The Haitian Campaign Medal was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

military award Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...

which was first established on June 22, 1917,FIRST HAITIAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL (Navy and Marine Corps) (1915)
, FOXFALL MEDALS, last accessed 16 October 2016 and again on December 6, 1921.
, FOXFALL MEDALS, last accessed 16 October 2016 The medal was first intended for members of both the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps who had served ashore in Haiti from and or was aboard the cruiser and

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

USS ''Washington'' (ACR-11) or any of the other thirteen named ships of the United States fleet under the command of

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

William B. Caperton William Banks Caperton (June 30, 1855 – December 12, 1941) was an admiral of the United States Navy. He held major posts ashore and afloat, chief of which were commanding the naval forces intervening in Haiti (1915–16) and Santo Domingo (191 ...

on July 9 through December 6, 1915, for the purpose of protecting life and property during a revolution in Haiti. Another version of the medal was made in 1921 which was intended again for Navy and Marine Corps members who engaged in operations, either ashore or afloat in Haiti on April 1, 1919 through June 15, 1920. The two Haitian Campaign Medals are basically the same awards, with the only difference being the dates inscribed at the bottom of the front or obverse side of each medal, either 1915 or 1919–1920. For those eligible in both time periods a

campaign clasp Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed *Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme *Bl ...

is worn on the 1915 version of the medal with a inch bronze star worn on the

service ribbon A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...

. The medal was designed by Rudolf Freund (1878–1960) of Bailey, Banks & Biddle. Both the first and second versions of the Haitian Campaign Medal may not be worn simultaneously. The medal(s) are no longer an active award of the United States Navy and is considered obsolete. Modern day military operations in Haiti, such as the 1994 peacekeeping operations, are typically recognized by international military awards such as the

NATO Medal The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is manufactured by Eekelers-Centini Intl, of Hemiksem, Belgium. Ba ...

Notable Recipients ("1915" version)

; Medal of Honor recipients: *

Smedley Butler Major General Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881June 21, 1940), nicknamed the "Maverick Marine", was a senior United States Marine Corps officer who fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution and W ...

, USMC major, for actions on 17 November 1915 *

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 ...

, USMC gunnery sergeant, for actions on 22 October 1915 * Samuel Gross, USMC private, for actions on 17 November 1915 * Ross Iams, USMC sergeant., for actions on 17 November 1915 * Ross Ostermann, USMC 1st Lt., for actions on 24 October 1915 * William P. Upshur, USMC captain, for actions on 24 October 1915 ; Other notable recipients: * William Caperton, USN admiral, first recipient *

Louis E. Denfeld Louis Emil Denfeld (April 13, 1891 – March 28, 1972) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations from December 15, 1947 to November 1, 1949. He also held several significant surface commands during Wo ...

, USN admiral * John T. Selden, USMC lieutenant general *

Pedro del Valle Pedro Augusto del Valle (August 28, 1893 – April 28, 1978) was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. His military career included service ...

, USMC lieutenant general

Notable recipients ("1919–1920" version)

; Medal of Honor recipients: * William Button, USMC corporal, for actions on 31 October – 1 November 1919 *

Herman Hanneken Herman Henry Hanneken (June 23, 1893 – August 23, 1986) was a United States Marine Corps officer and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Beginning his career as an enlisted man, Hanneken served in the Bana ...

, USMC 2nd Lt., for actions on 31 October – 1 November 1919 ; Other notable recipients: *

Hayne D. Boyden Hayne Davis Boyden (January 11, 1897 – August 23, 1978) was a highly decorated Naval aviator and aviation pioneer in the United States Marine Corps who retired at the rank of Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General. A veteran of se ...

, Brigadier general, USMC * Robert H. Pepper, Lieutenant general, USMC * John T. Selden, Lieutenant general, USMC

References

{{Authority control United States campaign medals