Hospital Apprentice First Class William Zuiderveld, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 21, 1914 in Vera Cruz, Mexico during the 1914 Veracruz expedition. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Florida. Zuiderveld was 26 years old.
40 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on January 6, 1915 — presented by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on the deck of the USS Florida at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant.
Zuiderveld was born on January 24, 1888 in Michigan. Zuiderveld died on February 5, 1978 in San Diego, California, at the age of 90. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. His medal is held by Michigan Heroes Museum, Frankenmuth, MI.
Zuiderveld is one of 56 Medal of Honor recipients from the 1914 Veracruz expedition and one of 112 credited to Michigan.
Official 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.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
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From the archives
Additional information on his action comes from U.S. Navy General Order No. 116, dated August 19, 1914, which records an after-action report by Rear Admiral F. F. Fletcher: "After the five volunteers from the first company, Florida Battalion, had advanced with me under heavy fire along the narrow alley between the customhouse and the open warehouse, and Schumacher was shot in the head, I called down the alley for the ambulance party. Zuiderveld, W., hosptial apprentence, first class, responded quickly, and advanced alone up the alley under a heavy fire to the postion occupied by the five volunteers. There kneeling an exposed position, and unaided, he bandaged up Schumacher's head, to stop the flow of blood, while a steady fire was being maintained against the Mexicans in the doorway of the Oriente Hotel." The five volunteers refered to in the account were George Cregan, Harry C. Beasley, Lawrence C. Sinnett, Joseph G. Harner, and J. F. Schumacker. All except for Schumacker received the Medal of Honor.
Timeline
- January 24, 1888Born in Michigan
- April 21, 1914Act of valor — Vera Cruz, MexicoAge 26. U.S.S. Florida
- January 6, 1915Medal of Honor presentedPresented by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on the deck of the USS Florida at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York.
- February 5, 1978Died in San Diego, CaliforniaAge 90.
- Resting placeFort Rosecrans National CemeterySan Diego, California
Biography
William Zuiderveld (January 8, 1888 – February 5, 1978) was a United States Navy Hospital Apprentice First Class. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the United States occupation of Veracruz.
From the Wikipedia article “William Zuiderveld”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
