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Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Wainwright, Richard, RADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address Washington, DC
Date of Passing Mar 06, 1926
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Was an LT for 21 years before being advanced to LCDR. Was the Executive Officer onboard USS Maine (ACR-1) when sunk.
Retired from active duty on December 7, 1911. Admiral Wainwright died on March 6, 1926 in Washington, D.C. and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.
Description On June 1, the American ships entered the Ganghwa Straits on the west coast of Korea. Their goal was to steam up the Han River, which led to the capital city of Hanyang (modern day Seoul). The Korean king, however, had barred foreign ships from entering the Han. So when the American ships passed by, the Korean garrison onshore fired. Their outdated weapons did no damage, but that didn’t matter to Admiral Rogers. He gave the Koreans ten days to apologize for what he regarded as an unprovoked assault.
The Koreans refused to comply. So Admiral Rogers made good on his threat. On June 10, the U.S. ships attacked the Choji Garrison on the island of Ganghwa-do. It was a mismatch from the start. The garrison was lightly defended, poorly equipped, and badly outnumbered. U.S. marines and sailors then went on to overrun several other Korean posts on the island. When the smoke cleared at the end of the day, the Americans controlled Ganghwa-do at the cost of three dead. The Koreans weren’t so fortunate. They lost more than two-hundred-and-forty men.
Koreans call the fighting on Ganghwa-do “Shinmiyangyo,” which literally means “Western Disturbance in the Shinmi Year.” The American victory marked the first time that the stars and stripes were raised over Asian territory by force. Fifteen Americans—nine sailors and six marines—earned Medals of Honor for their bravery during the campaign, making them the first Medal of Honor recipients to be honored for fighting on foreign soil.
