Zuiderveld, William, LT

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
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Last Rank
Lieutenant
Last Primary NEC
210X-Medical Corp Officer
Last Rating/NEC Group
Staff Corps Officer
Primary Unit
1911-1914, HA-0000, USS Florida (BB-30)
Service Years
1908 - 1945
Lieutenant Lieutenant

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

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Home State
Michigan
Michigan
Year of Birth
1888
 
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Contact Info
Home Town
Tallmadge
Last Address
Oceanside, San Diego County, California
Date of Passing
Feb 05, 1978
 
Location of Interment
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Section A-I Grave 9b

 Official Badges 




 Unofficial Badges 




 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
  1978, National Cemetery Administration (NCA)


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:


Vera Cruz Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.  He enlisted in the United States Navy and had earned the rating of Hospital Apprentice First Class. On August 19, 1914, he was awarded the CMOH for his actions during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico on April 21, 1914.  He retired in September 1938 but was recalled to active duty during World War II. At the end of the war, he was placed on the retired list with the rank of Lieutenant.

In 1914, Zuiderveld took part in the United States occupation of Veracruz, serving as a hospital corpsman with a company of armed sailors (known as "Bluejackets") who were tasked with capturing the city's Customs House.

The company, led by Ensign George M. Lowry, became pinned down by "murderous rifle and machine-gun fire" as they approached the Custom's house. Not wanting to risk his entire company, Lowry asked for volunteers to approach the Custom's House from the side. Five men volunteered: Joseph G. Harner, Coxswain J. F. Schumaker, Boatswain's Mate Second Class George Cregan, and Seamen Harry C. Beasley and Lawrence C. Sinnett.

Lowry lead the volunteers into a narrow alley, where they came under crossfire from riflemen in the Custom's Building and machine gunners in a nearby hotel. During this fighting, "A bullet clipped one of the buttons off Lowry's cap and another tore through his right legging, creasing the flesh. Beasley was slightly wounded, and Schumaker was shot through the head."

After his men were able to silence the machine gunners with return rifle fire, Lowry called for a corpsman to help Schumaker. Zuiderveld ran down the alley while under fire and tried to stop the flow of blood from Schumaker's head.

Once Zuiderveld carried Schumakerâ??who would soon dieâ??to the rear, Lowry and his surviving men worked their way up the alley and scaled the wall around the Custom's House. Several days later, Lowry returned to the scene and counted twelve bullet impacts on the wall where his men had climbed it. After Lowry and his men smashed through a window of the Customs House, the personnel inside surrendered.

   
Other Comments:


Medal of Honor Citation:
"On board the U.S.S. Florida, Zuiderveld showed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914."

Rank and organization: Hospital Apprentice First Class, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914. Entered service at: Michigan. Birth: Michigan. G.O. No.: 116, 9 August 1914.

In an effort to force out General Victoriano Huerta, who had seized the presidency of Mexico in a bloody coup d' etat, President Woodrow Wilson sent three Navy vessels to Vera Cruz under the command of Rear Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher. On the morning of April 21 nearly 1,500 American combat troops were put ashore, and that night another 1,500 reinforcements landed. By noon on April 22nd the American forces had taken control of the city. In the two day action Fletcher lost 17 men killed, 63 wounded. The Mexicans had nearly 800 dead or wounded. Hospital Apprentice First Class William Zuiderveld of the U.S.S. Florida was one of 55 men awarded the Medal of Honor for "extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz." Though the United States occupied Vera Cruz for seven months following the initial landing, the men who landed at Vera Cruz on April 21 - 22 accomplished their mission in two days, and returned to their vessels within the same week.

   

  1911-1914, HA-0000, USS Florida (BB-30)

Hospital Apprentice First Class

From Month/Year
- / 1911

To Month/Year
- / 1914

Unit
USS Florida (BB-30) Unit Page

Rate
Hospital Apprentice First Class

NEC
HA-0000-Hospital Apprentice

Base, Station or City
Vera Cruz

State/Country
Not Specified
 
 
 Patch
 USS Florida (BB-30) Details

USS Florida (BB-30)
Florida Class Battleship: Displacement 21,825 Tons, Dimensions, 521' 6" (oa) x 88' 3" x 30' 1" (Max)Armament 10 x 12"/45 16 x 5"/51, 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 11" Belt, 12" Turrets, 3" Decks, 11 1/2" Conning Tower. Machinery, 28,000 SHP; Direct Drive Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 20.75 Knots, Crew 1001. Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York Naval Ship Yard, March 9, 1909. Launched May 12, 1910. Commissioned September 15, 1911. Decommissioned February 16, 1931. Stricken April 6, 1931. Fate:Sold 16 February 1931 and broken up for scrap.

Type
Surface Vessel
 

Parent Unit
Florida-class

Strength
Battleship

Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Nov 26, 2019
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
USS Florida BB-30
24 Members Also There at Same Time
USS Florida (BB-30)

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Elliott, Middleton Stuart, VADM, (1896-1942) OFF 210X Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright Jr., Richard, CDR, (1903-1921) OFF 00X Lieutenant
McDonnell, Edward Orrick, VADM, (1908-1951) OFF 00X Ensign
Semple, Robert, LCDR, (1906-1943) CWO CWO Chief Gunner (CWO)
McCloy, John, LCDR, (1898-1942) CWO CWO Chief Boatswain (CWO)
Bishop, Charles Francis, CDR, (1906-1926) QM QM-0000 Quartermaster 2nd Class
Beasley, Harry C., PO1, (1906-1921) S1c S1c-0000 Seaman First Class
Jarrett, Berrie Henry, PO1, (1911-1927) S1c S1c-0000 Seaman First Class
Sinnett, Lawrence Clinton, CPO, (1906-1926) S1c S1c-0000 Seaman First Class
Walsh, James Aloysius, LT, (1913-1933) S2c S2c-0000 Seaman Second Class
Corpsmen, Hospital, HN, (1898-Present) HM HM-0000 Hospitalman Apprentice
Winslow, Cameron McRae, ADM, (1875-1919) Vice Admiral
Ward, Aaron, RADM, (1871-1913) Rear Admiral Upper Half
Fletcher, Frank Jack, ADM, (1906-1947) Lieutenant
Ainsworth, Walden Lee, VADM, (1910-1948) OFF Lieutenant Junior Grade
Blandy, William Henry, ADM, (1913-1950) Lieutenant Junior Grade
Hewitt, Henry Kent, ADM, (1906-1949) OFF Lieutenant Junior Grade
Wilkinson, Theodore Stark, VADM, (1905-1946) OFF Lieutenant Junior Grade
Blandy, William Henry, ADM, (1913-1950) Ensign
Riefkohl, Frederick Louis, RADM, (1911-1947) Ensign
Jones, Hilary Pollard, ADM, (1884-1927) Captain
Knapp, Harry Shepard, VADM, (1878-1920) Captain
Lowry, George Maus, RADM, (1911-1946) Ensign
Baker, Wilder Dupuy, VADM, (1914-1952) Ensign

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