Serving as a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, Sergeant Herman Henry Hanneken received the Medal of Honor for his actions between October 31 and November 1, 1919 near Grande Riviere, Republic of Haiti during the 1919–1920 Haitian campaign. At the time he was serving with Gendarmerie d'Haiti. Hanneken was 26 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 1, 1920. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General.
Hanneken was born on June 23, 1893 in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. Hanneken died on August 23, 1986 in Lanolla, California, at the age of 93. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.
Hanneken is one of 2 Medal of Honor recipients from the 1919–1920 Haitian campaign and one of 78 credited to Missouri.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in actual conflict with the enemy near Grande Riviere, Republic of Haiti, on the night from 31 October to 1 November 1919, resulting in the death of Charlemagne Peralte, the supreme bandit chief in the Republic of Haiti, and the killing, capture, and dispersal of about 1,200 of his outlaw followers. Second Lt. Hanneken not only distinguished himself by his excellent judgment and leadership but also unhesitatingly exposed himself to great personal danger when the slightest error would have forfeited not only his life but the lives of the detachments of Gendarmerie under his command. The successful termination of his mission will undoubtedly prove of untold value to the Republic of Haiti.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Herman Henry Hanneken received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I, World War II, Banana Wars.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Missouri →
Timeline
- June 23, 1893Born in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri
- October 31 - November 1, 1919Act of valor — near Grande Riviere, Republic of HaitiAge 26. Gendarmerie d'Haiti
- July 1, 1920Medal of Honor presented
- August 23, 1986Died in Lanolla, CaliforniaAge 93.
- Resting placeFort Rosecrans National CemeterySan Diego, California
Biography
Herman Henry Hanneken (June 23, 1893 – August 23, 1986) was a United States Marine Corps officer and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor. Beginning his career as an enlisted man, Hanneken served in the Banana Wars of the 1910s and 1920s. During the United States occupation of Haiti, he assassinated the resistance leader Charlemagne Péralte, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Subsequently, granted a commission, Hanneken served in Haiti for several more months and was awarded a Navy Cross for killing another rebel leader. He received a second Navy Cross for his actions during the occupation of Nicaragua in the late 1920s.
From the Wikipedia article “Herman H. Hanneken”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
