Yu Huo, 33, was a Navy dental assistant who grew up in Flushing, New York, before enlisting in the military in April 2023. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Service Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. Friends and fellow service members knew him as a dedicated hospital corpsman who cared for the troops on base. His sudden death in a South Carolina river has left his community searching for answers.
Trouble began on Thursday afternoon, August 27. Huo was last seen around 3:30 p.m. near the Broad River Bridge in Beaufort. He was wearing a gray jacket, black shorts, and white sneakers. When he failed to return, local police issued a missing person alert, citing grave concerns for his safety.
A massive search crew moved into action the next morning. Searchers from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and local rescue groups scanned the water using boats, drones, and side-scan sonar. A heavy thunderstorm forced teams to pause on Friday afternoon, but boats returned to the water early Saturday morning.
The search ended on Sunday around 12:15 p.m.. First responders spotted Huo’s body along the shoreline behind the recreation center at Laurel Bay military housing. Witnesses watched from a distance as coroner vehicles, county deputies, and military police pulled the sailor from the water.
During his short time in uniform, Huo earned significant recognition. He held the rank of Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class and earned two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals along with a Good Conduct Medal. Military records show he was single with no dependents.
Parris Island leadership released a statement expressing deep sorrow for Huo’s family and friends. Base officials said it would be premature to guess what happened before investigators finish their work. They urged the public to respect the privacy of Huo’s grieving loved ones in Flushing.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is now leading the death investigation alongside local detectives. The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. For now, those who served with Huo are holding onto his memory as they await facts from law enforcement.
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