Following his entry into service, McHugh served at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia; the Training Center, New River (later Camp Lejeune), North Carolina; and the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Promoted to sergeant in March 1942, McHugh joined Company C, 1st Battalion 1st Marines and that June sailed aboard the USS Barnett from San Francisco for World War II.

On his return to the United States, McHugh served as Noncommissioned Officer-in-Change of the Rifle Range, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point.

In July 1957, McHugh again embarked for duty overseas at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii.

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.

McHugh's military decorations include:[2][3] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.