Medal of Honor: John E. Moran, U.S. Volunteers, Philippine Islands, 17 September 1900

JOHN E. MORAN
Rank and organization: Captain, Company L, 37th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers
Place and date: Near Mabitac, Laguna, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 17 September 1900
Entered service at: Cascade County, Montana
Born: 23 August 1856, Vernon, Windham County, Vermont
Date of issue: 10 June 1910

In the steamy jungles and rice fields of Luzon during the Philippine–American War, Captain John E. Moran found himself facing a moment that would test the will and courage of any leader. Near the town of Mabitac, in Laguna Province, American troops were pressing against an enemy force that had chosen its ground carefully—positions fortified by nature and man alike. The attack was brutal, the fire intense. Under the weight of concentrated enemy resistance, the attacking party faltered, men stumbling into hesitation and confusion as bullets swept across waist-deep waters.

It was in this desperate hour that Captain Moran stepped forward. Where fear threatened to break the line, he embodied resolve. With fearless determination, he gathered a small body of troops around him. Exposed to relentless fire and fully aware of the peril, he led them personally into the floodwaters, wading waist-deep against the current, advancing into the storm of bullets that had already halted stronger numbers. His presence was not just leadership—it was an anchor, rallying the shaken and inspiring those too weary to push further.

The act of charging forward under such conditions demanded more than courage—it demanded the willingness to bear the weight of others’ doubt and turn it into action. Moran’s decision to press through transformed retreat into renewed attack, rekindling the fighting spirit of his men in the face of overwhelming firepower. His gallant stand near Mabitac remains a testament to the kind of leadership that defines victory not by numbers or position, but by heart and will.

Medal of Honor Citation:
After the attacking party had become demoralized, fearlessly led a small body of troops under a severe fire and through water waist deep in the attack against the enemy.