Martin Maher (soldier)

US Army noncommissioned officer (1876–1961)

For the New York parks commissioner, see Martin Maher (parks commissioner).

Martin Maher

Nickname(s)| Marty
Born| June 25, 1876
Died| January 17, 1961 (aged 84)
New York City, NY
Buried|

West Point Cemetery

Allegiance|  United States
Branch| United States Army
Years of service| 1898–1928
Rank| Master sergeant
Unit| United States Military Academy

Martin "Marty" Maher, Jr. (June 25, 1876 – January 17, 1961) was an Irish immigrant from Ballycrine near Roscrea, County Tipperary, Ireland, who joined the United States Army in 1898 and rose to the rank of master sergeant. He served as a swimming instructor at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from 1899 to 1928.

Maher retired from the army in 1928 and stayed at West Point as a civilian employee in the athletic department. He retired from the civil service in 1946, completing 50 years of service at West Point (including two years as a waiter before his enlistment).

A much-respected and admired member of the West Point staff, Maher was named an honorary member of the classes of 1912, 1926, and 1928. His autobiography Bringing Up the Brass: My 55 Years at West Point, co-written by Colonel Russell Reeder and Nardi Reeder Campion, and with a foreword by Dwight D. Eisenhower, was published in 1951 by David McKay Company Inc.

Maher died on January 17, 1961, at the age of 84 and is interred in the West Point Cemetery.

## In popular culture

[edit]

Maher was the subject of the 1955 film The Long Gray Line, starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara.[1] His autobiography was the source material for the film. The film depicts Maher as having been in the U.S. Army for all of his 50 years at West Point; in reality, he was in the Army for 30 years and stayed on for another 20 after retiring.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Marty Maher from Roscrea to Westpoint - Roscrea Through the Ages". www.roscreathroughtheages.org. Archived from the original on 2020-10-25.

## External links

[edit]

* Sgt. Marty Maher
* Martin Maher at Find a Grave

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Spain

Other|

* SNAC
* Yale LUX

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