John E. Butts

Infobox Military Person
name= John E. Butts
born=
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath= Normandy, France
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears=
rank= Second Lieutenant
commands=
unit=
battles= World War II
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork=

John E. Butts was a soldier in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for actions in the Normandy Campaign during World War II. Butts was one of five brothers to serve in the war and the only one to be killed in action.cite web| url = http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyorlean/obitb4.htm
title = Orleans County Obits
publisher =Medina Daily Journal
accessdate =2008-02-20]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Co. E, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: Normandy, France, 14, 16, and 23 June 1944. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: Medina, N.Y. G.O. No.: 58, 19 July 1945.

Citation:

:Heroically led his platoon against the enemy in Normandy, France, on 14, 16, and 23 June 1944. Although painfully wounded on the 14th near Orglandes and again on the 16th while spearheading an attack to establish a bridgehead across the Douve River, he refused medical aid and remained with his platoon. A week later, near Flottemanville Hague, he led an assault on a tactically important and stubbornly defended hill studded with tanks, antitank guns, pillboxes, and machinegun emplacements, and protected by concentrated artillery and mortar fire.

:As the attack was launched, 2LT Butts, at the head of his platoon, was critically wounded by German machinegun fire. Although weakened by his injuries, he rallied his men and directed 1 squad to make a flanking movement while he alone made a frontal assault to draw the hostile fire upon himself. Once more he was struck, but by grim determination and sheer courage continued to crawl ahead. When within 10 yards of his objective, he was killed by direct fire. By his superb courage, unflinching valor and inspiring actions, 2LT Butts enabled his platoon to take a formidable strong point and contributed greatly to the success of his battalion's mission.

Legacy

After the war, Butts' remains was brought back from Normandy to the United States in 1948 and interred at St. Mary's cemetery in New Yorkcite web| url = http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyorlean/obitb4.htm
title = Orleans County Obits
publisher =Medina Daily Journal
accessdate =2008-02-20] In 1957 the Army airfield at Fort Carson, Colorado was named the Butts Army Airfield .cite web| url = http://www.carson.army.mil/dpw/fcfes/cfr.htm
title = Fort Carson Fire and Emergency Services
publisher =Fort Carson
accessdate =2008-02-20]

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

Persondata
NAME= Butts, John E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=