Col. McClernand "Mac" Butler, 91, of Ottawa died Sunday, Oct. 14, 2001. He was born July 10, 1910, in Springfield, the son of William J. Butler and Bessie Gross Butler. He married Madge Grimes in 1937 in Alton; she preceded him in death. Survivors: a daughter of Greenfield, Ind.; a grandson; and two great-grandchildren.
Col. Butler attended West Point Military Academy from 1930-33, where he set records for marksmanship that are still unbroken. He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1926. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1933 and entered federal service in 1941 as a second lieutenant and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1944. He later was promoted to full colonel in 1960. He was a World War II veteran serving in the European Theater and commanding the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment. In 1945, he was appointed both regimental executive officer of the 393rd Infantry Regiment and later regimental commander of the 394th Infantry Regiment, where he remained until the regiment was returned to the United States. Butler was discharged from the service in 1946. Once discharged, Butler helped form the 123rd Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, 44th Infantry Division in 1952. He received a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Col. Butler was the Ottawa & LaSalle branch manager for Illinois Bell Telephone Co. He was the past president of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Rotary Club, where he held membership for more than 35 years. He was a member of the Elks Club, Dedc-Co Golf Club, American Legion, VFW, Veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and Order of the Indian Wars of the United States. He was a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a former member of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches. He had been attending the Illinois Valley Evangelical Free Church in Ottawa for the past several years.
Services: First Congregational Church of Ottawa. Graveside services: noon Saturday, Oak Ridge Cemetery.
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) - Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Col. Butler attended West Point Military Academy from 1930-33, where he set records for marksmanship that are still unbroken. He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1926. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1933 and entered federal service in 1941 as a second lieutenant and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1944. He later was promoted to full colonel in 1960. He was a World War II veteran serving in the European Theater and commanding the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment. In 1945, he was appointed both regimental executive officer of the 393rd Infantry Regiment and later regimental commander of the 394th Infantry Regiment, where he remained until the regiment was returned to the United States. Butler was discharged from the service in 1946. Once discharged, Butler helped form the 123rd Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, 44th Infantry Division in 1952. He received a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Col. Butler was the Ottawa & LaSalle branch manager for Illinois Bell Telephone Co. He was the past president of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Rotary Club, where he held membership for more than 35 years. He was a member of the Elks Club, Dedc-Co Golf Club, American Legion, VFW, Veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and Order of the Indian Wars of the United States. He was a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a former member of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches. He had been attending the Illinois Valley Evangelical Free Church in Ottawa for the past several years.
Services: First Congregational Church of Ottawa. Graveside services: noon Saturday, Oak Ridge Cemetery.
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) - Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Col. McClernand "Mac" Butler, 91, of Ottawa died Sunday, Oct. 14, 2001. He was born July 10, 1910, in Springfield, the son of William J. Butler and Bessie Gross Butler. He married Madge Grimes in 1937 in Alton; she preceded him in death. Survivors: a daughter of Greenfield, Ind.; a grandson; and two great-grandchildren.
Col. Butler attended West Point Military Academy from 1930-33, where he set records for marksmanship that are still unbroken. He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1926. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1933 and entered federal service in 1941 as a second lieutenant and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1944. He later was promoted to full colonel in 1960. He was a World War II veteran serving in the European Theater and commanding the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment. In 1945, he was appointed both regimental executive officer of the 393rd Infantry Regiment and later regimental commander of the 394th Infantry Regiment, where he remained until the regiment was returned to the United States. Butler was discharged from the service in 1946. Once discharged, Butler helped form the 123rd Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, 44th Infantry Division in 1952. He received a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Col. Butler was the Ottawa & LaSalle branch manager for Illinois Bell Telephone Co. He was the past president of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Rotary Club, where he held membership for more than 35 years. He was a member of the Elks Club, Dedc-Co Golf Club, American Legion, VFW, Veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and Order of the Indian Wars of the United States. He was a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a former member of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches. He had been attending the Illinois Valley Evangelical Free Church in Ottawa for the past several years.
Services: First Congregational Church of Ottawa. Graveside services: noon Saturday, Oak Ridge Cemetery.
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) - Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Col. Butler attended West Point Military Academy from 1930-33, where he set records for marksmanship that are still unbroken. He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1926. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1933 and entered federal service in 1941 as a second lieutenant and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1944. He later was promoted to full colonel in 1960. He was a World War II veteran serving in the European Theater and commanding the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment. In 1945, he was appointed both regimental executive officer of the 393rd Infantry Regiment and later regimental commander of the 394th Infantry Regiment, where he remained until the regiment was returned to the United States. Butler was discharged from the service in 1946. Once discharged, Butler helped form the 123rd Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, 44th Infantry Division in 1952. He received a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Col. Butler was the Ottawa & LaSalle branch manager for Illinois Bell Telephone Co. He was the past president of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Rotary Club, where he held membership for more than 35 years. He was a member of the Elks Club, Dedc-Co Golf Club, American Legion, VFW, Veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and Order of the Indian Wars of the United States. He was a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a former member of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches. He had been attending the Illinois Valley Evangelical Free Church in Ottawa for the past several years.
Services: First Congregational Church of Ottawa. Graveside services: noon Saturday, Oak Ridge Cemetery.
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) - Tuesday, October 23, 2001
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