Herman H. Hanneken
Herman Henry Hanneken (June 23, 1893 – August 23, 1986) was a United States Marine Corps officer and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Herman Henry Hanneken | |
|---|---|
Brigadier General Herman H. Hanneken, Medal of Honor recipient | |
| Born | June 23, 1893 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | August 23, 1986 (aged 93) La Jolla, California, U.S. |
| Buried | Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1914–1948 |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Commands held | 7th Marines 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines |
| Battles/wars | World War I Banana Wars • Occupation of Haiti • Occupation of Nicaragua World War II • Battle of Guadalcanal • Operation Cartwheel • Battle of Peleliu |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Navy Cross (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal |
Beginning his career as an enlisted man, Hanneken served in the Banana Wars of the 1910s and 1920s. During the United States occupation of Haiti, he assassinated the resistance leader Charlemagne Péralte, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Subsequently, granted a commission, Hanneken served in Haiti for several more months and was awarded a Navy Cross for killing another rebel leader. He received a second Navy Cross for his actions during the occupation of Nicaragua in the late 1920s.
After a decade of stateside duty, he served in the Pacific Theater of World War II. During this conflict, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star. He retired in 1948, after a thirty-four-year career, and was promoted in retirement to brigadier general.