Edward Albert Ostermann Edward Albert Ostermann ( November 23 , 1882 – May 18 , 1969 ) was a United States Marine Corps major general who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the U . S . occupation of Haiti . Osterman began his military career in the United States Army in 1899 , was commissioned an officer in the U . S . Marine Corps in 1907 , and retired as a major general in 1943 . Early life and Army service . Ostermann was born in Columbus , Ohio , on November 23 , 1882 . He attended the public schools of Milo , Columbus , and Dayton , Ohio . After attending Ohio Northern University at Ada for two and a half years , he enlisted in the U . S . Army on October 21 , 1899 , and served as a musician . Discharged as chief trumpeter at the expiration of a three - year enlistment , he remained a civilian for about one and a half years and then reenlisted in the Army on April 28 , 1904 . He was honorably discharged by purchase on November 12 , 1905 , as a chief trumpeter with the First Band , Artillery Corps . Marine Corps career . Ostermann accepted a second lieutenant ' s commission in the Marine Corps on March 20 , 1907 , and served continuously until his retirement as a major general on January 1 , 1943 . His long career took him to Cuba , Panama , China , Nicaragua , Mexico , Haiti , Hawaii , and the Philippines . He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1917 for his actions during the capture of Fort Dipitie , Haiti , on October 24 , 1915 . He was part of a mounted Marine detachment sent out from Fort Liberté to reconnoiter towards Fort Dipitie . As the group crossed a river in a deep ravine on the night of October 24 , they were suddenly fired upon from three sides by about 400 Haitian rebels , known as " Cacos " , concealed in the bushes about from Fort Dipitie . The Marines fought their way forward to a good position and maintained it throughout the night despite continuous hostile fire . At dawn , three squads of Marines commanded by Ostermann , Captain William P . Upshur , and Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Daly advanced in three different directions , surprising and scattering the Cacos in all directions . Upshur ' s and Ostermann ' s squads then captured the fort with a total of 13 Marines . Fort Dipitie was demolished and burned and the garrison was forced to flee . " These men were in pitch darkness surrounded by ten times their number and fighting for their lives … " a description relates , " … Had one squad failed , not one man of the party would have lived to tell the story … " Ostermann , Upshur ( who also lived to become a general ) , and Daly ( the recipient of two Medals of Honor ) all received the Medal of Honor for that battle . Later in the Haitian campaign , on November 11 , 1915 , Ostermann was wounded in action and returned to the United States for hospitalization . Ordered to Washington , D . C . , in 1938 to become the Assistant Adjutant and Inspector of the Marine Corps , he was advanced to the post of Adjutant and Inspector with the rank of brigadier general in February 1939 . With the coming of World War II , Ostermann requested combat duty as either a brigadier general or a colonel . In refusing the request as " impracticable at this time " , the Commandant of the Marine Corps expressed his appreciation to Ostermann . Ostermann was retired because of physical disability on January 1 , 1943 . Because of having been " specially commended for his performance of duty in actual combat " by virtue of the award of the Medal of Honor , Ostermann was promoted to the rank of major general on the retired list . Ostermann died on May 18 , 1969 . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington , Virginia . Awards . Ostermann earned the following medals and decorations : Medal of Honor , Purple Heart , Army of Cuban Pacification Medal , Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with two service star s , Mexican Service Medal , Nicaraguan Campaign Medal , Haitian Campaign Medal , World War I Victory Medal with West Indies clasp , American Defense Service Medal , American Area Campaign Medal , World War II Victory Medal , and the Republic of Haiti ' s Distinguished Service Medal in the grade of Officer . Medal of Honor citation . Ostermann ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : In company with members of the Fifteenth Company of Marines , all mounted , First Lieutenant Ostermann left Fort Liberte , Haiti , for a 6 - day reconnaissance . After dark on the evening of 24 October 1915 , while crossing the river in a deep ravine , the detachment was suddenly fired upon from 3 sides by about 400 Cacos concealed in bushes about 100 yards from the fort . The Marine detachment fought its way forward to a good position , which it maintained during the night , although subjected to a continuous fire from the Cacos . At daybreak , First Lieutenant Ostermann , in command of one of the three squads which advanced in three different directions , led his men forward , surprising and scattering the Cacos , and aiding in the capture of Fort Dipitie .