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Sgt. S. Kimbrow-Historian
to remember
Baske, Hugo Fredrick August, LCDR.
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Contact Info
Home Town Wisner
Date of Passing Mar 31, 1931
Location of Interment Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park - Seattle, Washington
LCDR Baske, M.D., was a trained medical surgeon. He entered Naval service in 1917.
He had various duty stations prior to assignment with the Guardia in Nicaragua: Aboard the USS Montana in 1920, USS Buffalo in San Diego as medical officer, Naval Air Station San Diego in 1923 as a Navy Lt.., etc.. Became a Lt. Commander in 1926 at the 301st Company, MCR, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard Boston. He was attached to Marine Corps units through his career.
He was attached to the Nicaraguan National Guard Detachment (Guardia) in Nicaragua in January 1930, becoming the Northern Area surgeon. He held the rank of Major with the Guardia, then as Medical Officer for the Nicaraguan Penitentiary just prior to his death.
On 31 March 1931, he was one of several Americans killed during the devastating earthquake that destroyed Managua, Nicaragua when the walls of the National Penitentiary fell on him.
"It was at the (Nicaraguan National) Penitentiary that the American personnel of the Guardia suffered their greatest casualties, in the loss of the lives of Major Hugo F. A. Baske (MC), G.N. (Lieutenant-Commander, MC-U. S. Navy), Medical officer in charge at the prison, and First Lieutenant James L. Dickey, G.N. (Chief Quartermaster Clerk, U. S. M. C), both of whom were instantly killed by falling walls." (page 127 in notes)
