Harry McLaren Pinckney Huse

Worked under fire to communicate and end the Veracruz fight.

Harry McLaren Pinckney Huse was born at West Point, New York, on 8 December 1858, while his father served there as an Army officer. He entered the Naval Academy in 1874 and graduated in 1878. Sea appointments alternated with teaching and other duties at Annapolis.

During the Spanish-American War he was executive officer of USS Gloucester. He took part in the battle off Santiago and led a landing party in Puerto Rico. Early in the following decade he commanded the gunboat Villalobos in the Philippines. Later appointments included the monitor Nevada, supply ship Celtic and battleship Vermont.

In 1914 Huse was chief of staff to Rear Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher during the United States intervention at Veracruz. On 21 and 22 April he worked under fire, assisting the division commander and communicating with Mexican officials ashore. His efforts to avoid unnecessarily extending the fighting formed an explicit part of his Medal of Honor citation.

Promoted rear admiral in 1916, he served in Navy Department posts during the First World War. After commanding the Atlantic Training Fleet, he represented the Navy on Allied armistice and control commissions and commanded American naval forces in European waters with temporary vice admiral rank. Returning home, he commanded the Third Naval District and served on the General Board. He left active duty in December 1922 and later received vice admiral rank on retirement. Huse died at Bethesda Naval Hospital on 14 May 1942. The destroyer escort USS Huse commemorated his career.