John Edward Butts

Second Lieutenant John Edward Butts was a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient whose extraordinary leadership during the Battle of Normandy helped his platoon overcome heavily fortified German positions in June 1944. Wounded repeatedly, he refused to abandon his soldiers and was killed leading a final assault near Flottemanville-Hague, France.

Born on 8 August 1922 in Medina, New York, Butts enlisted in the New York National Guard in October 1939 and entered federal active service the following year. After training and an assignment in Hawaii, he completed officer candidate school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in November 1942. Assigned to the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division, he served in the North African and Sicilian campaigns before the division prepared in England for the invasion of France.

The 60th Infantry landed at Utah Beach on 11 June 1944. Three days later, while leading his platoon near Orglandes, Butts was wounded but refused medical treatment. On 16 June, he suffered another wound during an attack to establish a bridgehead across the Douve River, yet continued to lead his men.

On 23 June, near Flottemanville-Hague, Butts led his platoon against a strongly defended hill protected by German armor, machine guns and fortified positions. After being critically wounded, he directed a squad to flank the enemy while advancing alone to divert hostile fire. Despite further wounds, he continued forward until he was killed within yards of the objective. His actions helped his platoon capture the strongpoint and contributed to the battalion's success.

For his extraordinary heroism on 14, 16 and 23 June 1944, Butts received the Medal of Honor posthumously under War Department General Orders No. 58, dated 19 July 1945. His parents received the decoration on 29 August 1945 at the Medina Armory. Originally buried in Normandy, he was returned to Medina in 1948 and reinterred at St. Mary's Cemetery. His Medal of Honor and other military medals have been displayed at the public library in his hometown.

Medal of Honor citation

Heroically led his platoon against an 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 machine-gun emplacements and protected by concentrated artillery and mortar fire. As the attack was launched, 2d Lt. Butts, at the head of his platoon, was critically wounded by German machine-gun fire. Although weakened by his injuries, he rallied his men and directed one 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, 2d Lt. Butts enabled his platoon to take a formidable strongpoint and contributed greatly to the success of his battalion's mission.