The true story of the Sergeant of Marines who was crowned King on a Voodoo Island A real United States Marines officer landed at La Gonave, an island off the coast of Haiti. He saved their queen and they made him their king. He ruled as king for four years. Eventually, President of Haiti found out about this and forced him out. The people still remembered him and were talking about him years later. They were longing for their king to come back and rule them again.