Butler Smedley Darlington - Devil dog: the amazing true story of the man who saved America

ALSO BY DAVID TALBOT

Brothers: The Hidden History
of the Kennedy Years

ALSO BY SPAIN RODRIGUEZ

Che: A Graphic Biography

Simon & Schuster
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Copyright 2010 by The Talbot Players, LLC

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First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition October 2010

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Designed by Norma Tennis

Manufactured in the China

1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Talbot, David.
Devil dog: the amazing true story of the man who saved America /
by David Talbot; with original illustrations by Spain Rodriguez.
1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.
p. cm.
1. Butler, Smedley D. (Smedley Darlington), 18811940.
2. GeneralsUnited StatesBiography. 3. United States Marine Corps
OfficersBiography. 4. United StatesHistory, Military20th century.
5. Philadelphia (Pa.)History20th century.
6. United StatesHistory19331945. 7. United StatesPolitics and
government19331945. 8. Philadelphia (Pa.)Biography. I. Title.
VE25.B88T35 2010
359.9'6092dc22
[B]
2010005897

ISBN 978-1-4391-0902-1
eISBN 978-1-4391-1774-3

Art and photo credits can be found on page 149.

he idea for the Pulp History series came to my sister, the talented and effervescent Margaret Talbot, and me during the cocktail hour in a midtown Manhattan restaurantthat magic hour when so many schemes and dreams take wing. This was the lightbulb that suddenly clicked over our heads: we would find a way to bring untold history stories to life, working with comics artists, illustrators and designers to fully exploit the lush possibilities of the printed page. As writers, we wanted the words to play a more important role than they do in graphic novels. But by adding a visual dimension to our true storiesand portraying history in all its terrible and beautiful glorywe thought we could make the past shine through the shadows for a new generation of readers.

The next day, our brainstorm still seemed to make sense. So we promptly took the idea to Simon & Schuster, where an entirely sober David Rosenthal and Priscilla Painton gave it an enthusiastic welcome. Priscilla has long been an ardent supporter of all things Talbot, and we both return her ardor in full.

Margaret and I owe David, Priscilla and their Simon & Schuster teamespecially Devil Dog point man Michael Szczerbanour deepest thanks for helping make our bubbly dream come true.

We must also single out our Talbot Players colleague, the indispensable Karen Croft, who acted as executive producer on Devil Dog, marshaling the resources of our fledgling media company, keeping her gimlet eye on budgets and deadlines and, most important, helping maintain the highest creative standards.

We must also sing the praises of our designer, Norma Tennis, who gave the book its unique look and feel and whose vision and artistry are stamped on every page. Norma has the gifts of a fine artist, andfortunately for usthe temperament of a saint, meeting every design challenge we hurled her way with cheerful equanimity.

We are indebted to Edith Wehle, the granddaughter of Smedley Darlington Butler, for opening the Butler family home to us and granting us access to memorabilia and personal correspondence, including Butlers courtship letters to his future wife, Ethel Conway Peters. Edith is a vigilant keeper of the Butler flame, and our path toward understanding Butler was greatly smoothed by her generosity.

My wife, Camille Peri, stands at the wild heart of everything I do. She is the first person subjected to my Mr. Toadlike manias, and is always a source of wise and loving counsel. She was the first to read Devil Dog in its entirety and, as always, brought her finely tuned skills as a writer and editor to the task.

Research assistance was provided by the staffs of the Alfred M. Gray Research Center at the Quantico Marine Base Library, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the National Archives and Records Administration, as well as by Cliff Callahan and Susan Strange.

Finally, I must give a big bear hug to my Devil Dog collaborator, the legendary Manuel Spain Rodriguez, one of the great masters of modern comix. Spainwho brings an infectious, boyish glee to everything he doesmade this one of the most fun professional escapades of my life. Spains deep and always surprising knowledge of history, in all its infinite weirdness, and his love of great unsung heroes like Smedley Butler made him the perfect companion on this journey into the past.

To those who fight in Americas wars,
and to those who question why
we constantly fight them

Devil Dog

Boys dream of war. In their minds eye, they fight as bravely as Sir Galahad or the Three Musketeers. But theyre not supposed to really go to war. Smedley Darlington Butler did, when he was just 16. He ran off to join the marines and fight the dastardly Spaniards in Cuba. He never knew a Spaniard; hed never been far from home. It was all just picture books and recruiting posters and rippling flags to him.

In the end, he would turn his own life into a storybook. But not the kind he grew up reading.

Smedley Butler would fight valiantly all over the worldCuba, the Philippines, China, Nicaragua, Haiti, France. He would lead men into battle against impossible odds; he would be decorated more than any other marine in his day. But it was not until many years later that Smedley Butler finally got to fight for his country.

He was the man who saved America. And he did it right at home.

Act 1
THE YEAR OF
THE DRAGON