1915 Haitian 1916 Dominican Group
Chief Yoeman
United States Navy Chief Yeoman William McCluggage (service #133-38-74, C.S.C. #53043) was born January 25th 1889 in Northern Ireland. He attended & graduated high school in Paterson, New Jersey, & completed a stenograph-bookkeeping course at Drakes Business School in Passaic, New Jersey. William was employed by the Forstmann-Hoffmann Company & by the G.H. Hammond Beef Company before his Naval career.
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William enlisted in the Navy as a Landsman Yeoman June 19th 1911 in New York, N.Y. He completed the prescribed training at the Naval Training Station, Newport Rhode Island aboard the Sloop of War U.S.S. Constellation. While at Newport he was detailed for several months at the Naval War College under Commanders Baker & Schofield, working on tactical & strategical problems for the fleet.
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Yeoman 3rd Class McCluggage was promoted to Yeoman 2nd Class On February 2nd 1912. He was temporarily transfer to the Battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin on March 22nd 1912. On June 1st 1912 the Navy Chief of Staff requested from the Secretary of the Navy a Yeoman for a Flag Office aboard the Armored Cruiser U.S.S. Tennessee. Y2c McCluggage was requested & he was transferred to the U.S.S. Tennessee June 10th 1912 to serve on the staff of Rear Admiral Austin M. knight, Commander in Chief, Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
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In 1916 Chief Yeoman McCluggage continued to serve in Dominican waters aboard the U.S.S. Memphis formerly the U.S.S. Tennessee until she was wrecked by 3 reported 70-100ft. Rouge Waves off the coast of Santo Domingo City, Santo Domingo. The Cruiser was a complete loss in 90 minutes after it struck the harbor bottom and took on water to the highest levels of the ship. 43 lives were lost aboard the U.S.S. Memphis disaster as well as 204 badly injured. McCluggage lived through the ordeal unscathed but lost all of his personal affects. |
At the request of Rear Admiral Harry S. Knapp, who was the U.S. Navy Military Governor of Santo Domingo & Military Representative of the United States in Haiti to have CY McCluggage remained in charge of his office in Haiti until Nov. 12th 1918. For his service in Dominican waters he was awarded the Dominican Campaign Medal #942 on November 18th 1924. |
At the recommendation of Admiral Harry S. Knapp, CY McCluggage was assigned to Officers Material School for the Pay Corps on November 29th 1918, at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. Although his grades were above average, CY McCluggage did not complete course due to his urge to be at sea. |

Throughout the majority of 1919 CY McCluggage was in charge of the General Detail at the Receiving Station, Naval Yard, Philadelphia. He reenlisted for 4 years on March 26th 1919. On December 31st 1919 CY McCluggage was transferred to the Hospital Ship U.S.S. Relief December 31st 1919 where he served until March 23rd 1923 when he was transfer to the Hospital Ship U.S.S. Mercy on March 31st 1923. He Reenlisted December 27th 1923 & remained on the U.S.S. Mercy until September 28th 1927 when he was transferred to the Fleet Reserve U.S. Naval Hospital Mare Island, CA for treatment. honorable Discharged & released from active Duty in the U.S. Navy.
From 1928 through 1941 Mr. McCluggage worked in the Passaic County, New Jersey Courthouse Clerks Office assisting in matters pertaining to the courts, elections, etc. especially in connection with Naturalization proceedings & election materials for the entire county.
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CY McCluggage was Ordered to Report for active duty July 16th 1941 & Transferred to Professor of Naval Science & Tactics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y. for Duty with the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit where he served until he was Honorable Discharged & released from active Duty April 28th 1945. On October 31st 1946 McCluggage was awarded the Naval Reserve Medal for his Faithful Service to the Navy.
United States Navy Chief Yeoman William McCluggage passed away February 23rd 1954 in his home in Hawthorne, New Jersey. He is buried at the Laurel Grove Cemetery, Totowa, N.J.
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