Capt. Philo McGiffin
Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Born Dec. 13, 1860, on this site. Graduate U.S. Naval Academy. Went to China in 1885, built up and trained its Navy. Sept. 17, 1894, it fought the Japanese to a draw in a naval battle at Yalu River. McGiffin died in 1897 from his injuries.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Born on this site in 1860, Philo McGiffin graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at a time when America's own fleet offered few commissions, and so he sailed to China to help build and train its modern navy. In 1894 he served aboard a Chinese warship at the Battle of the Yalu River, where the fleet fought Japan to a bloody standstill. Gravely wounded, he never fully recovered and died three years later.
Why it matters
His story reflects the age when American naval officers carried their training abroad, linking a small Pennsylvania town to the naval rivalries reshaping East Asia.
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Related people
- · Philo McGiffin
Related events
- · Battle of the Yalu River
Themes & tags
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