Edward Albert Ostermann (November 23, 1882 – May 18, 1969) was a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

major general who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

for his actions during the U.S. occupation of Haiti. Osterman began his military career in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

in 1899, was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1907, and retired as a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in 1943.

Early life and Army service

Ostermann was born in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, on November 23, 1882. He attended the public schools of

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, Columbus, and

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

. After attending

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for two and a half years, he enlisted in the U.S. Army on October 21, 1899, and served as a

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

. Discharged as chief trumpeter at the expiration of a three-year enlistment, he remained a civilian for about one and a half years and then reenlisted in the Army on April 28, 1904. He was honorably discharged by purchase on November 12, 1905, as a chief trumpeter with the First Band, Artillery Corps.

Marine Corps career

Ostermann accepted a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

's commission in the Marine Corps on March 20, 1907, and served continuously until his retirement as a major general on January 1, 1943. His long career took him to Cuba, Panama, China, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, Hawaii, and the Philippines. He was awarded the

in 1917 for his actions during the capture of Fort Dipitie, Haiti, on October 24, 1915. He was part of a mounted Marine detachment sent out from Fort Liberté to reconnoiter towards Fort Dipitie. As the group crossed a river in a deep ravine on the night of October 24, they were suddenly fired upon from three sides by about 400 Haitian rebels, known as " Cacos", concealed in the bushes about from Fort Dipitie. The Marines fought their way forward to a good position and maintained it throughout the night despite continuous hostile fire. At dawn, three squads of Marines commanded by Ostermann, Captain William P. Upshur, and Gunnery Sergeant

Daniel Daly Daniel Joseph Daly (November 11, 1873 – April 27, 1937) was a United States Marine and one of nineteen U.S. servicemen to have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice. He earned his first Medal of Honor during the Boxer Rebellion in 190 ...

advanced in three different directions, surprising and scattering the Cacos in all directions. Upshur's and Ostermann's squads then captured the fort with a total of 13 Marines. Fort Dipitie was demolished and burned and the garrison was forced to flee. "These men were in pitch darkness surrounded by ten times their number and fighting for their lives…" a description relates, "…Had one squad failed, not one man of the party would have lived to tell the story…" Ostermann, Upshur (who also lived to become a general), and Daly (the recipient of two Medals of Honor) all received the Medal of Honor for that battle. Later in the Haitian campaign, on November 11, 1915, Ostermann was wounded in action and returned to the United States for hospitalization. Ordered to Washington, D.C., in 1938 to become the assistant adjutant and inspector of the Marine Corps, he was advanced to the post of adjutant and inspector with the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in February 1939. With the coming of World War II, Ostermann requested combat duty as either a brigadier general or a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. In refusing the request as "impracticable at this time", the

Commandant of the Marine Corps The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the secr ...

expressed his appreciation to Ostermann. Ostermann was retired because of physical disability on January 1, 1943. Because of having been "specially commended for his performance of duty in actual combat" by virtue of the award of the Medal of Honor, Ostermann was promoted to the rank of major general on the retired list. Ostermann died on May 18, 1969, and was buried at

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, in

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Awards

Ostermann earned the following medals and decorations: Medal of Honor,

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

Army of Cuban Pacification Medal The Cuban Pacification Medal (Army) is a military award of the United States Army which was created by orders of the United States War Department on May 11, 1909. The medal was created to recognize service during the United States occupation of ...

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States Marine Corps. It was established on 8 May 1919 as the ''Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon''. A full-sized medal was authorized on 1 March 1921. The Marine Corps Exped ...

with two

service star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

Mexican Service Medal The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military for service in Mexico from 1911 to 1919. History The Mexican Service Medal awarded by the Army was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December ...

Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a campaign medal of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. A later medal, the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal was authorized by an act of the Un ...

Haitian Campaign Medal The Haitian Campaign Medal was a United States Navy military award which was first established on June 22, 1917,World War I Victory Medal with West Indies clasp,

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wor ...

, and the Republic of Haiti's Distinguished Service Medal in the grade of Officer.

Medal of Honor citation

Ostermann's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

In company with members of the Fifteenth Company of Marines, all mounted, First Lieutenant Ostermann left Fort Liberte, Haiti, for a 6-day reconnaissance. After dark on the evening of 24 October 1915, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from 3 sides by about 400 Cacos concealed in bushes about 100 yards from the fort. The Marine detachment fought its way forward to a good position, which it maintained during the night, although subjected to a continuous fire from the Cacos. At daybreak, First Lieutenant Ostermann, in command of one of the three squads which advanced in three different directions, led his men forward, surprising and scattering the Cacos, and aiding in the capture of Fort Dipitie.

References

External links