page_title: Bernard J. D. Irwin
hierarchical_section_title: Bernard J. D. Irwin
caption_attribution_description: Bernard J. D. Irwin, Assistant Surgeon, United States Army, awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Indian Wars
context_page_description: Bernard John Dowling Irwin was an assistant army surgeon during the Apache Wars and the first Medal of Honor recipient. His actions on February 13, 1861, are the earliest for which the Medal of Honor was awarded.
  Irwin had an interest in natural history and while at Fort Buchanan, Arizona, in 1858–1860 he collected reptile specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. In 1857 Irwin donated a meteorite to the Smithsonian Institution that came to be known as the Irwin-Ainsa meteorite.
  A collection of his papers is held at the National Library of Medicine
context_section_description: Bernard John Dowling Irwin (June 24, 1830 – December 15, 1917) was an assistant army surgeon during the Apache Wars and the first (chronologically by action) Medal of Honor recipient.  His actions on February 13, 1861, are the earliest for which the Medal of Honor was awarded.
  Irwin had an interest in natural history and while at Fort Buchanan, Arizona, in 1858–1860 he collected reptile specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. In 1857 Irwin donated a meteorite to the Smithsonian Institution that came to be known as the Irwin-Ainsa (Tucson) meteorite.
  A collection of his papers is held at the National Library of Medicine
caption: Bernard J. D. Irwin, Medal of Honor recipient
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