Fireman Wilton Lanny Huyghue, A Sailor's Story
Fireman Wilton Lanny Huyghue, A Sailor's Story
Fireman Wilton Lanny Huyghue was born on May 14, 1970, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1988, beginning a naval career that would soon place him in the path of a major international conflict.
Fireman Huyghue was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, serving as part of the ship’s crew during the lead-up to the Gulf War. In August 1990, the Saratoga deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, joining U.S. naval forces tasked with maintaining regional security and enforcing coalition objectives.
On December 22, 1990, while the ship was operating in the eastern Mediterranean, Fireman Huyghue was among sailors returning from authorized shore leave in Haifa, Israel. The civilian ferry Al Tovia, transporting U.S. service members back to their vessel, sank during the return trip. Fireman Wilton Lanny Huyghue drowned as a result of the incident.
His death occurred far from the battlefield, yet during active wartime deployment—underscoring the reality that military service carries risks beyond combat alone. Fireman Huyghue’s service is remembered as part of the broader human cost of the Gulf War and the sailors who stood watch during a critical moment in history.
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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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