Corporal Harold Leo Turner was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 8, 1918 near St. Etienne, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company F, 142d Infantry, 36th Division. Turner was 20 years old.
12 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 2, 1919. Cheney, France, presented by Gen. William R. Smith. He later rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Turner was born on May 5, 1898 in Aurora, Lawrence County, Missouri. His Medal of Honor is credited to Seminole, Seminole County, Oklahoma. Turner died on March 12, 1938 in Caddo Lake, Texas, at the age of 39. He is buried at Little Cemetery in Little, Oklahoma.
Turner is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 25 credited to Oklahoma.
Official Medal of Honor citation
After his platoon had started the attack, Cpl. Turner assisted in organizing a platoon consisting of the battalion scouts, runners, and a detachment of Signal Corps. As second in command of this platoon he fearlessly led them forward through heavy enemy fire, continually encouraging the men. Later he encountered deadly machine-gun fire which reduced the strength of his command to but four men, and these were obliged to take shelter. The enemy machine-gun emplacement, 25 yards distant, kept up a continual fire from four machine guns. After the fire had shifted momentarily, Cpl. Turner rushed forward with fixed bayonet and charged the position alone, capturing the strong point with a complement of 50 Germans and four machine guns. His remarkable display of courage and fearlessness was instrumental in destroying the strong point, the fire from which had blocked the advance of his company.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Oklahoma →
Timeline
- May 5, 1898Born in Aurora, Lawrence County, Missouri
- October 8, 1918Act of valor — near St. Etienne, FranceAge 20. Company F, 142d Infantry, 36th Division
- May 2, 1919Medal of Honor presentedCheney, France, presented by Gen. William R. Smith
- March 12, 1938Died in Caddo Lake, TexasAge 39.
- Resting placeLittle CemeteryLittle, Oklahoma
Biography
Harold Leo Turner (May 5, 1898 – March 12, 1938) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor during World War I.
From the Wikipedia article “Harold L. Turner”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
