MAJOR SMEDLEY D. BUTLER
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
MAJOR SMEDLEY D. BUTLER
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
As Commanding Officer of detachments from the Fifth, Thirteenth, Twenty-third Companies and the Marine and sailor detachments from the U.S.S.Connecticut, Major 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, Major Butler gave the signal to attack and Marines from the Fifteenth 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, Major Butler was conspicuous for his bravery and forceful leadership.
