Born on June 20, 1870 in Charleston W. Va. John Henry Quick enlisted in the Corps in Philadelphia on August 10, 1892. Participating in every campaign the Marines were involved in during his enlistment he was the holder of several awards for valor. In particular, an act written about by Stephen Crane, a war correspondent and novelist won him the Medal of Honor.

June 14, 1898 during the Spanish American war, two companies of Marines are tasked to capture Cuzco well, an important water supply in Cuba. As the Marines advanced on the well, they were attacked by the Spanish troops positioned in defence. The Captain in charge of the Marines signaled the USS Dolphin to provide naval gunfire in support of the Marines assault. As a result of poor positioning, the signal was misinterpreted and the Marines became the subject of "friendly fire." John Quick, then a Sgt., placed himself where he could be seen by the ships crew, stood up in the midst of the incoming shells and explosions and signaled for a cease fire. The flag he was using was not very visible, so the intrepid Marine shifted his position to the top of the hill. At this point, the Sgt. came under intense enemy small arms fire. he calmly turned his back to the enemy and continued to signal the ship. Letter by letter, sending Morse code he completed his message, picked up his rifle and rejoined the fire fight. ........"I watched his face, and it was as grave and serene as a man writing in his own library......I saw Quick betray only one sign of emotion. As he swung his clumsy flag to and fro, an end of it once caught on a cactus pillar. He looked annoyed." Wrote Crane.

During the Philippine insurrection Quick participated in the ill advised but heroic march across the island, Samar. (See index for L. W. T. Waller) The leadership and strong courage of Quick is credited with giving other members of that patrol the fortitude to complete that ordeal. "Stand, Marines, He served on Samar" became a standard greeting when any member of that unit entered a room for several years after this action in honor of the character displayed by the men of this patrol.

26 years of service as a Marine involved Quick in places which are legendary and still spoken of with awe by Marines to this day. The West Indian Campaign, The Spanish Campaign, Philippine Campaign, Cuban Campaign, Mexican Campaign and finally, World War I. An important time for the Marines, it was a period of deep and influential changes in the Marine Corps theory of operations, which remains valid, for the most part into today. One thing didn't change though, and that was the solid leadership displayed by this heroic Noncommissioned Officer.

During the Vera Cruz Campaign of 1913 he was again cited for valor during the assault of that Mexican city, for which the Secretary of the Navy commendation says of his performance: "He was continually exposed to fire during the first two days of the operation and showed coolness, bravery, and judgment in the prompt manner in which he performed his duties."

He spent only four years before he was again thrown into the burning cauldron of war. This time he sailed for France as part of the Marine Brigade, as Sgt. Major of a battalion of the sixth Marines. It was at Belleau Wood, where an Old World army was introduced to the fighting abilities of the modern U.S. Marines for the first time, that the Marines earned a new name, Teufelhunde-Devil Dogs. It also earned the Sgt. Maj. the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross.

Sergeant Major Quick retired from the Marine Corps on November 20, 1918, and died in St. Louis Mo., September 10, 1922, he was 52 years old.