Medal of Honor: Kitsap recipients of the nation’s highest military honor | Part 2

On July 19, 1968, Sgt. William C. Horton, USMC ret., was the oldest living Marine Medal of Honor recipient when he presented to the Marine Corps the 44-star flag he raised over the American Legation during the Boxer Rebellion in Peking in 1900. Accepting the flag is Lt. Col. Henry M. Robinette, Commanding Officer, MARTD, NAS Sandpoint, Seattle. Photo: Courtesy of Orders and Medals Society of America

In observance of Veterans Day, Veterans Life is profiling Kitsap County veterans who received the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.

This is the second in a series of profiles of each of those 11 recipients from Kitsap (with thanks to Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the Semancik Foundation).

BOXER REBELLION
SGT. WILLIAM C. HORTON, USMC (1876-1969): For heroism during the American Chinese Relief Expedition, Peking, China, Aug. 17, 1900. A private at the time, he kept the flag flying during combat at the Tartar Wall. Presented the Medal of Honor aboard the USS Oregon in Bremerton. Barracks at Naval Base Kitsap — Bangor are named in his honor. Born in Chicago, interred in Seattle.

Citation
“In action against the enemy at Peking, China, 21 July to 17 August 1900. Although under heavy fire from the enemy, Horton assisted in the erection of barricades.”