sergeant in Korea in December 1950, and returned to the United States in March 1951. Senior appointments and Vietnam War That summer McHugh was assigned briefly as assistant battalion sergeant major of the Officer Candidate Class Battalion, Special Training Regiment, Parris Island, South Carolina. In August 1951, he began a three-year tour of duty with the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps unit at Yale University, serving as assistant Marine Officer Instructor and Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge of Recruiting and enrolling candidates for the Officer Candidate Class and Platoon Leaders Class programs. McHugh returned to Camp Lejeune in August 1954, and served briefly as acting sergeant major of the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion before becoming Division Field Sergeant Major for the 2nd Marine Division. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant major on December 31, 1955. In July 1957, McHugh again embarked for duty overseas at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii. During his three years there, he served consecutively as sergeant major of the 1st Marine Brigade, 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, and 4th Marine Regiment. In July 1960, McHugh was assigned as sergeant major of the Marine Corps Landing Force Development Center, Marine Corps Schools, at Quantico. The following May, he became sergeant major of Marine Corps Air Station Quantico. While serving in this capacity, he was selected for the corps top enlisted post, and assumed his new duties as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on June 29, 1962. Following his tour as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, McHugh was ordered to Okinawa, Japan, for duty as sergeant major of Camp Smedley D. Butler, serving in that capacity until September 1966. Upon his return to the United States, he became sergeant major, Marine Corps Schools Quantico, later re-designated Marine Corps Development and Education Command. He transferred again to Camp Lejeune in May 1968, to serve as sergeant major of Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic until April 1969, when he was ordered to South Vietnam. In February 1970, he was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, and assumed his new duties as 1st Marine Aircraft Wing sergeant major until his retirement on December 1, 1970. Later life McHugh died on February 21, 2000, at age 80, at Onslow Memorial Hospital, and is interred in the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Awards and decorations McHugh's military decorations include: References External links Official Marine Corps biography 1919