This post was originally published in 2019.
National Medal of Honor Day was celebrated earlier this week, marking more than 55 years since Marquette Lake at Fort Indiantown Gap was renamed for Lebanon County’s first Medal of Honor recipient.
The lake at Fort Indiantown Gap was renamed in March 1963 for Sergeant Charles Marquette, a Civil War Medal of Honor winner. The lake itself was constructed in 1939 to serve as a training site for water landing drills.
Serving in Company F of the 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Sergeant Marquette received the Medal of Honor in honor of his service at Petersburg, VA on April 2, 1865, where he was one of the first to “plant colors on the enemy’s breastworks” despite being wounded.
Marquette was born in Campbelltown on February 9, 1845 and worked as a tailor in Lebanon. He died November 25, 1907 and is buried at Fairview Cemetery in York County.
National Medal of Honor Day has been celebrated on March 25 since 1990, with the date chosen in recognition of the first Medals of Honor, awarded March 25, 1863.
Marquette was also recognized at a 2015 ceremony held at Fort Indiantown Gap.