Years of service 1898, 1917–1919 Died November 22, 1958 Role Military Officer | Name George McMurtry | |
 | ||
Born November 6, 1876Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ( 1876-11-06 ) Battles/wars Spanish–American WarWorld War I Battles and wars | ||
George Gibson McMurtry (November 6, 1876 – November 22, 1958) was United States Army officer, a Medal of Honor recipient and a Harvard Law-educated Wall Street lawyer.
Contents
- Early life
- In the Rough Riders in the SpanishAmerican War
- In the Lost Battalion in World War I
- In popular culture
- References
He first served in the Army as a member of the Rough Riders during the Spanish–American War. He received the Medal of Honor as the executive officer of the Lost Battalion during World War I.
Early life
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1876, McMurtry was described as a big, burly, Scotch-Irish American with a ruddy face who seemed to always be of good cheer. He attended law school at Harvard graduate prior to the Spanish–American War.
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's 1st US Volunteer Cavalry, known as the Rough Riders. 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. As part of D Troop, McMurtry participated in the Battle of Las Guasimas on Friday 24 June 1898 and in the Battle of San Juan Hill on 1 July 1898.
In the Lost Battalion in World War I
When the Rough Riders were disbanded, McMurtry returned to Harvard College, 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
In popular culture
In the 2001 made-for-TV movie The Lost Battalion, McMurtry was portrayed by Phil McKee.