Mears received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken on July 2, 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg.

[1] Although they attempted to approach the cabin by stealth, they were spotted and began taking fire from the enemy force locked inside.

[3] The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant George W. Mears, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 2 July 1863, while serving with Company A, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves, in action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

With five volunteers Sergeant Mears gallantly charged on a number of the enemy's sharpshooters concealed in a log house, captured them, and brought them into the Union lines.

Mears was the first Morse code telegraph operator in Central Pennsylvania, and for fifty years was an employee of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.