Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-13
BUTLER PROMOTED
TO MAJOR GENERAL
Succeeds to Vacancy Caused
= by Recent Death of
Eli K. Cole.

Brig. Gen. Smedley D. Butler, famous
fighting Marine, the holder Of two med
ais of honor and the youngest general
officer of the Marine Corps, who is now
commanding the post at Quantico, Va;
was today selected by President Hoover
and the Navy Department to be major
general. He is elevated to the vacancy
left by the recent death of Maj. Gen.
Eli K. Cole, commanding general OF
the Department of the Pacific.
Gen. Butler attains the senior rank
In the illustriouS fighting organization
at the unusually early age of 48, which
he will reach on July 80. He is the
senior brigadier general in the orgam-
zation, and, in addition to holding both
the Army and the Navy Distinguished
Service Medals, he holds many decora--
tionS from allied powers. He has served
Uncle Sam in many parts of the world
his most recent service having been IN
China, from which he returned again
to command the Quantico organization
Met Hoover in China.
incidentally, it was In China during
the Boxer troubles years ago, that the
then young Lieut.. Butler became ac-
quainted with young Herbert Hoover
who was at that time embarking on an
engineering career.
The son of the late Chairman Butler
of the House naval committee, Gen
Butler achieved fame in civilian life
also as the director of public safety in
Philadelphia, and a special tablet In
honor of this service is on the walls of
Marine Corps headquarters at the Navy
Department.
Gen. Butler won his first medal OF
honor at Vera Cruz, Mexico, his second
being awarded after he led daring
raid on a strongly fortified bandit posi-
ton in the mountains of Haiti. His
Distinguished Service Medals recall his
activities in France during the World
War, where in spite of his pleas for
duty at the front he was detailed by
Gen. Pershing to clear up threatening
situation in the rear, on the outskirts OF
BreSt. Confronted with a sea of mud
and confusion, where troops were poorly
housed at best, and disease was break
ing out, the American Army summoned
Gen. Butler as the man to clean up the
job. In a few weeks the great camp
was a model of comfort and efficiency
where 10000 men could be handled in
a single day with comfort.
Entered as Volunteer.
When the United States declared war
on Spain, Gen. Butler entered the Ma
rine Corps as volunteer second lieu
tenant. At the end of the war he re-
ceived a permanent commission, and
was soon fighting in China in the Boxer
campaign. There he was promoted by
brevet from lieutenant to captain for
heroism in action. He next saw active
duty in the Philippine campaign, and
since that time he has served in Cuba,
Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Mexico,
Haiti, Santo Domingo, France and
again in China; where he recently conf
manded the Marine eXpeditionary force
which crossed the Pacific to protect
American lives and property.
Altogether, Gen. Butler has been q
veteran of Is campaigns and expedi.
tions. Upon his return to the United
states after the World War Gen. But
Ier took command of the Marine base
at Ouantico, Va, where he again wor
distinction as a builder and organizer
He fought postwar depression by or
ganizing a series of great maneuver:
on Civil War battleheldS in the vicinity
of WASHINGTON He inspired his mer
to repair their old wartime barrack;
and beautify the reservation and en-.
couraged athletics and was the rea
force behind the first Marine foot bal
team to win national attention on the
gridiron. Gen. Butler recently LED ms
men into the new barracks at Quantlcc
and has mapped out plans Tor making
this post the model one in the country