Guy W. S. Castle (February 8, 1879 – August 10, 1919) was an officer of the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the United States occupation, of Veracruz, Mexico, in 1914.
Birth and education
Guy Wilkinson Stuart Castle was born in Portage, Wisconsin, on 8 February 1879 or 8 February 1880. He was appointed a naval cadet at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on 20 May 1897. While at the Naval Academy, Castle was nicknamed "Hoot," "Pub," or "Jim," and came to be nicknamed "the Great Stone Face." He graduated from the Naval Academy on 7 June 1901.
Military career
Early career, 1901–1903
Castle reported to the receiving ship on 29 June 1901. Detached on 31 July 1901 to proceed to the Asiatic Station on board a United States Army Transport, he departed on 1 August 1901. Ultimately, he reported to armored cruiser on 6 September 1901, but served in her only for a little over a month, being detached to battleship on 11 October 1901.
His title changed from naval cadet to midshipman on 1 July 1902, Castle was ordered detached from Kentucky on 21 July 1902 to the gunboat , then to the gunboat , reporting to Vicksburg on 30 July 1902 at Chefoo, China. Over the ensuing months, Vicksburg "showed the flag" and conducted training, steaming from Chinese to Korean, Japanese, and Philippine ports. Tensions between Japan and Russia occasioned Vicksburgs being dispatched to Chemulpo, Korea, where she arrived on 30 December 1903 to protect American interests there.
Chemulpo, 1904
Castle's promotion to ensign, retroactive to 7 June 1903, occurred on 5 February 1904, the same day that Japan and Russia broke off diplomatic relations. Soon thereafter, on 8 February 1904, the Japanese declared war upon Russia, beginning the Russo-Japanese War; that day, a fleet commanded by Japanese Rear Admiral Uriu Sotokichi arrived off Chemulpo, then landed troops. The following morning, the Japanese issued a challenge to the two Russian warships in port, the steel-hulled protected cruiser Variag and the gunboat Koretz, neither of which knew war had been declared, that the Japanese would attack the Russians where they lay unless they stood out of port by noon to do battle. The Russian ships began clearing for action at 9:00 a.m., then gamely stood out, to the cheers of the neutrals, the Japanese opening fire at about 11:50 a.m. Within a half-hour, Variag and Koretz retired toward Chemulpo, the Japanese ceasing fire at 12:40 to avoid endangering neutral shipping. Variag, badly damaged and afire, had suffered heavy casualties; British, French, and Italian warships sent boats with medical personnel to lend assistance. Vicksburg sent a whaleboat to do likewise. Castle's participation in that endeavor of mercy prompted Variags commanding officer to present his personal sword to the young ensign in gratitude.
Surface ship duty, 1904–1907
Vicksburg returned to the United States on 29 June 1904, arriving at Bremerton, Washington, to be decommissioned. Detached from Vicksburg on 15 July 1904, Castle returned home with 30 days leave, upon the expiration of which he was to await orders to sea. On 12 August 1904, he received orders to the protected cruiser , and reported aboard her on 22 August 1904. Detached on 28 October 1905, he reported to store ship on 30 October 1904, becoming her navigator on 21 November 1904, then her senior engineer on 1 February 1906. On 11 August 1906, he received simultaneous promotions to Lieutenant, junior grade and lieutenant.
