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William Robert Button
William Robert Button
	Corporal William R. Button
Born	December 3, 1895; St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	April 15, 1921 (aged 25); Cap-Haïtien, Haiti
Place of burial	St. Louis, Missouri
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1917–1921
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	7th Marine Regiment
Battles / wars	2nd United States Occupation of Haiti
Awards	Medal of Honor

William Robert Button (December 3, 1895 – April 15, 1921) was a United States Marine Corps corporal who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in killing Haitian nationalist leader Charlemagne Peralte on October 31–November 1, 1919. (Second Lieutenant Herman H. Hanneken was also awarded the Medal of Honor on that date.) Button rose to the rank of sergeant before dying at age 25 from malaria.

Biography

Button was born December 3, 1895, in St. Louis, Missouri and after joining the Marine Corps was sent to fight in Haiti. He was in command of a group of Gendarmerie near Grande Riviere, Republic of Haiti, on October 31-November 1, 1919 when they engaged a group of Haitians opposed to the U.S. occupation. By the end of fighting Charlemagne Péralte, alleged in Button's citation to be "the supreme bandit chief in the Republic of Haiti", had been killed and about 1,200 of his followers had been killed, captured, or dispersed.

For risking his life in battle he, along with Sergeant Herman H. Hanneken, were cited for bravery, and recommended for the United States militaries highest decoration for bravery, the Medal of Honor, for their actions.^[1] The medal was approved by the Secretary of the Navy on June 10, 1920, and presented by the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps, John A. Lejeune, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 1, 1920. After the ceremony he took a short furlough to his hometown of St. Louis before returning to Haiti.^[2]

He died of pernicious malaria April 15, 1921 at the Department Hospital, Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, at the age of 25. At the request of his father his remains were returned to the United States and he is buried at Valhalla Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri.^[2] The Marines he served with in the Gendarmerie d'Haiti donated money to place a bronze memorial tablet on his grave, and stated that any additional funds would be used to place flowers on his grave each Memorial Day.^[2]

Honors and awards

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

CORPORAL WILLIAM R. BUTTON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

For service as set forth in the following Citation:

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in actual conflict with the enemy near GRANDE RIVIERE Republic of Haiti, on the night of October 31 - November 1, 1919, resulting in the death of Charlemagne Peralte, the supreme bandit chief in the Republic of Haiti, and the killing and capture and dispersal of about twelve hundred (1,200) of his outlaw followers. Corporal William R. Button not only distinguished himself by his excellent judgment and leadership, but unhesitatingly exposed himself to great personal danger, when the slightest error would have forfeited not only his life but the lives of the detachments of Gendarmerie under his command. The successful termination of his mission will undoubtedly prove of untold value to the Republic of Haiti.^[1]

USNS Sgt. William R. Button

The United States Navy named a roll-on/roll-off container ship, the USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK-3012) in his honor.^[3]

Notes

^ ^a ^b "Medal of Honor recipients". American Medal of Honor recipients for the 1919–1920 Haiti Campaign. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Sergeant William R. Button, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
^ "Military Sealift Command: Medal of Honor recipient". USNS Sgt William R. Button (T-AK 3012): Container & Roll-on/Roll-off Ship. United States Navy. January 16, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2010.