The Haitian Campaign Medal was a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

military award Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations awarded ...

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 for American soldiers participating in the

United States occupation of Haiti The United States occupation of Haiti began on July 28, 1915, when 330 United States Marine Corps, US Marines landed at Port-au-Prince, Republic of Haiti (1859–1957), Haiti, after the Citibank, National City Bank of New York convinced the ...

. The medal was first intended for members of both the Navy and

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

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 navy, 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 ...

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 flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

William B. Caperton William Banks Caperton (June 30, 1855 – December 21, 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 A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It most commonly indicates the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on th ...

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 Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps officer and writer. During his 34-year military career, he fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution, World War I, ...

, USMC major, for actions on 17 November 1915 * Daniel Daly, 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, 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. His military career included service in World War I, the Banana Wars, ...

, 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, USMC 2nd Lt., for actions on 31 October – 1 November 1919 ; Other notable recipients: * Hayne D. Boyden, Brigadier general, USMC * Robert H. Pepper, Lieutenant general, USMC * John T. Selden, Lieutenant general, USMC

References

{{Authority control United States campaign medals

Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...

1917 establishments in the United States

Campaign Medal A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of an armed force who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater. Campaign medals are very similar to service medals but carry a hi ...

Awards established in 1917