Harold Leo Turner

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal Harold Leo Turner (ASN: 1490302), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 8 October 1918, while serving with Company F, 142d Infantry, 36th Division, in action at St. Etienne, France. After his platoon had started the attack, Corporal 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 machinegun fire which reduced the strength of his command to but four men, and these were obliged to take shelter. The enemy machinegun emplacement, 25 yards distant, kept up a continual fire from four machineguns. After the fire had shifted momentarily, Corporal Turner rushed forward with fixed bayonet and charged the position alone capturing the strong point with a complement of 50 Germans and one machineguns. 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.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 59 (May 3, 1919)

Action Date: October 8, 1918

Service: Army

Rank: Corporal

Company: Company F

Regiment: 142d Infantry

Division: 36th Division