Michael Joseph McNally (June 29, 1860 – November 2, 1916) was a

United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

Sergeant who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

for actions during the

Second Samoan Civil War The Second Samoan Civil War was a conflict that reached a head in 1898 when Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States were locked in dispute over who should have control over the Samoan island chain, located in the South Pacific Ocea ...

. McNally was part of a joint British, American and Samoan expedition against Samoan rebels on

Upolu Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long and in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximate ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

in mid-1899. He fought at the First Battle of Vailele on April 1, 1899, and was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor along with Private

Henry L. Hulbert Henry Lewis Hulbert (January 12, 1867 – October 4, 1918) was a United States Marine who served during the Second Samoan Civil War and World War I. As a private, he received the Medal of Honor for distinguished service in Samoa on April 1, 189 ...

. Both McNally's and Hulbert's citations incorrectly list them as serving in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

during the time of their distinguished service though they served on , which was never dispatched to fight in the Philippine–American War. McNally joined the Marine Corps from

Mare Island Mare Island ( Spanish: ''Isla de la Yegua'') is a peninsula in the United States in the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

in December 1897, and retired in January 1915.USMC History Division On the night of 1 and 2 November 1916, he disappeared from a

Baltimore Steam Packet Company The Baltimore Steam Packet Company, nicknamed the , was an American steamship line from 1840 that provided overnight steamboat service on Chesapeake Bay, primarily between Baltimore, Maryland, and Norfolk, Virginia. Called a " packet" for the mai ...

steamer; his body was recovered some three weeks later, and he was buried in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: June 29, 1860, New York, N.Y. Accredited to:

. G.O. No.: 55, July 19, 1901.
Citation:

For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy at Samoa, Philippine Islands, 1 April 1899.

References

Awards

Note

McNally is sometimes erroneously referred to as Michael L. McNally. 1860 births 1910s missing person cases 1916 deaths Formerly missing people Military personnel from New York City Missing person cases in the United States People who died at sea Samoan Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients United States Marines {{USMC-bio-stub

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References

Awards

Note