The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Contract Surgeon John Oscar Skinner, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 17 January 1873, in action at the Lava Beds, California. Contract Surgeon Skinker rescued a wounded soldier who lay under a close and heavy fire during the assault on the Modoc stronghold after two soldiers had unsuccessfully attempted to make the rescue and both had been wounded in doing so.