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90-1420: Smedley can refer to: People [ edit ] Given name [ edit ] Smedley Butler (1881–1940), U.S. Marine Corps major general, double recipient of the Medal of Honor Smedley Crooke (1861–1951), British politician Smedley Darlington (1827–1899), American politician Surname [ edit ] Agnes Smedley (1892–1950), American journalist and writer Audrey Smedley (1930–2020), American social anthropologist Bert Smedley (1905–unknown), Australian rules footballer Brian Smedley (1934–2007), British judge Cameron Smedley (born 1990), Canadian canoeist Edward Smedley (1788–1836), English clergyman and writer Elizabeth Anna Hart (1822–1890), née Smedley, British poet and novelist Eric Smedley (born 1973), former professional American football player Francis Edward Smedley (1818–1864), English novelist and writer Harold Smedley (1920–2004), British diplomat Hugh Smedley , New Zealand rower John Smedley (disambiguation) Jonathan Smedley (1671–1729), Anglo-Irish churchman and polemicist Karen Smedley (born 1972), American professional wrestling valet Kayla Bashore Smedley (born 1983), American field hockey player Larry E. Smedley (1949–1967), United States Marine corporal, posthumous recipient of

180-417: A United States congressional committee that a group of wealthy American industrialists were planning a coup d'état to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt . Butler also claimed that the plotters of the alleged coup intended on using Butler, at the head of a group of veterans, to place the federal government under arrest. The individuals alleged to be involved in the coup all denied the existence of such

270-708: A 104-degree fever, he led his battalion to the relief of the rebel-besieged city of Granada . In December 1909, he commanded the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment on the Isthmus of Panama . On August 11, 1912, he was temporarily detached to command an expeditionary battalion he led in the Battle of Masaya on September 19, 1912, and the bombardment, assault, and capture of Coyotepe Hill , Nicaragua, in October 1912. He remained in Nicaragua until November 1912, when he rejoined

360-490: A Philadelphia police uniform that resembled that of the Marine Corps. Other changes included military-style checkpoints into the city and bandit-chasing squads, who were armed with sawed-off shotguns and armored police cars. The press began reporting on both the good and the bad aspects of Butler's personal war on crime. They praised the new uniforms, the new programs, and the reductions in crime, but they also reflected

450-514: A battle in progress that had been ongoing for 55 hours between rebels called Bonillista and Honduran government soldiers at a local fort. At the sight of the Marines, the fighting ceased, and Butler led a detachment of Marines to the American consulate, where he found the consul, wrapped in an American flag, hiding among the floor beams. As soon as the Marines left the area with the shaken consul,

540-645: A company in Guam , he was allowed to select five officers to take with him. Butler was amongst his choices. Before they had departed, their orders were changed, and they were sent to China aboard the USS ; Solace to help put down the Boxer Rebellion . Once in China, Butler was initially deployed at Tianjin (then often romanized as Tientsin). He took part in the Battle of Tientsin on July 13, 1900, and in

630-549: A converted banana boat renamed the Panther , Butler and several hundred Marines landed at the port town of Puerto Cortés . In a letter home, he describes the action: they were "prepared to land and shoot everybody and everything that was breaking the peace", but instead found a quiet town. The Marines re-boarded the Panther and continued up the coastline, looking for rebels at several towns, but found none. When they arrived at Trujillo , however, they heard gunfire and came upon

720-478: A daughter of civil engineer and railroad executive Richard Peters , on June 30, 1905. His best man at the wedding was his former commanding officer in China, Lieutenant Colonel Littleton Waller. The couple eventually had three children, a daughter, Ethel Peters Butler, and two sons, Smedley Darlington Jr. and Thomas Richard. Butler was next assigned to garrison duty in the Philippines, where he once launched

810-693: A hit-and-run accident. The Italian government protested and President Hoover , who strongly disliked Butler, forced Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis Adams III to court-martial him. Butler became the first general officer to be placed under arrest since the Civil War. He apologized to Secretary Adams and the court-martial was canceled with only a reprimand. When Commandant of the Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Wendell C. Neville died July 8, 1930, Butler, at that time

900-462: A list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for review before it can be sent to the president , through the secretary of defense for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the secretary of defense, the service secretary, and if applicable,

990-405: A plot and the media ridiculed Butler's allegations, but a final report following an investigation by a special House of Representatives committee confirmed at least some of his testimony. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Butler became an outspoken critic of American foreign policy and military interventions, which he saw being driven primarily by U.S. business interests. In 1935, Butler wrote

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1080-530: A promotion to captain by brevet while he recovered in the hospital, two weeks before his 19th birthday. He was eligible for the Marine Corps Brevet Medal when it was created in 1921, and was one of only 20 Marines to receive it. His citation reads: The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in transmitting to First Lieutenant Smedley Darlington Butler, United States Marine Corps,

1170-550: A resupply mission across the stormy waters of Subic Bay after his isolated outpost ran out of rations. In 1908, he was diagnosed as having a nervous breakdown and received nine months sick leave, which he spent at home. He successfully managed a coal mine in West Virginia , but returned to active duty in the Marine Corps at the first opportunity. From 1909 to 1912, Butler served in Nicaragua , enforcing U.S. policy. With

1260-548: A training exercise near the Wilderness battlefield in Virginia, he was told by a local farmer that Stonewall Jackson's arm was buried nearby, to which he replied, "Bosh! I will take a squad of Marines and dig up that spot to prove you wrong!" Butler found the arm in a box. He later replaced the wooden box with a metal one and reburied the arm. He left a plaque on the granite monument marking the burial place of Jackson's arm;

1350-512: Is a registered landmark. Butler attended the West Chester Friends Graded High School, followed by The Haverford School , a (then) Quaker-affiliated secondary school, popular with sons of upper-class Philadelphia families. He became captain of the school baseball team and quarterback of its football team. Against the wishes of his father, he left school 38 days before his seventeenth birthday to enlist in

1440-428: Is a single bandit notch on a policeman's guns [ sic ] in this city; go out and get some." Although many of the local citizens and police felt that the raids were just a show, they continued for several weeks. Among his many accomplishments as the director of public safety, he implemented programs to improve city safety and security, established policies and guidelines for the administration, and developed

1530-552: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Smedley Butler Major-General Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 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 , and

1620-519: The Academy of Music . A group of 4,000 supporters assembled and negotiated a truce between him and the mayor to keep him in Philadelphia for a while longer, and the president authorized a one-year extension. Butler devoted much of his second year to executing arrest warrants, cracking down on crooked police, and enforcing prohibition. On January 1, 1926, his leave from the Marine Corps ended, and

1710-620: The Banana Wars . At the time of his death, Butler was the most decorated Marine in U.S. military history . By the end of his career, Butler had received sixteen medals, including five for heroism; he is the only Marine to be awarded the Marine Corps Brevet Medal as well as two Medals of Honor , all for separate actions. In 1933, Butler became involved in a controversy known as the Business Plot , when he told

1800-758: The Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Army is a major general in the Army; the same rank is held by the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Air Force; the Army's Chief of Engineers is also appointed as a major general and thereafter promoted to lieutenant general. The United States Code also limits the total number of general officers that may be on the Reserve Active Status List (RASL) in

1890-627: The Harding and Coolidge administrations. Smedley's Marine Corps career successes occurred while his father held that politically influential Congressional seat, controlling the Marine Corps manpower and budget. His maternal grandfather was Smedley Darlington , a Republican congressman from 1887 to 1891. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Butler , who served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and served as Pennsylvania State Treasurer from 1880 to 1882. Butler's childhood home

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1980-489: The Socialist Party for president in 1936 . Major general (United States) A major general ranks above a brigadier general and below a lieutenant general . The pay grade of major general is O-8. It is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other United States uniformed services which use naval ranks . It is abbreviated as MG in the Army, MajGen in the Marine Corps, and Maj Gen in

2070-546: The Tampico Affair . When President Woodrow Wilson discovered that an arms shipment was about to arrive in Mexico, he sent a contingent of Marines and sailors to Veracruz to intercept it on April 21, 1914. Over the next few days, street fighting and sniper fire posed a threat to Butler's force, but a door-to-door search rooted out most of the resistance. By April 26, the landing force of 5,800 Marines and sailors secured

2160-402: The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines at Camp Elliott , Panama. In private Butler was highly critical of the operation, writing to his parents: What makes me mad is that the whole revolution is inspired and financed by Americans who have wild cat investments down here and want to make them good by putting in a Government which will declare a monopoly in their favor . . . The whole business is rotten to

2250-506: The 5th, 13th, 23d Companies and the Marine and sailor detachment from the U.S.S. Connecticut, Major Butler led the attack on Fort Rivière, Haiti, 17 November 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of Marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Cacos. Reaching the fort on the southern side where there

2340-595: The Act of January 11, 1812, as preparations were being made for the War of 1812 . Major general has been a rank in the U.S. Army ever since. Until the American Civil War , major general was the highest rank that could be attained by an officer in the U.S. Army, though Winfield Scott had been given the brevet rank of lieutenant general in 1855. This was a consequence of the fact that at his death George Washington

2430-585: The Air Force and Space Force. Major general is the highest permanent peacetime rank that can be conferred upon a commissioned officer in the uniformed services (except when General of the Army & General of the Air Force have been authorized and granted by Congress) as higher ranks are technically temporary and linked to specific positions, although virtually all officers promoted to those ranks are approved to retire at their highest earned rank. A major general typically commands division -sized units of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. The Civil Air Patrol also uses

2520-484: The American superintendent of the Inter-Oceanic Railway and surreptitiously rode in his private car [a railway car] up the line 75 miles to Jalapa and back". A purpose of the trip was to allow Butler and Fletcher to discuss the details of a future expedition into Mexico. Fletcher's plan required Butler to make his way into the country and develop a more-detailed invasion plan while inside its borders. It

2610-636: The Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Smedley Darlington Butler, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. Brigadier General Butler commanded with ability and energy Pontanezen Camp at Brest during the time in which it has developed into the largest embarkation camp in

2700-574: The Brevet Medal which is awarded in accordance with Marine Corps Order No. 26 (1921), for distinguished conduct and public service in the presence of the enemy while serving with the Second Battalion of Marines, near Tientsin, China, on 13 July 1900. On 28 March 1901, First Lieutenant Butler is appointed Captain by brevet, to take rank from 13 July 1900. Butler participated in a series of occupations, "police actions", and interventions by

2790-545: The Caribbean, criticizing the ways in which American businesses and Wall Street bankers imposed their agenda on U.S. foreign policy. In 1903, Butler was stationed in Puerto Rico on Culebra Island . Hearing rumors of a Honduran revolt, the United States government ordered his unit and a supporting naval detachment to sail to Honduras, 1,500 miles (2,414 km) to the west, to defend the U.S. Consulate there. Using

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2880-668: The Marine Corps during the Spanish–American War . Haverford awarded him his high school diploma, nevertheless, on June 6, 1898, before the end of his final year. His transcript stated that he completed the scientific course "with Credit". In the Spanish war fervor of 1898, Butler lied about his age to receive a direct commission as a Marine second lieutenant . He trained at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. In July 1898, he went to Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , arriving shortly after its invasion and capture . His company soon returned to

2970-514: The Marines maintained their perimeter throughout the night. The next morning, they charged the much-larger enemy force by breaking out in three directions. The startled Haitians fled. In early November, Butler and a force of 700 Marines and sailors returned to the mountains to clear the area. At their temporary headquarters base at Le Trou, they fought off an attack by about 100 Cacos . After the Americans took several other forts and ramparts during

3060-890: The Medal of Honor in Vietnam Menella Bute Smedley (1820–1877), English novelist and poet Michael Smedley (born 1941), English cricketer Oliver Smedley (1911–1989), English businessman and activist Peter Smedley (1943–2011), Australian businessman Ralph C. Smedley (1878–1965), American teacher and YMCA director who founded Toastmasters International Rob Smedley (born 1973), English engineer for F1 driver Felipe Massa Robert Smedley (born 1963), American professional wrestler Samuel Smedley (1753–1812), American Revolutionary War ship captain William Thomas Smedley (1858–1920), American artist Pseudonym [ edit ] Smedley , reported to have been closely involved with

3150-813: The National Register of Historic Places Smedley, a character in the Chilly Willy animated cartoon Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Smedley . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smedley&oldid=1192097604 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

3240-469: The Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, who recommended the award, based on Butler's performance during the engagement. Once the medal was approved and presented in 1917, Butler achieved the distinction, shared with Dan Daly , of being the only Marines to receive the Medal of Honor twice for separate actions. The citation reads: For extraordinary heroism in action as Commanding Officer of detachments from

3330-576: The Navy Charles Adams' desk with more than 2,500 letters of support. With the recent death of his influential father, however, Butler had lost much of his protection from his civilian superiors. The outspokenness that characterized his run-ins with the mayor of Philadelphia, the "unreliability" mentioned by his superiors when they were opposing Butler's posting to the Western Front, and his comments about Benito Mussolini resurfaced. In

3420-586: The Reserve Component, which is defined in the case of general officers as the Army National Guard , Army Reserve , Marine Corps Reserve , Air National Guard , and Air Force Reserve . To be promoted to the permanent grade of major general, officers who are eligible for promotion to this rank are screened by an in-service promotion board composed of other general officers from their branch of service. This promotion board then generates

3510-489: The U.S., and after a short break, he was assigned to the armored cruiser USS  New York for four months. He came home to be mustered out of service in February 1899, but on April 8, 1899, he accepted a commission as a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps sent him to Manila , Philippines. On garrison duty with little to do, Butler turned to alcohol to relieve the boredom. He once became drunk and

3600-561: The United States in Central America and the Caribbean, later called the Banana Wars due to their goal of protecting American commercial interests in the region, particularly those of the United Fruit Company . This company had significant financial stakes in the production of bananas, tobacco, sugar cane, and other products throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and the northern portions of South America. The U.S.

3690-586: The United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Smedley Darlington Butler, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services in France, during World War I. Brigadier General Butler organized, trained and commanded the 13th Regiment Marines; also the 5th Brigade of Marines. He commanded with ability and energy Camp Pontanezen at Brest during

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3780-510: The age of 37, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and placed in command of Camp Pontanezen at Brest, France , a debarkation depot that funneled troops of the American Expeditionary Force to the battlefields. The camp had been unsanitary, overcrowded, and disorganized. U.S. Secretary of War Newton Baker sent novelist Mary Roberts Rinehart to report on the camp. She later described how Butler tackled

3870-566: The band of the 4th Marine Regiment . From 1927 to 1929, Butler was commander of a Marine Expeditionary Force in Tianjin , China, (the China Marines ). While there, he cleverly parlayed his influence among various generals and warlords to the protection of U.S. interests, ultimately winning the public acclaim of contending Chinese leaders. When he returned to the United States in 1929 he was promoted to major general, becoming, at age 48,

3960-552: The battle resumed, and the Bonillistas soon controlled the government. During this expedition, Butler earned the first of his nicknames: "Old Gimlet Eye". It was attributed to his feverish, bloodshot eyes (he was suffering from some unnamed tropical fever at the time) that enhanced his penetrating and bellicose stare. After the Honduran campaign, Butler returned to Philadelphia. He married Ethel Conway Peters of Philadelphia,

4050-445: The battle. Butler's commanding officer, Major Waller, personally commended him and wrote that "for such reward as you may deem proper the following officers: Lieutenant Smedley D. Butler, for the admirable control of his men in all the fights of the week, for saving a wounded man at the risk of his own life, and under a very severe fire." Commissioned officers were not then eligible to receive the Medal of Honor, and Butler instead received

4140-477: The book War Is a Racket , where he argued that imperialist motivations had been the cause behind several American interventions, many of which he personally participated in. Butler also became a advocate for populist politics , speaking at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists, and church groups until his death in 1940. Smedley Darlington Butler was born July 30, 1881, in West Chester, Pennsylvania ,

4230-490: The chief railroad inspector scoured the city, saying that they were searching for a lost railroad employee; there was no lost employee, and in fact, the employee who they said was lost never existed. The ruse gave Butler access to various areas of the city. In the process of the so-called search, they located weapons in use by the Mexican army and determined the size of units and states of readiness. They updated maps and verified

4320-426: The city to another, in order to undermine local protection rackets and profiteering. Within 48 hours of taking over, Butler organized raids on more than 900 speakeasies , ordering that they be padlocked and destroyed in many cases. In addition to raiding the speakeasies, he also attempted to eliminate other illegal activities, including bootlegging, prostitution, gambling, and police corruption. More zealous than he

4410-538: The city, which they held for the next six months. By the end of the conflict, the Americans reported 17 dead and 63 wounded; the Mexican forces had 126 dead and 195 wounded. After the actions at Veracruz, the U.S. decided to minimize the bloodshed and changed their plans from a full invasion of Mexico to simply maintaining the city of Veracruz . For his actions on April 22, Butler was awarded his first Medal of Honor. The citation reads: For distinguished conduct in battle, engagement of Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914. Major Butler

4500-473: The community, so his departure seemed imminent. Mayor Kendrick reported to the press, "I had the guts to bring General Butler to Philadelphia and I have the guts to fire him." Feeling that his duties in Philadelphia were coming to an end, Butler contacted Gen. Lejeune to prepare for his return to the Marine Corps. Not all of the citizens felt that Butler was doing a bad job, though, and when the news started to leak that he would be leaving, people began to gather at

4590-685: The core. Butler and his family were living in Panama in January 1914, when he was ordered to report as the Marine officer of a battleship squadron massing off the coast of Mexico, near Veracruz , to monitor a revolutionary movement. He did not like leaving his family and the home they had established in Panama, so he intended to request orders home as soon as he determined he was not needed. On March 1, 1914, Butler and Navy Lieutenant Frank J. Fletcher (not to be confused with his uncle, Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletcher ) "went ashore at Veracruz, where they met

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4680-657: The dictatorship, was largely restored. He recalled later that during his time in Haiti, he and his troops "hunted the Cacos like pigs." During World War I, Butler was (to his disappointment) not assigned to a combat command on the Western Front . He made several requests for a posting in France, writing letters to his personal friend, Wendell Cushing Neville . While Butler's superiors considered him brave and brilliant, they described him as "unreliable." In October 1918, at

4770-620: The disbanding of the Continental Army at the end of 1783 only one major general, Henry Knox , remained in service until his resignation in June 1784. The rank was revived on March 4, 1791, when Arthur St. Clair was appointed as major general in command of the U.S. Army. St. Clair was succeeded by Major General Anthony Wayne who commanded the Army (then named the Legion of the United States ) until his death on December 15, 1796. The rank

4860-620: The eldest of three sons. His parents, Thomas and Maud (née Darlington) Butler, were descended from local Quaker families. Both of his parents were of entirely English ancestry, and their families had been in North America since the 17th century. His father was a lawyer, a judge, and later served in the House of Representatives for 31 years, serving as chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee during

4950-456: The end the position of commandant went to Fuller, who had more years of commissioned service than Butler and was considered less controversial. Butler requested retirement and left active duty on October 1, 1931. Even before retiring from the Corps, Butler began developing his post-Corps career. In May 1931 he took part in a commission established by Oregon Governor Julius L. Meier which laid

5040-404: The fleeing enemy. By noon, the Marines had dispersed the native defenders and taken the town. One Marine had been killed, 10 were wounded, and another 50 had been incapacitated by the humid tropical heat. After the excitement of this combat, garrison duty again became routine. He met Littleton Waller , a fellow Marine with whom he maintained a lifelong friendship. When Waller received command of

5130-485: The following days, only Fort Rivière , an old, French-built stronghold atop Montagne Noire, was left. For the operation, Butler was given three companies of Marines and some sailors from the USS Connecticut , about 100 men. They encircled the fort and gradually closed in on it. Butler reached the fort from the southern side with the 15th Company and found a small opening in the wall. The Marines entered through

5220-496: The foundations for the Oregon State Police . He began lecturing at events and conferences, and after his retirement from the Marines in 1931 he took this up full time. He donated much of his earnings from his lucrative lecture circuits to the Philadelphia unemployment relief. He toured the western United States, making 60 speeches before returning for his daughter's marriage to Marine aviator Lt. John Wehle. Her wedding

5310-417: The founding of the darknet market Silk Road Places [ edit ] Smedley, Manchester , an area in north Manchester, England, United Kingdom Smedley, Indiana , an unincorporated community, United States Smedley, Virginia , an unincorporated community, United States Other uses [ edit ] Smedley Elementary School , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, a charter school on

5400-575: The month after their 64th birthday. The Continental Army was established on June 15, 1775, when the Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as a general and placed him in command of the Army of Observation then besieging Boston . The rank of major general was first established two days later on June 17, 1775, when two major generals were commissioned by Congress. Two more major generals were appointed on June 19. Following

5490-573: The necessary leave from the Corps to serve as Philadelphia's director of public safety, in charge of running the city's police and fire departments from January 1924 until December 1925. He began his new job by assembling all 4,000 of the city police into the Metropolitan Opera House in shifts to introduce himself and inform them that things would change while he was in charge. Since he had not been given authority to fire corrupt police officers, he switched entire units from one part of

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5580-536: The opening and engaged the Cacos in hand-to-hand combat. Butler and the Marines took the rebel stronghold on November 17, 1915, an action for which he received his second Medal of Honor, as well as the Haitian Medal of Honor. The entire battle lasted less than 20 minutes. Reportedly, only one Marine was injured in the assault; he was struck by a rock and lost two teeth. About 50 Haitians in the fort were killed. Butler's exploits impressed Assistant Secretary of

5670-543: The plaque is no longer on the marker, but it can be viewed at the Chancellorsville Battlefield visitor center. In 1924, newly elected Mayor of Philadelphia W. Freeland Kendrick asked President Calvin Coolidge to lend the city a military general to help him rid Philadelphia's municipal government of crime and corruption. At the urging of Butler's father, Coolidge authorized Butler to take

5760-399: The president declined a request for a second extension. Butler received orders to report to San Diego and prepared his family and his belongings for the new assignment. In light of his pending departure, he began to defy the mayor and other key city officials. On the eve of his departure, he had an article printed in the paper that stated his intention to stay and "finish the job". The mayor

5850-452: The public's negative opinion of their new public safety director. Many felt that he was being too aggressive in his tactics and resented the reductions in their civil rights, such as the stopping of citizens at the city checkpoints. Butler frequently swore in his radio addresses, causing many citizens to suggest that his behavior, and particularly his language, was inappropriate for someone of his rank and stature. Some even suggested that Butler

5940-473: The railroad lines for use in an impending U.S. invasion. On March 7, 1914, he returned to Veracruz with the information he had gathered and presented it to his commanders. The invasion plan was eventually scrapped, when authorities loyal to Mexican General Victoriano Huerta detained a small American naval landing party (that had gone ashore to buy gasoline) in Tampico, Mexico , which led to what became known as

6030-417: The rank held by the commandant was raised to major general. It remained the highest rank in the Marine Corps until January 20, 1942, when the rank held by the commandant was raised to lieutenant general. Given that the United States Air Force evolved from its predecessors, the United States Army Air Service , the United States Army Air Corps (1926–1941), and the United States Army Air Forces (1941–1947),

6120-433: The rank of major general, which is its highest rank and is held only by its national commander . The United States Code explicitly limits the total number of general officers that may be on active duty at any given time. The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, and 198 for the Air Force. Some of these slots are reserved or finitely set by statute. For example,

6210-421: The sanitation problems. He began by solving the problem of mud. "[T]he ground under the tents was nothing but mud, [so] he had raided the wharf at Brest of the duckboards no longer needed for the trenches, carted the first one himself up that four-mile hill to the camp, and thus provided something in the way of protection for the men to sleep on." Gen. John J. Pershing authorized a duckboard shoulder patch for

6300-413: The senior major general in the Corps, was a candidate for the position. Although he had significant support from many inside and outside the Corps, including John Lejeune and Josephus Daniels , two other Marine Corps generals were seriously considered, Ben H. Fuller and John H. Russell Jr. Lejeune and others petitioned President Herbert Hoover , garnered support in the Senate and flooded Secretary of

6390-428: The service's chief of staff or commandant. Other than voluntary retirement, statute sets a number of mandates for retirement of general officers (called flag officers in the Navy and Coast Guard ). All major generals must retire after five years in grade or 35 years of service, whichever is later, unless appointed for promotion or reappointed to grade to serve longer . Otherwise, all general officers must retire

6480-417: The subsequent Gaselee Expedition , during which he saw the mutilated remains of Japanese soldiers. When he saw another Marine officer fall wounded, he climbed out of a trench to rescue him. Butler was then shot in the thigh. Another Marine helped him get to safety, but he was also shot. Despite his leg wound, Butler assisted the wounded officer to the rear. Four enlisted men would receive the Medal of Honor in

6570-484: The time in which it has developed into the largest embarkation camp in the world. Confronted with problems of extraordinary magnitude in supervising the reception, entertainment and departure of large numbers of officers and soldiers passing through the camp, he has solved all with conspicuous success, performing services of the highest character for the American Expeditionary Forces. Following

6660-726: The units. This earned Butler another nickname: "Old Duckboard." For his exemplary service, he was awarded both the Army Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal , as well as the French Order of the Black Star . The citation for the Army Distinguished Service Medal states: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting

6750-611: The war, he became commanding general of the Marine barracks at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia . At Quantico, he transformed the wartime training camp into a permanent Marine post. He directed the Quantico camp's growth until it became the "showplace" of the Corps. Butler won national attention by taking thousands of his men on long field marches (many of which he led from the front) to Gettysburg and other Civil War battle sites, where they conducted large-scale re-enactments before crowds of distinguished spectators. In 1921, during

6840-408: The world. Confronted with problems of extraordinary magnitude in supervising the reception, entertainment and departure of the large numbers of officers and soldiers passing through this camp, he has solved all with conspicuous success, performing services of the highest character for the American Expeditionary Forces. The citation for the Navy Distinguished Service Medal states: The President of

6930-478: The youngest major general of the Marine Corps. But, the death of his father on May 26, 1928, ended the Pennsylvania Congressman's ability to protect Smedley from political retribution for his outspoken views. In 1931, Butler violated diplomatic norms by publicly recounting gossip about Benito Mussolini in which the dictator allegedly struck and killed a child with his speeding automobile in

7020-491: Was a small opening in the wall, Major Butler gave the signal to attack and Marines from the 15th Company poured through the breach, engaged the Cacos, took the bastion, and crushed the Cacos resistance. Subsequently, as the initial organizer and commanding officer of the Gendarmerie d'Haïti (the native police force), Butler established a record as a capable administrator. Under his supervision, social order, administered by

7110-517: Was a spy mission, and Butler was enthusiastic to get started. When Fletcher explained the plan to the commanders in Washington, DC, they agreed to it. Butler was given the go-ahead. A few days later, he set out by train on his spy mission to Mexico City, with a stopover at Puebla. He made his way to the U.S. Consulate in Mexico City , posing as a railroad official named "Mr. Johnson". He and

7200-444: Was acting like a military dictator, even charging that he wrongfully used active-duty Marines in some of his raids. Maj. R.A. Haynes, the federal prohibition commissioner, visited the city in 1924, six months after Butler was appointed. He announced that "great progress" had been made in the city, and he attributed that success to Butler. Eventually, Butler's leadership style and the directness of actions undermined his support within

7290-560: Was also trying to advance its own political interests by maintaining its influence in the region and especially its control of the Panama Canal . These interventions started with the Spanish–American War in 1898 and ended with the withdrawal of troops from Haiti and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor policy in 1934. After his retirement, Butler became an outspoken critic of the United States' business interests in

7380-540: Was appointed lieutenant general on March 9, 1864, and took command of the Union forces, he used the three-star insignia formerly assigned to that position. There was no major general in the U.S. Marine Corps until Commandant Charles Heywood was specially promoted by Act of Congress in July 1902. From his retirement on October 3, 1903, brigadier general was again the highest rank in the Marine Corps until May 21, 1908, when

7470-497: Was eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion. He exhibited courage and skill in leading his men through the action of the 22d and in the final occupation of the city. After the occupation of Veracruz, an unusually high number of U.S. military personnel received the Medal of Honor. The Army presented one, nine went to Marines, and 46 were bestowed upon naval personnel. During World War I, Butler attempted to return his medal, explaining he had done nothing to deserve it. The medal

7560-557: Was officially listed as holding the rank of lieutenant general, rather than full general , and it was regarded as improper for an officer to hold a rank equal to or superior to Washington's. To address this anomaly, Washington was posthumously promoted by Congress to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States in 1976. The position of Major General Commanding the Army was entitled to wear three stars according to General Order No. 6 of March 13, 1861. When Ulysses S. Grant

7650-545: Was political, he ordered crackdowns on the social elite's favorite hangouts, such as the Ritz-Carlton and the Union League , as well as on drinking establishments that served the working class. Although he was effective in reducing crime and police corruption, he was a controversial leader. In one instance, he made a statement that he would promote the first officer to kill a bandit and stated, "I don't believe there

7740-426: Was returned to him with orders to keep it and to wear it, as well. In 1915, Haitian President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was killed by a mob. In response, the United States ordered the USS  Connecticut to Haiti, with Major Butler and a group of Marines on board. On October 24, 1915, an estimated 400 Cacos ambushed Butler's patrol of 44 mounted Marines when they approached Fort Dipitie . Surrounded by Cacos ,

7830-477: Was revived on July 19, 1798, when Alexander Hamilton and Charles C. Pinckney were commissioned as major generals during the Quasi War with France. The expanded Army was demobilized on June 15, 1800, when it was reduced to only four regiments of infantry and two of artillery commanded by a brigadier general. The rank of major general was abolished in the U.S. Army by the Act of March 16, 1802, and restored by

7920-544: Was surprised and furious when he read the press release the next morning and demanded Butler's resignation. After almost two years in office, Butler resigned under pressure, stating later that "cleaning up Philadelphia was worse than any battle I was ever in." Following the period of service as the director of public safety in Philadelphia, Butler assumed command on February 28, 1926, of the U.S. Marine Corps base in San Diego, California, in ceremonies involving officers and

8010-407: Was temporarily relieved of command after an unspecified incident in his room. In October 1899, he saw his first combat action when he led 300 Marines to take the town of Noveleta from Filipino troops of the new Philippine republic. In the initial moments of the assault, his first sergeant was wounded. Butler briefly panicked, but he quickly regained his composure and led his Marines in pursuit of

8100-665: Was the only time he wore his dress blue uniform after he left the Marines. Butler announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in the Republican primary in Pennsylvania in March 1932 as a proponent of Prohibition , known as a "dry". Butler allied with Gifford Pinchot but was defeated in the April 26, 1932, primary election with only 37.5% of the vote to incumbent Sen. James J. Davis 's 60%. Butler voted for Norman Thomas of

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