Smedley Darlington Butler

Smedley Butler
Birth name	Smedley Darlington Butler
Nickname(s)	"Old Gimlet Eye", "The Fighting Quaker", "Old Duckboard"
Born	(1881-07-30)July 30, 1881 West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	June 21, 1940(1940-06-21) (aged 58) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Buried	Oaklands Cemetery West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1898–1931
Rank	Major general
Unit	2nd Marine Regiment 1st Marine Regiment
Commands held	13th Marine Regiment Marine Expeditionary Force, China 1st Marine Regiment
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War Philippine–American War Battle of Noveleta Boxer Rebellion Battle of Tientsin Battle of San Tan Pating Banana Wars Battle of Masaya Siege of Granada, Nicaragua Battle of Coyotepe Hill Infiltration of Mexico City Battle of Fort Dipitie Battle of Fort Rivière Mexican Revolution Battle of Veracruz World War I Western Front
Awards	Medal of Honor (2) Marine Corps Brevet Medal Order of the Black Star (commandeur) Haitian Médaille militaire
Other work	Coal miner, author, public speaker, Philadelphia Director of Public Safety (1924–1925)

Spanish–American War
Philippine–American War

Boxer Rebellion

Banana Wars

Mexican Revolution

World War I

Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. During his 34-year career as a Marine, he participated in military actions in the Philippines, China, in Central America and the Caribbean during the Banana Wars, and France in World War I. Butler is well known for having later become an outspoken critic of U.S. wars and their consequences, as well as exposing the Business Plot, an alleged plan to overthrow the U.S. government.

By the end of his career, Butler had received 16 medals, five for heroism. He is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice, one of three to be awarded both the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and the Medal of Honor, and the only Marine to be awarded the Brevet Medal and two Medals of Honor, all for separate actions.

In 1933, he became involved in a controversy known as the Business Plot, when he told a congressional committee that a group of wealthy industrialists were planning a military coup to overthrow Franklin D. Roosevelt, with Butler selected to lead a march of veterans to become dictator, similar to other Fascist regimes at that time. The individuals involved all denied the existence of a plot and the media ridiculed the allegations. A final report by a special House of Representatives Committee confirmed some of Butler's testimony.

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