Lethen, member of the Parliament of Scotland for Nairnshire ...

. As part of D Troop, McMurtry participated in the

Battle of Las Guasimas The Battle of Las Guasimas of June 24, 1898 was a Spanish rearguard action by Major General Antero Rubín against advancing columns led by Major General "Fighting Joe" Wheeler and the first land engagement of the Spanish–American War. The ba ...

on Friday 24 June 1898 and in the

Battle of San Juan Hill The Battle of San Juan Hill, also known as the Battle for the San Juan Heights, was a major battle of the Spanish–American War fought between an American force under the command of William Rufus Shafter and Joseph Wheeler against a Spanish fo ...

on 1 July 1898.

In the Lost Battalion in World War I

When the Rough Riders were disbanded, McMurtry returned to

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

, graduating in 1899. Like Lt. Colonel Charles Whittlesey, the leader of the Lost Battalion, he was also a Wall Street lawyer. He would later make millions of dollars in the stock market after the war. He did not forget an Army career however; he obtained a commission when the Army established its first Officer Candidate Schools in May 1917. By the time World War I started, he was one of the most experienced officers of the newly formed 308th Infantry Regiment.

Medal of Honor Citation

*Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division *Place and date: At Charlevaux, Argonne Forest, France, October 2–8, 1918 *Born: November 6, 1876, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania *War Department, General Orders No. 118, December 2, 1918 Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain (Infantry) George G. McMurtry, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on October 2–8, 1918, while serving with 308th Infantry, 77th Division, in action at Charlevaux, Argonne Forest. Captain McMurtry commanded a battalion which was cut off and surrounded by the enemy and although wounded in the knee by shrapnel on 4 October and suffering great pain, he continued throughout the entire period to encourage his officers and men with a resistless optimism that contributed largely toward preventing panic and disorder among the troops, who were without food, cut off from communication with our lines. On 4 October, during a heavy barrage, he personally directed and supervised the moving of the wounded to shelter before himself seeking shelter. On 6 October, he was again wounded in the shoulder by a German grenade, but continued personally to organize and direct the defense against the German attack on the position until the attack was defeated. He continued to direct and command his troops, refusing relief, and personally led his men out of the position after assistance arrived before permitting himself to be taken to the hospital on 8 October. During this period the successful defense of the position was due largely to his efforts.

Personal life

McMurtry married Mabel C. Post on Long Island on December 16, 1903. He was married to Louise Hunt from 1933 to 1942 (with whom he had a daughter, also named Louise, in 1935) and to Teresa Fabbri from 1942 until his death. In 1930, McMurtry built the Bayview property in Bar Harbor.

Death

McMurtry died on November 22, 1958, aged 82. He is interred in

Ledgelawn Cemetery Ledgelawn Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Bar Harbor, Maine, United States. Established in 1903, several prominent early business owners, notable summer residents, and other townspeople are buried in the cemetery. The need for a new cemetery ...

in Bar Harbor, Maine, alongside his third wife.

Military awards

McMurtry's military decorations and awards include:

In popular culture

In the 2001 made-for-TV movie '' The Lost Battalion'', McMurtry was portrayed by Phil McKee.The Lost Battalion (2001) on the Internet Movie Database
Retrieved June 12, 2015.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcmurtry, George G. United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army officers 1876 births 1958 deaths Harvard College alumni Rough Riders World War I recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army personnel of World War I Military personnel from Pittsburgh United States Army Infantry Branch personnel