Philo Norton McGiffin (December 13, 1860, Washington, Pennsylvania - February 11, 1897, New York City) was a United States Navy officer of the late 19th century, who later served as a naval advisor in China during the First Sino-Japanese War.

He was the son of Colonel Norton McGiffin, a Civil War veteran, and Sarah Quail. He grew up in Washington, Pennsylvania and attended local Washington and Jefferson College before transferring to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1877. While at Annapolis, he gained a reputation as a practical joker.

He graduated in 1881, and went to sea as a midshipman. In those days, several years of sea duty were required before receiving a commission. In an era of limited U.S. naval spending, only a few commissions were available to each graduating class. Unfortunately for McGiffin, when he took the exam in 1884 he did not score highly enough and so did not obtain one of the few commissions available that year.

Looking for employment, he therefore offered his services to the Imperial Chinese Navy , which commissioned him as a captain. He took part in the 1894 Battle of the Yalu, part of the First Sino-Japanese War, on board the battleship Chen Yuen in Admiral Ting Ju Chang's fleet.

McGiffin was severely wounded in the battle, and returned to the United States after the war ended. He died in New York City on February 11, 1897.

Legacy

In addition to several works which discuss his actual exploits, McGiffin is memorialized in the comic novel The Return of Philo T. McGiffin, written by Naval Academy graduate David Poyer and published in 1997 by the Naval Institute Press. The book tells of the misadventures of a namesake plebe, Philo T. McGiffin, during his first year at the Academy.

References

• Bradford, Richard H. "That Prodigal Son: Philo McGiffin and the Chinese Navy." American Neptune, July 1978, v. 38, pages 157-169.
  • Yangtze Patrol: American Naval Forces in China - A Selected, Partially-Annotated Bibliography: Magazines / Journals - From the Naval Postgraduate School Library

• McGiffin, Lee. Yankee of the Yalu: Philo Norton McGiffin, American Captain in the Chinese navy, 1885-1895. New York: Dutton, 1968.
  • Yangtze Patrol: American Naval Forces in China - A Selected, Partially-Annotated Bibliography: Books / Monographs - From the Naval Postgraduate School Library

External links

• History of United States Naval Operations: Korea, Naval Historical Center, Washington, D.C. - Reference to McGiffin's role in the Sino-Japanese War
• Captain Philo Norton McGiffin - Article by famed 19th century U.S. war correspondent Richard Harding Davis; from On Deck!, the Webzine of the Navy and Marine Living History Association
• Philo Norton McGiffin - Photo and brief biographical data from Western Pennsylvania Old Photos