John H. Quick
| John Henry Quick | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
June 20, 1870 Charles Town, West Virginia |
| Died | September 9, 1922 (aged 52) St. Louis, Missouri |
| Place of burial | Memorial Park Cemetery, Jennings, Missouri |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1892–1918, 1920 |
| Rank | Sergeant Major |
| Unit | 6th Marine Regiment |
| Battles/wars |
Spanish–American War Philippine–American War Battle of Vera Cruz (1914) World War I *Battle of Belleau Wood *Battle of Soissons |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Navy Cross Silver Star Medal |
John Henry Quick (June 20, 1870 – September 9, 1922) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1898 during the Spanish–American War and the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross during World War I.
Quick was born June 20, 1870 in Charles Town, Jefferson County, West Virginia.
He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 10, 1892 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received the Medal of Honor "for gallantry in action" in signalling the gunfire support vessel Dolphin while exposed to heavy enemy fire at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on June 14, 1898.
Throughout his 26-year career as a Marine, Quick participated in every campaign the Marines were involved in during his enlistment and he was the holder of several awards for valor. The campaigns he participated in include The West Indies Campaign, The Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, Cuban Campaign, Battle of Vera Cruz (1914) and, World War I.
During the morning of June 14, 1898, Companies "C" and "D" of Lt. Col Robert W. Huntington's Marine Battalion and approximately fifty Cubans moved through the hills to seize Cuzco Well, the main water supply for the Spanish garrison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The USS Dolphin (PG-24) moved east along the shore ready to furnish naval gunfire support upon call. The Spanish soon discovered the movement and their main body near the Well was alerted. The Marines and Cubans occupied the hill which overlooked the enemy's position, but were immediately subjected to heavy long-range rifle fire. Captain George F. Elliott (later Commandant of the Marine Corps), who had succeeded to command of the Marine Detachment, signaled the Dolphin to shell the Spanish position; but because the sender was not clearly visible, the message was misinterpreted, and the vessel began dropping shells on a small detachment of Marines who were en route to join the fight. The problem of directing the fire of the USS Dolphin was solved by Sergeant Quick who heroically placed himself in plain sight of the vessel, but in danger of falling shells as well as a brisk enemy fire, and signaled for the bombardment to be stopped. War correspondent and author Stephen Crane, who was with the Marines there, later described the scene in his war tale "Marines Signaling Under Fire at Guantanamo":
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