1st Battalion 22nd Infantry George A. Finley

George A. Finley was born in Grogey, Fermanagh, Ireland on May 22, 1879, the son of George and
Elizabeth Finlay. He immigrated with his family to the United States in September 1885, arriving in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At some point the family name was changed to Finley. Prior to entering
the Army Finley was employed as an ironworker in Pennsylvania.

When he was nineteen years old Finley lied about his age, in order to enlist in the Army. (At the time, the minimum age
for enlistment was twenty-one.) He entered the Army on November 28, 1898 at Cleveland, Ohio. He was assigned
as a Private, to Company I 22nd Infantry at Fort Crook, Nebraska on December 1, 1898.

He stood five feet five and a half inches tall, had light brown hair,
grey eyes and a fair complexion.

Finley sailed to the Philippines with Company I aboard the transport Ohio, leaving San Francisco on February 1, 1899
and arriving at Manila on March 5, 1899. He went into his first action on March 13, in the Pasig Expedition. His next
action was in the Malolos Expedition. On March 24, 1899, the 22nd Infantry, under command by Colonel Harry Egbert,
as part of the Brigade led by Brigadier General Lloyd Wheaton, advanced northward from Manila, past Caloocan and Malabon,
and approached the outskirts of the village of Malinta. On March 26 Finley and a Corporal named O'Brien were detailed to
climb up a hill forward of Company I's position, and scout for the enemy.

1st Lieutenant William A. Campbell, commanding Company I, in his After Action Report to his Battalion Commander,
Major John G. Ballance, described the action. The scouts mentioned in his report were Finley and O'Brien:

"When within about 800 yards of the enemy the company was halted by your command and scouts were sent forward to a
small knoll about 300 yards to the front. They reported that several of the enemy were sitting on their intrenchments about
500 yards in advance, but that some appeared to be moving to the right. After waiting for some minutes for orders to advance,
fire was opened upon us by the enemy and I suddenly heard the charge being sounded and saw a company
about 200 yards in my rear advancing in double time. I immediately ordered the company forward in double time
and on reaching the crest of the knoll in front began firing at the enemy, who were behind intrenchments about 500 yards
in front. After firing five or six rounds the signal to cease firing was given and the order to charge repeated. Bv this time
Company L had intermixed with Company I and the whole line advanced, the enemy leaving the intrenchments and
taking up a position behind a stone wall inclosing an old church, and behind some rice mounds on the right of the railroad.
Upon reaching the enemy's intrenchments the company halted with the others and after a few individual shots began firing
volleys at the stone wall and rice bank about 500 yards distant." ¹

The actions of Finley and O'Brien that day were related in an article in the Times of Cuba and -- P.A.R. -- Pan-American Review
in 1941. In the article Finley's name is spelled Finlay:

"...GEORGE FINLAY, who with the present writer was acclaimed hero in 1898 [sic] when they volunteered on this same
battlefield to go up Malinta Hill and locate the (then) enemy. Finlay and O'Brien were private and corporal in Co. I, 22nd
U.S. Infantry, and had lain thirstily in the broiling sun at the foot of the Caloocan hill after dumping the water from their
canteens in favor of water (it proved salty) from a nearby stream they had just waded in a flanking maneuver. One doughboy
carrying on his shoulders, the regiment's beloved commander, General Egbert, who little realized he was to be killed the same day.
Finlay and O'Brien stuck their more or less Irish heads above the top of the hill in time to be welcomed by a volley from
the Filipinos (then known as 'gugus') from their trench just ahead. There were several casualties in the rear coincident with
ensuing volleys and the return of Finlay and O'Brien. Who both rolled incontinently back to the place from whence they came.
With no thought of heroism whatsoever. In fact, the writer (who cannot vouch for Finlay's motives) was imbued solely by a
desire to get away from the hornets at the top of the hill just as expeditiously as possible. He had formed a part of the twosome
merely because he realized that green troops invariably shoot high and that safety was ahead rather than in the rear. General
Egbert lost his life in the charge that ensued, the surprised Filipinos fleeing precipitately to more remote cover when the
Americans arrived and spattering Krag bullets joined the shrill Mauser concatenation. The writer was later recommended
for a commission for his part in the melee but neither of the two participants either expected or received honor or reward
for their foolhardiness" ²

Malinta was taken, and Finley and Company I continued on, and with the rest of the Regiment took Malolos
on March 31, 1899. Finley then served in the San Isidro Campaign. At an unknown date he was promoted to Corporal.

In May 1900 Finley was part of a detachment of twenty men from Company I, being led by Lieutenant Paul Draper,
operating a few miles northwest of the village of San Antonio, and quite near the village of Santa Barbara. The Regimental
history indicates that on May 9, 1900 Draper's detachment "struck a band of insurgents near barrio Santa Barbara;
killed three, wounded four, captured twenty-nine rifles, 886 rounds of ammunition, and one horse. No casualties."

On May 18, 1925 the War Department awarded George Finley a Silver Star Citation for his actions on May 9, 1900,
as a Corporal and part of Lieutenant Draper's detachment in that skirmish near San Antonio, Ecija Province.
Unfortunately, the citation describing the individual actions he performed to earn the award could not be found.
After 1932 recipients of such Citations were allowed to have their awards converted to a Silver Star Medal.

Above: The Silver Star Citation certificate issued to Corporal George Finley
for gallantry in action as part of Lt. Draper's detachment from Company I 22nd Infantry
during the skirmish of May 9, 1900. Though the issue date of the certificate is April 2, 1927,
the War Department orders issuing the award are dated May 18, 1925.

In July of 1900 Finley was part of Brigadier General Frederick Funston's expedition in the area
around Mount Corona, on the Island of Luzon. Funston's column, which consisted of Companies
of the 22nd Infantry, 34th Infantry, and a troop of the 4th Cavalry, located and attacked an insurgent
stronghold, and drove the enemy deeper into the mountains.

For the better part of 1901 Finley and Company I were stationed at San Antonio, and carried out patrols
in the nearby villages and mountains, searching for and destroying insurgent caches and disrupting the
enemy's activities. During the latter part of 1901 Finley was reduced to the rank of Private.

Finley was discharged at Manila on November 27, 1901, with a character reference of Very Good. After a month's leave
in the Philippines, he re-enlisted in Company I 22nd Infantry at Manila on January 7, 1902. He returned to the United States
with his Company aboard the transport Rosencrans, leaving Manila on January 24, 1902 and arriving at San Francisco,
California on February 25, 1902. On March 11 his Company returned to Fort Crook, Nebraska, where they would be stationed
until their next deployment.

On July 27, 1902 Finley was one of two soldiers from Company I detailed to become a part of the Regimental rifle team,
for the Department of the Missouri Infantry competition at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The 22nd Infantry rifle team
won first place in the competition, and then second place in the Army-wide competition held at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

In September 1902 Finley was part of the 22nd Infantry contingent taking part in the large Army maneuvers held near
Fort Riley, Kansas. Part of the exercise was a long foot march undertaken by two Battalions of the 22nd Infantry,
from Fort Crook to Fort Riley, a distance of about 200 miles. It took Finley and his fellow soldiers about fourteen days
to complete this march.

On April 28, 1903 Finley and his Company, as part of two Battalions of the 22nd Infantry, marched in the big parade in
St. Louis, Missouri, coincidental to the opening and dedication of the Louisiana Purchase exposition.

On October 31, 1903 the 22nd Infantry sailed from San Francisco, California aboard the transport U.S.A.T. Sheridan,
and arrived in Manila on November 28, 1903, for its second deployment to the Philippines. Finley and his Company
took station at Camp Marahui on the Island of Mindanao.

In early 1904 Finley was one of six soldiers from Company I who were detailed to compete in the Army's Department
of the Philippines athletic competition, at Zamboanga, on the Island of Mindanao. The athletic competition lasted from
March 16 to April 4, 1904, and the 22nd Infantry won first place.

From June 16 to August 3, 1904 Finley was on Detached Service at Manila. On September 19, 1904 he was one of
a number of men from Company I and from Company K who were detailed on Detached Service to Camp Wheeler,
a small outpost on the Island of Mindanao, on the east side of Lake Lanao, at the mouth of the Taraca River.

By November 1904 he was back at Camp Marahui, awaiting his return to the United States and impending discharge.
He left Manila on about December 15, 1904, aboard the transport U.S.A.T. Sherman, and arrived in San Francisco, California
on January 15, 1905. Finley was discharged at Angel Island, California on January 30, 1905, with a character reference
of Excellent. He had served just over six years with the 22nd Infantry, from 1898 to 1905.

He went back to work as an ironworker in Pennsylvania. On August 21, 1905 Finley re-enlisted in the Army at Huntington,
West Virginia. He served in Company G 4th Infantry from August 21, 1905 to December 19, 1907 on duty in the United States.
On December 20, 1907 he re-enlisted in Company G 4th Infantry, and served with Company G and later with Company M.
He sailed with the 4th Infantry from San Francisco, California aboard the transport U.S.A.T. Thomas on March 5, 1908
and arrived in the Philippines on March 31, 1908, for his third tour of duty in those Islands.

Above: A section of Special Orders 134 showing the award of a Sharpshooter qualification badge
to Private George Finley while he was in Company G 4th Infantry. Finley's name is fifth from the bottom.

While still in the Philippines, on May 3, 1910, Finley was transferred with a large number of soldiers,
from all Companies of the 4th Infantry, to units of the 9th Infantry. He was transferred to Company I 9th Infantry.
At the end of the year he was returned to the United States and discharged at Fort McDowell, California
on November 21, 1910 with a character reference of Excellent.

On January 5, 1911 Finley re-enlisted at Columbus Barracks, Ohio and was assigned to Company F 13th Infantry.
He served with his Company in Texas and was part of the Maneuver Division exercises along the Mexican border.
He sailed with his Regiment aboard the transport U.S.A.T. Sherman, leaving San Francisco, California on
October 5, 1911 and arriving at Manila on October 31, 1911, for his fourth tour of duty in the Philippines.
At some time during his service with the 13th Infantry he was promoted to Corporal. Finley left the Philippines
in late 1913, returned to the United States, and was discharged at Fort McDowell, California on December 22, 1913
with a character reference of Excellent.

George Finley is on the far right in the above photo. The photo is undated, however, Finley's rank of Corporal,
and the uniforms worn by all soldiers appear to suggest this photo was most likely taken while he was with the 13th Infantry,
during the time frame of 1911-1913.

Finley re-enlisted as a Private in Company D 3rd Infantry on January 26, 1914 and served in Company D 3rd Infantry from
January 26, 1914 to September 2, 1917. While with the 3rd Infantry he was promoted to Corporal on April 24, 1915,
and to 1st Sergeant on October 29, 1915. He served on Mexican Border duty in Arizona in 1916-1917.

The 357th Infantry was created in late August 1917 at Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas. Experienced cadre from the 3rd Infantry
were assigned to the 357th to constitute a nucleus of personnel, around which the Regiment could be formed. George Finley
was one of those cadre and was assigned to Company D 357th Infantry as its 1st Sergeant, on September 3, 1917.

The 357th Infantry was assigned to the 90th Division, and trained at Camp Travis until it departed overseas.
Finley and Company D, as part of 1st Battalion 357th Infantry, sailed from Brooklyn on June 20, 1918,
aboard the troop transport Delta. The Delta developed trouble and had to return to Halifax, Nova Scotia
for repairs, arriving there on June 25. The ship sailed from Halifax on July 4 and reached Liverpool, England
on July 15, 1918. From England Finley and his Company were sent over to France.

He served as 1st Sergeant of Company D in the Villers-en-Haye Sector, the St. Mihiel Offensive, the Puvenelle Sector,
and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On October 24, 1918 in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive he was wounded by gas.

Left:

The wound certificate issued to George Finley
by the United States government after the end
of World War One.

Finley was wounded by gas
in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

His name, rank, and unit are marked at the bottom.

Courtesy of The Finley Family

In the Puvenelle Sector Finley and his Company were part of a large scale raid into enemy lines carried out on the night of
September 23, 1918. Finley captured a German anti-tank rifle which was quite an item of interest in his Brigade.
The weapon was a Mauser Tankgewehr M1918, which fired a huge 13.2 x 92mm semi-rimmed cartridge.

1st Sergeant George Finley, of Company "D", found an anti-tank gun in a strong point in the second line trench just before
the Battalion was scheduled to pull back to our lines. This anti-tank gun was shaped like an army rifle, but was about
three times the size of a rifle, and was fired from a tripod [sic] that supported it. The Sergeant grabbbed it and several
extra rounds of its hefty ammunition and dragged it through the German wire and the dense woods in safety to our lines.

This novel weapon created much interest. The news of its capture spread quickly through the regimental area.
At daylight, when the Battalion was back in the support position, this new weapon had swarms of doughboy
callers. Numerous French artillerymen also visited it before it was sent back to Brigade Headquarters. It was one
of the first of its type of anti-tank guns captured on this American front, and Brigade Headquarters wanted it
at once.

After a detail had started with the anti-tank gun back to General O'Neil's Brigade Headquarters, a group of the officers
of the Battalion were questioning the Sergeant as to just where he found it and how it was placed. At the end of the confab,
1st Lieutenant James V. Robins, of Company "D" said, "Sergeant, that was playing the game in bringing back that new toy.
I hope you get a Citation for it."

The old Sergeant, in unmistakable Irish brogue, quickly replied, "Hell, Lieutenant, that don't rate any Citation. They give them
for bravery. I grabbed that damned thing up through curiosity." ³

Mauser Tankgewehr M1918. This is the type of weapon
captured by 1st Sergeant George Finley

Photo from the Proxibid website

German soldiers operating a Mauser Tankgewehr M1918
near Verdun in the summer of 1918

Photo from the Imperial War Museum

An undated photo showing George Finley as 1st Sergeant of Company D 357th Infantry. Finley is seated in the front row,
third from the right. The puttees on the soldiers' legs indicate the photo was taken after the unit deployed overseas.

Finley served on occupation duty in Germany and returned to the United States with his Company
aboard the troop transport U.S.S. Huron, leaving St. Nazaire, France on May 26, 1919, and arriving
at Newport News, Virginia on June 7, 1919. He was discharged on June 10, 1919.

He was back on the Army rolls at an unknown date, until his final discharge and retirement from the Army on June 1, 1921.
His last assignment in the Army was Company M 12th Infantry at Camp Meade, Maryland.

Silver Star, Purple Heart, Spanish War Service Medal, Philippine Campaign Medal, Mexican Border Service Medal,
World War I Victory Medal with clasps for St. Mihiel/Meuse-Argonne/Defensive Sector, Army of Occupation of Germany Medal,
United Spanish War Veterans medal, Military Order of the Serpent medal, Veterans of Foreign Wars medal

On the right: 1st Sergeant (Retired) George A. Finley, wearing his uniform from World War One.
His uniform shows his 1st Sergeant's stripes on his left sleeve, and below that are service stripes
indicating 21 years of service.

Upon retirement Finley returned to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he married Mary Ann Schrott. He became a bank guard
and then a surveyor's assistant. He and Mary Ann had three children and seven grandchildren.

Reunion of Company D 357th Infantry in 1945. George Finley is seated in the front row, third from the right.
The 90th Division had been holding reunions every year since the end of World War One. Former Captain and Commanding Officer
of Company D, Beauford Jester, had been trying unsuccessfully to get Finley to attend. Finally, in 1945, the members of
Company D all pitched in and bought Finley a round trip ticket from Pittsburgh to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and paid for a hotel room
for him, thereby insuring their beloved 1st Sergeant would attend this reunion.

George A. Finley died at the age of 73 on January 18, 1953, and is buried in Mount Royal Cemetery,
Glenshaw, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

¹Annual Reports of the Secretary of War, 1899, published by the United States War Department.

² Times of Cuba and -- P.A.R. -- Pan-American Review March 1941 pp. 24-25. Author unknown. Courtesy of The Finley Family

^³^{Letter written by Beauford H.
Jester, former Captain and Commanding Officer of Company D 357th
Infantry, letter dated June 18, 1927. Jester wrote an article for
the}^----S^{San Antonio Light
newspaper about the 357th Infantry in the war, and included this
story about George Finley capturing the anti-tank gun. Courtesy
of The Finley Family.}

Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M233, 81 rolls); Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Returns from Regular Army Infantry Regiments, June 1821–December 1916. NARA microfilm publication M665, rolls 1–244, 262-292, 297–300 of 300. Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780's–1917, Record Group 94, and Records of United States Regular Army Mobile Units, 1821–1942, Record Group 391. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

World War I Veterans Service and Compensation File, 1934–1948. RG 19, Series 19.91. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

"United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7Y1N-F1T2 : 23 October 2019), Robert Lee Redd, ; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.

BRIEF HISTORIES OF DIVISIONS, U.S. ARMY 1917-1918 Prepared in the Historical Branch, War Plans Division, General Staff June 1921 Army Command & General Staff College, Combined Arms Research Library, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1921

Lists of Incoming Passengers, 1917-1938. Textual records. 360 Boxes. NAI: 6234465. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

Lists of Outgoing Passengers, 1917-1938. Textual records. 255 Boxes. NAI: 6234477. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985, Record Group 92. The National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

The website is grateful to Linda McCalmont for sharing photos, documents, and information
about her grandfather George Finley. Considered the family historian, Linda is be congratulated
for her passion in honoring this true American hero.