The medal was first intended for members of both the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps who had served ashore in Haiti from and or was aboard the cruiser and flagshipUSS Washington (ACR-11) or any of the other thirteen named ships of the United States fleet under the command of Rear AdmiralWilliam B. Caperton on July 9 through December 6, 1915,[1][2] for the purpose of protecting life and property during a revolution in Haiti.[3]
Another version of the medal was made in 1921 which was intended again for Navy and Marine Corps members who engaged in operations, either ashore or afloat in Haiti on April 1, 1919 through June 15, 1920.[2]
The two Haitian Campaign Medals are basically the same awards, with the only difference being the dates inscribed at the bottom of the front or obverse side of each medal, either 1915 or 1919–1920. For those eligible in both time periods a campaign clasp is worn on the 1915 version of the medal with a 3⁄16 inch bronze star worn on the service ribbon. The medal was designed by Rudolf Freund (1878–1960) of Bailey, Banks & Biddle.[4][5] Both the first and second versions of the Haitian Campaign Medal may not be worn simultaneously.[1][2]
The medal(s) are no longer an active award of the United States Navy and is considered obsolete. Modern day military operations in Haiti, such as the 1994 peacekeeping operations, are typically recognized by international military awards such as the NATO Medal.
Notable Recipients ("1915" version)
Medal of Honor recipients
Smedley Butler, USMC major, for actions on 17 November 1915
Daniel Daly, USMC gunnery sergeant, for actions on 22 October 1915
Samuel Gross, USMC private, for actions on 17 November 1915
Ross Iams, USMC sergeant., for actions on 17 November 1915
Ross Ostermann, USMC 1st Lt., for actions on 24 October 1915
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