Henry A. Courtney Jr.


Henry Alexius Courtney Jr. was an officer of the United States Marine Corps Reserve during World War II and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Courtney was born January 6, 1916, in Duluth, Minnesota. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and his law degree from Loyola University Law School in Chicago. He was admitted to practice law in Illinois and Minnesota in 1940, shortly after joining his father's law firm in Duluth.
He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in February 1940 and in March of that year was placed in command of the Duluth unit of the Marine Corps Reserve, which was mobilized and sent to San Diego for training. He then served in Iceland for ten months.
At Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, he participated in the first United States offensive of World War II, commanding a company of the 1st Marine Division.
His next combat action was the Battle of Okinawa, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. While serving as executive officer of the Second Battalion of the 22nd Marines, 6th Marine Division on Okinawa, he was killed in action after exhibiting great courage and self-sacrifice leading a successful night attack against enemy positions on Sugar Loaf Hill 14 – May 15, 1945. He was also posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Gold Star in lieu of a second Purple Heart for wounds received in that campaign.
The Medal of Honor was presented to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Courtney, Sr., of Duluth on December 30, 1947, by Commandant of the Marine Corps General Alexander A. Vandegrift. Major Courtney's remains were initially buried in the 6th Marine Division Cemetery on Okinawa. In 1948 his remains were re-interred in Calvary Cemetery in Duluth. Major Courtney's Medal of Honor is on display at the Veterans' Memorial Hall ; a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society.

Namesake

In 1955, the destroyer escort was named for him. Marine Corps Base Camp Courtney on Okinawa, Courtney's place of death, is named in his honor.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN