News 6 Monday, April 21, 2014
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100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S.
OCCUPATION OF VERACRUZ
One hundred years ago today, U.S. Marines and
sailors began a seven-month occupation of Veracruz,
Mexico. What was meant as a U.S. interception of
an arms shipment turned into days of bloody street
fighting. The conflict resulted in nearly 200 deaths.
Here’s a look at the start of the occupation.
MEXICAN REVOLUTION
In February 1913, during Mexico’s long
and convoluted revolution, U.S.
Ambassador Henry Wilson conspired
with Gen. Victoriano Huerta, above,
to overthrow Mexican President
Francisco Madero in a coup d'état in
known as “La decena trágica.”
Appalled by the events, U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson recalled the
ambassador and refused to recognize
the new Mexican president.
U.S. ARMS EMBARGO
President Wilson declared an arms
embargo on shipments to Huerta to
support Mexican counterrevolutionary forces. In the spring of
1914, U.S. and Mexico relations were
further strained by The Tampico
Affair — when Huerta’s solders
arrested American sailors in Tampico
while picking up fuel for their ship.
The sailors were quickly released, but
the U.S. considered it an insult.
U.S. naval brigade in Veracruz, Mexico, 1914
T H E BAT T L E B EG I N S
U.S.
Map
area
When Wilson learned
that a massive arms
shipment on the German
ship Ypiranga was
scheduled to arrive in
Veracruz, he ordered
the U.S. Navy to occupy
the port and stop the
weapons. It was not a
well-considered
strategy, since there
were many ports for the ship to drop
its cargo and the U.S. was not going
to blockade them all. Besides,
America did not have legal grounds
to hold a German ship.
U.S. naval
flotilla
San Juan de
Uluca Fort
VERACRUZ
Naval
academy
Custom House
About 8 a.m. April 21, Rear Adm.
Frank Fletcher, commander of U.S.
warships, receives orders to take
control of the waterfront, Custom
House and stop the cargo ship
Ypiranga from unloading.
San Juan
de Uluca
Fort,
built in
1655.
By 11:30 a.m., small boats began heading
toward shore with 300 armed sailors, known
as “bluejackets,” and 500 Marines. The forces came
from the battleship USS Florida, above, its sister
ship USS Utah and the transport ship USS Prairie.
2
1
aW
let
Ca
As the Americans were going
ashore, the Ypiranga arrived
at the port. With no authority to
hold it in a Mexican harbor, it was
released. Wilson was frustrated
rf
ha
3
rf
M
Power
station
Americans captured key facilities.
Sporadic firefights with Mexicans
continued until hostilities ended on April
24. The U.S. occupation continued for
seven months, but with no legal grounds
to remain, the U.S. troops departed.
Train depot
N
M
N
M
f
ar
N
Wh
Central
marketplaces
As U.S. troops advance,
they are fired upon.
They return fire.
al
Custom
house
District
courthouse
Te
Lighthouse
ci
er
Cable
office
mm
ina
rm
rd
ya
s
se
ay
ilw
a
lr
Passenger
landing
Post and
Telegraph office
Co
U.S. NAVY
TARGET
N
ou
N
that the Ypiranga simply went to
a different Mexican port and offloaded its cargo.
h
re
Wa
M
ru
ac
r
Ve
Oil tank
6
U.S. MARINE
TARGET
ha
zW
The initial landings were unopposed, but
as the U.S. forces began entering the
city, they were met by Mexican gunfire. As
extent of the street fighting became evident,
U.S. commanders decided to enlarge the
occupation from the waterfront to a
large portion of the city.
4
Naval academy
A brigade of bluejackets advanced
Barracks
on the naval academy unaware that
the Mexicans had quickly prepared a defense. The
Americans were hit by machine gun and rifle fire from
the compound, resulting in numerous casualties. After
VERA
returning fire, the Americans called for a brief ship
bombardment from the harbor. The shells damaged the
school, killed 15 cadets and broke the Mexican
April 21
resistance. The fighting at the academy and adjacent
barracks was probably the fiercest of the occupation.
U.S. LANDING
5
U.S. Marine medical corpsman next to a fallen Mexican soldier.
MEXICO CALL OF HONOR
Lt. José Azueta Abad, 19, along with
more than a dozen cadets, died
defending the academy. He was
wounded while firing a machine gun
at approaching U.S. sailors. Azueta
was rescued from the battlefield
and taken to his home. He died 19
days later. U.S. Adm. Fletcher
offered his personal doctor to treat
Azueta, but he was refused. Azueta
and cadet Virgilio Uribe, who also
died during the fighting, are part of
the Mexican roll call of honor.
CRUZ
April 30
U.S. ARMY ARRIVES
April 24
FIGHTING ENDS
160
22
KILLED*
KILLED
225
70
WOUNDED*
WOUNDED
*Mexican casualties are estimated; reports range 150-170 killed; 195-250 wounded
U.S. casualties vary with different sources; some have 19 killed.
Sources: U.S. National Archives, U.S. Navy, Veterans Museum & Memorial Center
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Nov. 23
U.S. LEAVES
U.S. MEDALS OF HONOR
CASUALTIES
Mexican Cross for the
Defenders of Veracruz, 1914
South-East br
eakwater
Mexico
Medal of honor awarded to
Adm. Fletcher, 1914
The Navy awarded 56 Medals of
Honor — an extremely high
number for a three-day fight. This
was almost half the number as
the entire Korean War. Maj.
Smedley Butler, a recipient of one
of the nine Marine Corps Medals
of Honor, tried to return it. He
thought it an “unutterable foul
perversion of our country’s
greatest gift,” claiming he had
done nothing heroic. The Navy
told him to keep it and to wear it.
Text and graphic by SCOTT BROWN / STAFF ARTIST
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