President Woodrow Wilson’s diplomatic policies with Mexico in 1913-1914 deteriorated into an armed conflict when American troops occupied the gulf side port city of Veracruz. The President refused to recognize the Mexican government under Victoriano Huerta, who had seized power in 1913. In addition to encouraging the overthrow of Huerta, Wilson imposed an arms embargo on Mexico and bolstered America’s naval presence in the area. Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, born in Oskaloosa, commanded the naval squadron in the western Caribbean. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the operation.

When word that a German ship loaded with arms was heading to Veracruz, Wilson got his pretext for armed intervention. He ordered Admiral Fletcher to occupy the city. Fletcher’s goals included occupying the Customs House, stopping the German ship from unloading its arms, protecting Americans living there, and treating the Mexicans with utmost consideration.

The operation began on April 21, 1914, with Marines and navy bluecoats taking key areas around the docks and other administrative areas as most of Mexico’s military withdrew. But street fighting erupted as the American occupiers battled angry civilians and Mexican troops who remained behind. More fighting erupted the next day, as additional naval battalions and Marines (including Iowa Medal of Honor recipient Julius Townsend from the battleship Vermont) came ashore. During this time, the American force began evacuating endangered U.S. and British civilians from the area. Marshalltown native Frank Jack Fletcher, the admiral’s nephew, earned his Medal of Honor for decisive, cool actions evacuating people on a troop ship and during a number of dangerous railroad evacuation excursions outside the city. The action was successfully concluded in a matter of days. 126 Mexicans and 19 Americans were killed. The occupation itself lasted until November. It has not been judged a strategic success even though Huerta was eventually ousted by a rival. Relations with Mexico soured and the Veracruz intervention was viewed negatively by the Mexicans for a long time.