William P. Upshur
Encyclopedia
Major General William Peterkin Upshur (October 28, 1881 – August 18, 1943) was the recipient of his nation's
highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor
—for his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign
.
(VMI) in 1902.
After graduating from VMI he was appointed a second lieutenant
in the United States Marine Corps
on February 1, 1904 and subsequently served aboard several vessels of the United States Navy
, at foreign stations throughout the world, and at various posts and stations in the United States.
His foreign shore duty included service with an expeditionary force to Havana, Cuba, in October 1906, and duty at Camp Evans, Deer Point, Guantanamo, Cuba, from January 9, to February 8, 1907. He again was detailed to expeditionary duty with a force of Marines on the Isthmus of Panama
from June 19, to August 8, 1908. Arriving at Olongapo, Philippine Islands
, in January 1912, he joined the 1st Brigade of Marines and was again detached in February 1914, this time to the Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peking
, China
, where he served until October 16, 1914.
On August 4, 1915, he assumed command of the 15th Company, 2nd Regiment, Port-au-Prince
, Haiti
, where he participated in engagements against Haïtian rebels
known as cacos. Decorations earned during this deployment included the Haitian Campaign Medal
and the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
. For his bravery during six day mission against the cacos, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was one of six men, including Smedley Butler
to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the occupation fo Haiti.
When the United States entered World War I
, he was again detailed for foreign shore duty, this time with the 13th Regiment in France
from September 1918 to August 1919, during which time he was in command of the American Military Prison, Casino des Lilas, Bordeaux and the American Guard Camp.
He was on temporary duty at the Naval Station, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
, in July and August 1921. He also served in Haiti for a period of two years with the 1st Brigade of Marines, from 1922-24. In January and March 1929, he was on temporary duty as Chief Umpire, Fleet Training Exercise No. 5, Culebra, Puerto Rico
, and again in January, February, and March 1940. In September 1939 he was assigned to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California
. In addition to his foreign shore stations he served aboard the , , , and the .
Other duties consisted of Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
; Director of the Marine Corps Reserve; on duty with the War Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
, Navy Department; and as Commanding General of the Marine Corps Base in San Diego.
He was a graduate of the Marine Corps School of Application, the Army Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and of the Army War College and the Naval War College
.
His last station of duty was that of the Department of the Pacific, where he served as Commanding General with headquarters in San Francisco, California
, from January 1, 1942 until the time of his death.
Major General Upshur died from injuries suffered in a July 21, 1943 airplane crash near Sitka, Alaska, while on an inspection tour of his command which included Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. In September 1948, his remains were removed from his Alaskan burial plot and reinterred at the United States Naval Academy
at Annapolis, Maryland
.
The , a troop and dependent transport which was placed into service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) during the Korean War
, was named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
—for his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign
United States occupation of Haiti (1915-1934)
The United States occupation of Haiti began on July 28, 1915, when 330 US Marines landed at Port-au-Prince on the authority of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to safeguard the interests of U.S. corporations. It ended on August 1, 1934 after Franklin D. Roosevelt reaffirmed an August 1933...
.
Biography
William Upshur was born October 28, 1881 in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from the Virginia Military InstituteVirginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
(VMI) in 1902.
After graduating from VMI he was appointed a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on February 1, 1904 and subsequently served aboard several vessels of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, at foreign stations throughout the world, and at various posts and stations in the United States.
His foreign shore duty included service with an expeditionary force to Havana, Cuba, in October 1906, and duty at Camp Evans, Deer Point, Guantanamo, Cuba, from January 9, to February 8, 1907. He again was detailed to expeditionary duty with a force of Marines on the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
from June 19, to August 8, 1908. Arriving at Olongapo, Philippine Islands
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, in January 1912, he joined the 1st Brigade of Marines and was again detached in February 1914, this time to the Marine Detachment, American Legation, Peking
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where he served until October 16, 1914.
On August 4, 1915, he assumed command of the 15th Company, 2nd Regiment, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, where he participated in engagements against Haïtian rebels
United States occupation of Haiti (1915-1934)
The United States occupation of Haiti began on July 28, 1915, when 330 US Marines landed at Port-au-Prince on the authority of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to safeguard the interests of U.S. corporations. It ended on August 1, 1934 after Franklin D. Roosevelt reaffirmed an August 1933...
known as cacos. Decorations earned during this deployment included the Haitian Campaign Medal
Haitian Campaign Medal
The Haitian Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was issued in the year 1917 and again in the year 1921. The decoration was intended for service members of both the Navy and Marine Corps who had participated in Haitian peacekeeping actions between the years of...
and the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is a decoration of the United States Marine Corps which was first created on 8 May 1919. Originally known as the Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, a full-sized medal was authorized in July 1921 by Presidential Order of Warren G. Harding...
. For his bravery during six day mission against the cacos, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was one of six men, including Smedley Butler
Smedley Butler
Smedley Darlington Butler was a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps, an outspoken critic of U.S. military adventurism, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S...
to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the occupation fo Haiti.
When the United States entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was again detailed for foreign shore duty, this time with the 13th Regiment in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from September 1918 to August 1919, during which time he was in command of the American Military Prison, Casino des Lilas, Bordeaux and the American Guard Camp.
He was on temporary duty at the Naval Station, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, in July and August 1921. He also served in Haiti for a period of two years with the 1st Brigade of Marines, from 1922-24. In January and March 1929, he was on temporary duty as Chief Umpire, Fleet Training Exercise No. 5, Culebra, Puerto Rico
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
, and again in January, February, and March 1940. In September 1939 he was assigned to the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. In addition to his foreign shore stations he served aboard the , , , and the .
Other duties consisted of Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
; Director of the Marine Corps Reserve; on duty with the War Plans Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
, Navy Department; and as Commanding General of the Marine Corps Base in San Diego.
He was a graduate of the Marine Corps School of Application, the Army Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and of the Army War College and the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
.
His last station of duty was that of the Department of the Pacific, where he served as Commanding General with headquarters in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, from January 1, 1942 until the time of his death.
Major General Upshur died from injuries suffered in a July 21, 1943 airplane crash near Sitka, Alaska, while on an inspection tour of his command which included Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. In September 1948, his remains were removed from his Alaskan burial plot and reinterred at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
at Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.
Honors and awards
A partial list of Upshur's awards includes:| Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... |
Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York... |
||
| Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is a decoration of the United States Marine Corps which was first created on 8 May 1919. Originally known as the Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, a full-sized medal was authorized in July 1921 by Presidential Order of Warren G. Harding... |
Army of Cuban Pacification Medal Army of Cuban Pacification Medal The Army of Cuban Pacification Medal is a military award of the United States Army which was created by orders of the United States War Department on May 11, 1909... |
Philippine Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under... |
China Service Medal China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes... |
| Haitian Campaign Medal (1917) Haitian Campaign Medal The Haitian Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was issued in the year 1917 and again in the year 1921. The decoration was intended for service members of both the Navy and Marine Corps who had participated in Haitian peacekeeping actions between the years of... |
World War I Victory Medal | Army of Occupation of Germany Medal Army of Occupation of Germany Medal The Army of Occupation of Germany Medal is a type of decoration of the United States military which was created by the act of the United States Congress on November 21, 1941. The decoration recognizes those members of the U.S... |
Haitian Campaign Medal (1921) Haitian Campaign Medal The Haitian Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was issued in the year 1917 and again in the year 1921. The decoration was intended for service members of both the Navy and Marine Corps who had participated in Haitian peacekeeping actions between the years of... |
Medal of Honor citation
Citation:In company with members of the Fifteenth Company of Marines all mounted, Captain Upshur 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 detachments was suddenly fired upon form three 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, Captain Upshur, in command of the three squads which advanced in three different directions, led his men forward, surprising and scattering the Cacos, and aiding the capture of Fort Dipitie.
Other honors
Camp Upshur, dedicated to Medal of Honor recipient Captain William P. Upshur, was a training area in Virginia for the Basic School/ROC during World War II. It became the official location of the Basic School in 1947 and remained in that capacity until 1958.The , a troop and dependent transport which was placed into service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, was named in his honor.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients