|
MOH
Presented
by the President in the Name of the Congress, it is the highest honor
that can be bestowed upon any American. The men who wear it call
themselves "recipients" (not winners), for what they
received it for was not a contest...it was a time of terror and death
where their valor was tested, then recognized by a grateful Nation.
All of them feel that they didn't win The Medal...they RECEIVED
it. Frequently called "The Congressional Medal of
Honor", its true title is simply:
MEDAL OF
HONOR
Source:homeofheroes.com |
|
The
Medal of Honor was created in 1861. Today there are three types
of MOH: Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Since
the first award of the MOH made March 25, 1863, during the Civil War,
through Operation Enduring Freedom (War in Iraq) there have been:
3,467
Medals of Honor awarded to our nation's bravest Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen and eight civilians
For
3,461 separate acts of heroism
Performed
by 3,448 individuals (including 9
“Unknowns”)
(As
of June 2, 2008)
Source:homeofheroes.com |
| As
of June 2008, there are 105 MOH recipients still with us: 30 - WWII,
14 - Korea, and 61 - Vietnam.
Source:homeofheroes.com |
|
FOR
DETAILS ON ALL MOH RECIPIENTS GO TO SOURCES
AT:
HOME
OF HEROES
CMOH
SOCIETY
ARMY
CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY- MOH
List |
POOR
IS THE NATION
THAT HAS NO HEROES;
SHAMEFUL IS THE NATION THAT HAS THEM AND FORGETS
From a military monument at
Bolivar,TN
Source:specialoperations.com |
|
FUTURE MEDAL OF
HONOR RECIPIENT WHO SERVED IN PANAMA
|
BUTLER,
SMEDLEY DARLINGTON -
U.S. MARINE CORPS (Two MOH-1915) |
Major Smedley D. Butler, USMC
|
Major
Smedley D. Butler commanded the 3d Battalion,
1st Marine Regiment at Camp Elliott in the Panama Canal Zone (on
the Pacific side) in December 1909. (He had earlier served
briefly in Panama in 1903 and in Nicaragua.) He was temporarily detached to command an
expeditionary battalion organized for service in Nicaragua, 11
August 1912, in which capacity he participated in the bombardment,
assault and capture of Coyotepe, October 12 to 31. He remained on
duty in Nicaragua until November 1912, when he rejoined the
Marines at Camp Elliott, Panama. His second son Thomas
Richard was born in Panama in October 1913. After shipping
his family from Panama to Philadelphia in January 1914, he commanded the last remaining U.S. Marine
battalion stationed in Panama when it sailed from Colon, Panama,
January
21, 1914, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, for the campaign against
Pancho Villa.
(Three
other Marine battalions in Panama since 1903 and 1904 and
stationed at Camp Elliott on the Pacific side had departed Panama
when no longer needed there following the arrival of U.S. Army
troops for permanent assignment in Panama beginning in 1911.)
Major Butler was later
awarded the Medal of Honor (Navy version) for heroism during the
landing at Vera Cruz, Mexico April 22, 1914, , where he exhibited
courage and skill in leading his men through the action that day
and in the final occupation of the city. The following year,
he was awarded his second Medal of Honor for bravery and forceful
leadership on November 17, 1915 during the Haitian Campaign.
Butler was only one of 19 double
awardees of the Medal of Honor and one of two U.S. Marines awarded
two Medals of Honor.
Other overseas assignments included Philippines, China (during the
Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and again in 1927 as a major general), and
France in World War I and he was twice commandant of the Marine
Barracks in Quantico, Virginia . He
retired from the Marines in 1931 as a major general and died in
Philadelphia in June 1940. He wrote a book War Is a
Racket, published in 1935.
Butler's memory was subsequently honored by the 1941
commissioning of the destroyer USS Smedley D. Butler. Also
Camp Smedley Butler Marine Corps base in Okinawa, Japan was named
in his honor.
Sources:
Home
Of Heroes.com
USMC's III Marine Expeditionary
Force (MEF) - Japan, Biography
- Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, at
http://www.iiimef.usmc.mil/3rdMEB/Documents/Biography/bio_butler.htm
Dale Wharton, Chronology of
Smedley Darlington Butler's Life, at http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/butler-by_wharton.html
|
|
The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
BUTLER,
SMEDLEY DARLINGTON
|
|
First
Award - Mexican Campaign - 4 Dec 15 |
Second
Award - Haitian Campaign - 17 Nov 15 |
|
Rank and
organization: Major, U.S.
Marine Corps. Born: 30 July 1881, West Chester, Pa. Appointed
from: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 177, 4 December 1915. Other
Navy awards: Second Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service
Medal.
Citation:
For distinguished conduct in
battle, engagement of Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914. Maj. Butler was
eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion. He exhibited
courage and skill in leading his men through the action of the 22d
and in the final occupation of the city.
|
Rank and organization:
Major, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 30 July 1881, West Chester,
Pa. Appointed from: Pennsylvania. Other Navy awards:
Second Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Medal.
Citation:
As Commanding Officer of
detachments from the 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and the marine and
sailor detachment from the U.S.S. Connecticut, Maj. Butler led the
attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, 17 November 1915. Following a
concentrated drive, several different detachments of marines
gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to
cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Reaching the
fort on the southern side where there was a small opening in the
wall, Maj. Butler gave the signal to attack and marines from the
15th Company poured through the breach, engaged the Cacos in
hand-to-hand combat, took the bastion and crushed the Caco
resistance. Throughout this perilous action, Maj. Butler was
conspicuous for his bravery and forceful leadership. |
Citation and photos courtesy
of Home Of Heroes.com
| This
page last updated: July
4, 2008 |
 |
| Site
developed, owned and maintained by |
| William
H. Ormsbee, Jr. 1999-2001
/ 2005-2008 |
| (Including
WHO's
IN
RETROSPECT site 1999-2001) |
|
SCROLL