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St. Mary's Cemetery

Born:  August 08, 1922 at Medina, NY

Entered Service in the US Army from Buffalo, NY

Earned The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism June 14, 16, & 23, 1944 at Normandy, France

Following the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France, Second Lieutenant John Butts was painfully wounded on the June 14 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, Second Lieutenant 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 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 ten yards of his objective, he was killed by direct fire.