Henry W. Butner
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Henry Wolfe Butner (April 6, 1875-March 13, 1937) was a United States Army general in World War I and onetime commanding officer of Fort Bragg (1928-29). [1] Camp Butner near Durham, NC -- today the site of the town of Butner, North Carolina -- was named for him.
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[edit] Early Life
Henry Wolfe Butner was born in the Shoals community of Surry County, North Carolina on April 6, 1875 to Francis Augustine and Sarah Wolfe Butner. He came from a family rich in military tradition, including service in both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Butner attended the Davis Military School near Winston-Salem before taking the entrance exam at West Point in June of 1894. He graduated 18th of 109 in the West Point class of 1898.
[edit] Military career
His first assignment in the Artillery took him to San Francisco, CA. He then moved to Fort Riley, KS and by 1900 was in Cuba. He returned to the US in 1901 and traveled around the country while attending Army schools. In 1909, Butner sailed to the Philippines, spending 2 years there. Assignments, including several battery commands, took Butner across the American Southwest, and in 1916 he was ordered to Hawaii. Returning from Schofield Barracks in 1917, Colonel Butner went to France with the 16th Field Artillery on 21 May 1918. He participated in a number of offensive operations, was promoted to brigadier general, and took command of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade on 1 October 1918. After World War I, Butner attended the U.S. Army War College and became Commandant of the Field Artillery School by 1923. In 1925 he was back in the Philippines, commanding the 24th Field Artillery, Philippine Scouts. Further assignments gave Butner the opportunity for additional command time and military schooling. On 4 August 1930 he became the commander of Fort Eustis, VA. Before being promoted to major general on 1 February 1936, Butner commanded additional units and had once again traveled across America before taking command of the Panama Canal Department. [2]
[edit] Death
Butner had a slight stroke while playing golf in December of 1936, and was sent to Walter Reed Army Hospital, where he died on 13 March 1937.
