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 Charlemagne Peralte on October 31,–November 1, 1919.
Second Lieutenant Herman H. Hanneken was also awarded the Medal of Honor on that date. Button later obtained the rank of Sergeant before dying at age 25 from malaria.
Button was born December 3, 1895 in St. Louis, Missouri and after joini...
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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 Charlemagne Peralte on October 31,–November 1, 1919.
Second Lieutenant Herman H. Hanneken was also awarded the Medal of Honor on that date. Button later obtained the rank of Sergeant before dying at age 25 from malaria.
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 Haitian bandits. By the end of fighting Charlemagne Peralte, the supreme bandit chief in the Republic of Haiti had been killed and about 1200 of his followers had been killed, captured or dispursed.
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...
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