USMC Badass: Brigadier General Herman Henry Hanneken

[SteelCore]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/Hanneken_HH.jpg/515px-Hanneken_HH.jpg
Brigadier General Herman Henry Hanneken (23 June 1893–23 August 1986) was a United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient. While on duty in Haiti in 1919, Hanneken suppressed the activities of the supreme rebel leader, Charlemagne Péralte, by killing the notorious rebel. Hanneken was disguised and led into the rebels camp in Northern Haiti by Jean-Baptiste Conze, one of Peralte's officers who betrayed the charismatic rebel leader. In the short skirmish that ensued Perlate was shot in the heart for which Henneken was awarded the Medal of Honor.

A renowned fighter of rebel forces, in another daring raid just five months following the execution of Charlemagne, he shot and killed Osiris Joseph, a lesser Haitian rebel chieftain who succeeded Charlemagne. He was awarded the Navy Cross for this act of heroism.

He served in the Marine Corps for thirty-four years, participating in both World War I and World War II. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star for actions during World War II.

He amassed the follwing Honors and Awards:

Medal of Honor
Navy Cross with gold star (in lieu of a second award)
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Presidential Unit Citation
Navy Unit Commendation
Good Conduct Medal
Mexican Campaign Medal
Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
World War I Victory Medal
Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal
American Defense Service Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with three bronze stars
American Area Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Haitian Medaillo Militaire with two gold stars
Nicaraguan Medal of Merit
Haitian Campaign Medal with Clasp

(with more men like Hanneken, there would be no Osama)

[Planning]

that was when generals were real fighting leaders, now they seem to be chosen if the are politicaly savy, can write good reports, follow the rules.

i have an uncle who is a marine's marine. when he walked into a room you knew he was a marine, even when not in uniform. he fought in WWII, korea and vietnam. he was an enlisted fighter pilot ( second to the last one for the MC) in the pacific and a cargo pilot in korea. a lot more to this story, but i will keep it short for now.

[SteelCore]

So you don't forget...because I for one want to hear it.

Thanks!

[brewskzilla]

Ditto, lets hear, er... READ the story...

[hunter_la5]

cool story, thanks for sharing that Steely.

do tell Planning... pretty please?

[Planning]

i will try to dig out some more later, this was just before he went to pilot training. he was a radio-gunner at the time. my uncle is on the left.

he retires as a Sergeant Major John M. Conn II,
United States Marine Corps (Retired)

[JC Speiser]

you got my attention now...especially with the "radio" part...

[SteelCore]

Thanks 4 sharin that.

[Patria Povo]

I'm proud to be the son of a Vietnam veteran Marine and to have been named after another Vietnam Marine who did one tour as a platoon and company commander before re-upping to serve another tour as an arty forward observer in the backseat of a tiny little prop plane around the DMZ.

One time he was denied the ok to land some HE rounds on a village flying an NVA battle flag. He called up the battleship and was told all they would fire that close to the DMZ was leaflets. He has them set the burst to go off AFTER impact - so those big shells flattened the village before releasing psyops leaflets. :airtight::America:

[SteelCore]

Good field expedience there, PP...thanks for that story.